SERVING WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S LESBIAN, CAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDERED COMMUNIs/
Proclamation from the Mayor
WHEN DISCRIMINATION EXISTS, THERE ARE NO INNOCENT BYSTANDERS.
THOSE WHO STAND BY WHILE OTHERS ARE MADE TARGETS OF DISCRIMINA
TION AND BIGOTRY MUST SHARE THE GUILT. HAVING FOUGHT LONG AND
HARD AGAINST DISCRIMINATION OF ANY KIND AND BELIEVING THAT
OPPRESSION AND PERSECUTION OF ANYONE JEOPARDIZES EVERYONE, I AM
ONCE AGAIN MOVED TO SPEAK OUT FOR EQUALITY, JUSTICE, TOLERANCE
AND PEACE ON BEHALF OF MY FRIENDS IN THE GAY AND LESBIAN COMMU
NITY.THE VALUE AND WORTH OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL MUST NOT BE TAM
PERED WITH OR DIMINISHED BY A DOCTRINE BASED ON JUDGEMENT AND
CONDEMNATION. AS MOTHER TERESA SAID, “WHEN YOU JUDGE PEOPLE,
YOU HAVE NOT TIME TO LOVE THEM.”RATHER, WE, AS A PEOPLE, IN A
CIVILIZED SOCIETY, SHOULD SPEND OUR ENERGIES ON RESPECT FOR ONE
ANOTHER, ON LOVE, NOT HATE. WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT DIVERSITY IS
AN ASSET TO BE CELEBRATED NOT A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED.
I URGE ALL CITIZENS TO ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE ELEMENTS OF HARASS
MENT, INTIMIDATION, BIGOTRY, RACISM AND BIAS AND WORK TO CREATE
A CLIMATE OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITY THAT MAXIMIZES THE POTENTIAL OF
EVERY INDIVIDUAL AND EVERY COMMUNITY.
MAYOR LENI SITNICK
Pride events schedule see pages 21-24