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(Ft. Lauderdale) Today, Equality Florida and the coalition Transgender Equality Rights Initiatives (TERI) expressed outrage over the murder of Simmie Williams Jr., a gay 17 year-old who was gunned down this past weekend on a street corner in Broward County. Police are investigating the murder as a possible hate crime based on the words witnesses say were exchanged before the shooting.

On Saturday, February 16th, I attended a social night at the Jasmyn house and spoke with the youth about Equality Florida and the many issues we work on throughout the year. Most of the conversation/presentation was to let the youth also know about Lobby Days which is happening in Tallahassee on March 17th-20th. Several of the attendees signed up to attend lobby days and will be speaking with legislators about the Safe Schools bill. I am sure that Jacksonville will have another strong presence again this year at lobby days in Tallahassee!

http://www.local10.com/news/15290228/detail.html

Al Gore has quietly released a video with a forceful endorsement of equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians. "Gay men and women ought to have the same rights as heterosexual men and women -- to make contracts, to have hospital visiting rights, to join together in marriage, and I don't understand why it is considered by some people to be a threat to heterosexual marriage," he says on the video, which appears on his Current TV network.

I love this kind of low tech high impact activism. I hope it inspires more people to grab a camera and take on bigotry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L84K-Oe0q58

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/12/18/Hillsborough/Award_in_bullying_cas.shtml

http://soneevda.blogspot.com/2007/12/event-ernie-and-jojo-dinner.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHaVUjjH3EI

http://www.strictlyconfidentialradio.com/promos/sc_12_14_07.mp3

The far right now has the signature. Another spiteful amendment is heading to the ballot. This time Florida will face a deceptively named and dangerous "Marriage Protection Amendment".They picked a fight in Florida in 2008 for one reason- Florida is a must win Presidential battleground.This is yet another cynical attempt to elect the most right wing candidates by ensuring prejudice drive their voters to the polls.That is why this isn't just a battle for Floridians. Everyone reading this has a stake in what happens at the polls in Florida come November.

Equality Florida recently received an email from a supporter who wondered why we spend so much time and effort trying to repeal Florida's ban on adoption by gay and lesbian prospective parents. Especially, they said, in light of the lack of interest among the LGBT community. The answer follows:

Rise Up Rally Wed Needs Your Body

Guest Opinion: Bruce Diamond Florida marriage amendment intrudes in private mattersOriginally posted on November 19, 2007Ft. Myers News Press If the proposed state constitutional amendment regarding marriage appears on the November 2008 ballot, it will represent another blatant act of political mischief.

Back Article published Sep 29, 2007 Editorial: Marriage amendment discriminates Floridians are currently witness to the time-honored but hardly honorable practice of creating the illusion of a crisis where there isn't one. Don't fall for the ruse. This time its practitioners want us all to believe that the institution of marriage is under attack. Their straw man is gay marriage, and if it ever becomes recognized as valid and legal, they suggest that the pillars of civilization will crumble.