April 6, 1998
Dear Everyone,
American Airlines is a major sponsor of human rights and
respect for homosexuals. They support groups like GLADD, the Human
Rights Campaign, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the AIDS Action
Foundation, DIFFA, AmFAR, and scores of community-based groups
representing gays and lesbians. American Airlines is also the first airline to
adopt a written nondiscrimination policy covering sexual orientation
in its employment practices. In an unusual joint letter released
to the media on Friday, March 14th from the Family Research Council,
Concerned Women of America, American Family Association and Coral Ridge
Ministries, American Airlines was openly criticized about that policy.
Rightist leader Beverly LaHaye also went on Christian "talk
radio" on Friday to blast American Airlines because "American's
sponsorship of homosexual 'pride' events constitutes an open endorsement of
promiscuous homosexuality."
LaHaye and the other groups have written Bob Crandall,
President of American Airlines, to complain that his company has "gone
beyond mere tolerance" of gays and lesbians. [Which is in point of
fact, not only true, but something which we the undersigned believe the
company should take pride in.] An article blasting American appears in
Friday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and possibly has been picked up by
other newspapers around the country. It has come to the attention of the gay
and lesbian community that American Airline's switchboard and e-mails
are being bombarded now by homophobic and hateful callers who have
been urged by LaHaye and others to DEMAND the company terminate its
gay-friendly policies.
Please add your name to the following petition in support of
American Airline's honorable stance in the corporate world and
forward it to as many people as you can. To add your name just cut and paste
this entire page onto new mail, add you name at the bottom of the list
and send it out to your family, friends, and colleagues!
***NOTE: If you are the 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, etc. person
to sign this petition then also please forward this to American
Airlines at [log in to unmask] ***
To American Airlines:
We, the undersigned, support your gay/lesbian rights policies and commend
you for your efforts in ending
discrimination. Thank you for your dedication to such issues and please
continue to remain active in the struggle to end discrimination.
1. Marybeth Kurtz, Philadelphia, PA
2. Jen Faust, Goucher College, Balto. MD
3. Sarah Pinsker, Goucher College, Balto. MD
4. Rebecca Olin, Amherst College, Amherst MA
5. David Beckman, Amherst College, Amherst, MA
6. Amanda Austin, Smith College, Northampton, MA
7. Joan Prusky, Detroit, MI and Northampton, MA
8. Elizabeth Kennedy, NYC and Smith College,
Northampton, MA
9. Lindsey Stowe-Berns, NYC and Oberlin College,
Oberlin, OH
10. Jill Rothstein, NYC and Oberlin College
11. Julie Cross, Miami and Oberlin College
12. Chris Morris, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
13. Katherine Shorb, Tokyo and Oberli
14. Chris Murry; Tampa, FL
15. Scott Mikita, La Grange, IL
16. Eric Brooks, New York, NY
17. Mary Kay Adams, New York, NY
18. Karen Lynn Scott, Beverly Hills, CA
19. Fran Kaufer, Los Angeles, CA
20. Matt Pringle, Los Angeles, CA
21. Michael Cutler, Los Angeles, CA
22. Philip Drewry, Los Angeles, CA
23. Sarah Hill, Arlington, VA
24. Kathy Brandt, Clearwater, FL
25. Kathleen Taylor, Dunedin, FL (forwarded)
26. Paul Farr, Athens, GA
27. Heather Mitchell, Athens, GA
28. Don Bertschman, Pittsburgh, PA
29. Dixie Fox, Pittsburgh, PA
30. Samantha Thorp. Pittsburgh PA
31. Patricia L. Ennis, Anaheim CA (Damn Right!)
32. Viki Therriault, Seattle Washington
33. Joanne Magram, Everett, Washington
34. Kathy Chaurasiya, Mukilteo, Washington
35. Julie Ruffell, Surrey, BC
36. Robert Thompson, Toronto, ON
37. Jennifer Hale, Toronto, ON
38. Anjali Kapoor, Toronto, ON
39. Lucy Giannini, Toronto, ON
40. Peter Eliot Weiss, Toronto, ON
41. Ric Knowles, Fergus, ON
42. Ruth Fletcher, Chicago, IL
43. Nick Blomley, Vancouver, BC
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
N i c k B l o m l e y
Associate Professor
Department of Geography
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6,
CANADA
(604) 291-3713 (tel)
(604) 291-5841 (fax)
[log in to unmask] (email)
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