20 LGBT Rights Groups Condem “Injustice” of Trayvon Martin Shootin
BY PHOEBE MOSES
SANFORD – On Monday, a coalition of 20 national gay rights organizations called for the “injustice” of the Trayvon Martin killing to be corrected. The groups, which included the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), released a statement in the form of an “open letter,” in which they condemned the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the African American youth who was shot last month as he walked home with a snack in his hand. The killing of Martin, 17, has sparked national outrage over Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law.
Under the law, which was passed by the Republican legislature and signed by Gov. Jeb Bush in 2005, the shooting was ruled justifiable. The law gives the benefit of the doubt to people who fire their guns in public places in self-defense.
Many experts say that Florida’s legal standard exceeds the traditional principles of self-defense in one’s home. Florida was the first state to pass such a law, after heavy lobbying from the National Rifle Association (NRA). Today, at least 20 other states have similar legislation.
The LGBT groups wrote:
An Open Letter: Standing Alongside Trayvon Martin’s Family and Friends
“The tragic killing of Trayvon Martin is a national call to action. Our hearts go out to Trayvon’s family and friends for the loss they have experienced. We stand in solidarity with them as they demand answers and justice. We represent organizations with diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender constituencies.”
“Many in our community have been targets of bigotry and bias. We have a great deal of experience grappling with the role bias plays in violent crimes against our communities. We well know the stories of young people targeted for violence just because of who they are: Rashawn Brazell, Lawrence King, Ali Forney, Deoni Jones, Brandon White, Matthew Shepard, Angie Zapata, Sean Kennedy and countless others.
“Trayvon’s killing is a wakeup call to the enduring cancer of racism and racial profiling. The pain his family continues to endure transcends communities and unites us all. Every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, must be able to walk the streets without fear for their safety. Trayvon’s killing is tragic and the stark reality that racial bias played a role in his death has alarmed our nation. Questions must be asked. Answers must be sought. And justice must be served.” “We join our voices to the chorus of so many others to demand that local and federal authorities find those answers. We stand in solidarity with Trayvon’s family and friends as they seek justice for his killing. In the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Signatories: CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, Family Equality Council, Freedom to Marry, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, Immigration Equality, International Federation of Black Prides, LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), National Coalition for LGBT Health, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, National Stonewall Democrats, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, Pride at Work, Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN), The Trevor Project, UNID@S.