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NAACP unit decries vote on gay pride
By Times Staff Writer
Published June 25, 2005
The St. Petersburg Branch of the NAACP is lending its voice to groups that are protesting a recent Hillsborough County Commission vote opposing acknowledgment of gay pride.
In a strongly worded written statement to the gay and lesbian rights group Equality Florida, the NAACP branch leadership said, "We stand with you in your courageous fight against bigotry and racism." The statement is signed by branch president Darryl Rouson, vice presidents Trenia Cox, Harry Harvey and Norman Brown, and press chair Herb Snitzer.
It calls the June 15, 5-1 vote by the Hillsborough County commissioners to abstain from acknowledging, promoting and participating in gay pride recognition and events "an affront to us all who are actively fighting against racism, anti-Semitism, bigotry and injustice." Equality Florida is organizing a protest march from the John F. Germany Library to Joe Chillura Courthouse Square across the street from County Center in downtown Tampa starting at 3 p.m. Sunday.
The commission's vote came after a published report that a display commemorating Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and containing a bibliography of gay authors and books on gay themes at West Gate Library was removed after a few complaints by patrons. A smaller version of the display was later moved to another part of the library.
However, that display and a similar one at the Germany Library were taken down after the vote.
[Last modified June 25, 2005, 00:34:16]
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