Over 200 Faithful Georgians Call on Congress to Vote “Yes” on Equality Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2019
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202) 735-7123
Graham Younger, gyounger@faithinpubliclife.org, (678) 739-8584
Over 200 Faithful Georgians Call on Congress to Vote “Yes” on Equality Act
Atlanta, GA — Over 200 people of faith in Georgia have signed a national petition calling on Congress to vote “Yes” on the Equality Act. The House vote on the bill, expected Friday, will be a historic moment marking the first time a chamber of Congress has approved comprehensive LGBTQ civil rights protections. More than 5,000 people of faith nationwide have signed the petition, representing all 50 states and over 70 religious organizations.
The Equality Act explicitly provides comprehensive non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
“We believe equality is a right. Our nation’s laws must uphold our values of loving and caring for our LGBTQ neighbors as ourselves,” the letter states. “As people of faith, we have an obligation to be part of healing the world. We will not cease in pursuing our commitment to these values until Congress has passed legislation protecting all people from discrimination and fully funds enforcement of these protections.”
To see the letter and the full list of signers from Georgia, click here.
Rabbi Joshua Lesser, Congregation Bet Haverim:
“As a nation, it is time for us to celebrate the God-given dignity of each person, including LGBTQ people. For too long, our LGBTQ family has been persecuted and excluded because of who they love or who they are. My faith tradition calls us to widen the circle of love. As a faith leader, I urge all members of Congress who represent Georgia to do the right thing and vote ‘yes’ on the Equality Act.”
Antoine Wright, Associate Minister, Zion Baptist Church:
“As a minister who serves people in Georgia, I believe that God calls us to treat others as we want to be treated. Because of this belief, I joined other faith leaders in signing the letter of support for the Equality Act. I strongly urge the members of Congress, particularly representatives from the state of Georgia to vote in favor of the Equality Act to help ensure that LGBTQ people in our community are treated equally.”
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Faith in Public Life is a national network of over 50,000 clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice and the common good.