GLAA urges Barry to skip Moon rally
Mayor Marion Barry
Executive Office of the Mayor
One Judiciary Square
Washington, D.C. 20001
Dear Mayor Barry:
This morning's edition of The Washington Post reports that leaders of the Unification Church are expecting you and Mrs. Barry to open their "Blessing '97" event at RFK Stadium this Saturday evening.
Yesterday's Post reported that in a sermon this past May, "Moon returned to the theme of America as a lost nation, a place that tolerates homosexuals, whom he compared to 'dirty dung-eating dogs.' 'Especially American people,' Moon said, 'if they truly love such dogs, they also become like dung-eating dogs and produce that quality of life.'"
As that hateful statement makes clear, Rev. Moon and his right-wing organization do not stand for the universal enfranchisement and tolerance that you and so many of your compatriots in the civil rights movement — from Mrs. Norton to John Lewis to Bayard Rustin to Dr. King — worked and struggled for so valiantly and successfully. We urge you and Mrs. Barry to make it clear by your own actions that you consider anti-gay bigotry to be as far beyond the pale as racism, and decline to attend the Unification Church event.
Thank you for your attention to this, and may your family have a joyous and bountiful Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Rick Rosendall
President
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington
cc: The Washington Blade
