DEMONSTRATION & CANDLELIGHT VIGIL AT FLORIDA GOVERNOR’S WEDDING

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Impact-Florida will hold a peaceful and respectful demonstration and candlelight vigil outside of Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Carole Rome’s wedding and reception.

Governor Crist first stated he believed in a “Live and Let Live” attitude when speaking about Amendment 2. However, he then became an outspoken proponent of Amendment 2, which passed by a margin of only 1.9%. The vague and ambiguous wording of this amendment could go much further than promised. It could adversely effect domestic partners benefits of both heterosexual and gay Floridians.

Impact-Florida spokesperson Lorna Bracewell said, “I truly believe our demonstration for marriage equality outside of Governor Crist’s wedding will serve to educate the Governor and all Floridian’s that the people injured by passage of Amendment 2 are real people. The more visible we in the GLBT community are, the better our chances will be for one day achieving full citizenship in this state and in this country.

DATE: December 12, 2008
PHASE #1: Demonstration Outside Wedding Ceremony
TIME: 6 P.M. (Although the Wedding is planned for 7 P.M. Participants are asked to arrive no latter than 6:00 P.M..)
LOCATION: Williams Park, 330 2nd Ave N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701 (Between 3rd St. North and 4th St. N on 2nd Avenue
North. (Park is directly across 2nd Ave. N from the First United Methodist Church.)
Directions/Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Saint+Petersburg&state=FL&address=330+2nd+Ave+N&zipcode=33701

Following Wedding Ceremony, participants will walk silently to second location.

PHASE #2: Candlelight Vigil Outside Reception
TIME: Candlelight Vigil Will Last One Hour
LOCATION: Arbor/Trellis North Straub Park 400 Bayshore Dr NE, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701. (Across from Vinoy Resort.)
DIRECTIONS/MAP: From Williams Park to North Straub Park: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Saint+Petersburg&state=FL&address=400+Bayshore+Drive+Northeast&zipcode=33701

Impact Florida is a grassroots organization formed in response to passage of Florida’s “Amendment 2.”. Our members are devoted to pursuing and attaining marriage equality for all of Florida’s citizens, regardless of gender and sexual orientation. For more information on Impact-Florida, visit our website at http://www.impact-florida.com.

I hope you’ll reconsider. Visit Florida — as an out and proud gay person. Spend money in our GLBT owned/operated B&Bs, restaurants, and other businesses. Show that we are not only a part of the community — but we are a significant part of the economic engine. Call it a “buy-cott” if you will!

Peace, joy, and harmony folks…

This Friday night…December 12th, 2008, at 6:00PM, Impact Florida and their friends will be “gathering” in Williams Park (and later North Straub Park) to stand in unity against the “acts and results” of ignorance, and at the same time celebrating the tenet of love and marriage.

We will be there to serve witness to the “legal” marriage of the Governor and his new bride at the 1st Methodist Church in downtown St. Petersburg.

To those who disagree with this tactic…I offer this…..

We are NOT here to degrade or show disrespect to the Governor nor for his new wife, quite the contrary.

We are here to CELEBRATE the institution of marriage…..and the rights and protections afforded to the vast majority of our populace. We only wish to bring to light some simple, yet direct questions to the Governor ..and to our own citizenry.

On Friday night… we’ll have the opportunity to show exactly who we are…..and what we stand for.

What we hope to portray to the Governor ,his new wife, their guests, to the citizen’s of St. Petersburg, and to the nation and the world………. is our ability to show our respect for the institution of marriage….whom so ever’s ….it might be.

How can we not honor another’s marriage…when it is that very right we are wishing for ourselves?

But while doing this…we do have questions we pose to Mr. Crist…..simple and direct ones:

”Why not us?”

“Why are we now considered “second class citizens” in a country where ALL citizens are supposedly called “equal”?

“Why are we not allowed to celebrate…as you do Governor…..the love we have for another human being?”

“Why is it you think…that we will “not care“…. when over one thousand rights afforded to you….you would deny us as citizens of the United States?”

“Why should we have to fight for these rights?”

These questions are the reason we’ll be there…..not to mock the wedding or in any way try to lessen the happiness of the day.

To simply ask… as citizens of the United States…..but more importantly, as human beings…
”What makes your love any ‘more ’important ….or ‘blessed ’ than mine?”

The whole concept of this event, in my mind anyway……is for only one thing…awareness.

I want more and more people to stop……see…..and become more enlightened to the fact that we are NOT so different from them.

We love in the very same ways as they do!
And in this love….we want to become as any other.

To be able to grow and thrive within our families and amongst friends.

To be able to become even more productive citizens in our communities

To share our lives ….equally… among one another and that of society as a whole.

And to further the concept of “unconditional love” in a world which so desperately needs it.

These are the principals I will be standing for.

So…on Friday night….I ,along with many others, will be in the park across from the 1st Methodist Church in St. Petersburg not only in honor of marriage….but in honor of people who stand up for themselves.

It may not be easy….and could even be dangerous…but it’s a risk I must take.

We may very well come up against protests against us, (i.e. , Right wing or religious extremists). Remember……..it is their right to be there too.

And should that happen…here’s what I’d like to see happen.

I’d like to see us confront them in a way they probably won’t understand or be able to respond to …….

Simply smile at them…….no confrontations…no screaming or derogatory comments…simply SMILE.
( I know..I know……this will be a hard thing to do….but there is a reason for this.)

To all who witness…..especially the media…

Let only THEIR angry voices of “intolerance and ignorance” be heard.

Let their words of “anger and hatred “be representative of their ideals…not ours.

People WILL listen…and hopefully learn.

That being said………my wish to all the participants, have a WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE on Friday night…and I’ll look forward to seeing each of you there.

To those who can’t attend………think of us…and send us good vibes from wherever you are.

We ARE truly…all in this together.

Scott Mills

Show that fool NO MERCY for his endorsement of hate and discrimination!

BFD.

Have you ever seen a STRAIGHT man work THAT hard at looking good?

ROFLMQAO!

Bud Burgoon-Clark
still waiting for those 1000+ rights