Here is the official press release from StonewallAGAIN about the impending protest:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August
15, 2013
LGBT community
protests McDonald’s sponsoring the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Winter Olympics in
Russia.
LGBT to
McDonald’s: We’re Not Lovin’ It!
Oakbrook,
IL – Members of the Chicagoland LGBT community will be descending on
McDonald’s World Headquarters, 2111 McDonald’s Drive, Oak Brook, at 11 AM,
Saturday, August 17 to protest the Corporation's continued sponsorship of the
2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia despite the country's recently instituted
homophobic “gay propaganda” laws. The
laws have sparked widespread, increased violence against LGBT persons in the
country, as demonstrated by YouTube videos [2] [3] proudly circulated by
brutal anti-gay activists there.
The International
Olympic Committee (IOC) has stated that no signs of LGBT presence or protest
will be tolerated in its venues and has failed to admonish Russia against
violence and threats of violence on LGBT Olympians and spectators. Russian authorities have boldly stated that the repressive new
law would be enforced on all who attend the games.
StonewallAGAIN,
an LGBT activist group in Chicago that arose out of the May failure of Illinois's
marriage equality bill, is the sponsor of Saturday's protest at McDonald's
world headquarters "McDonald’s has
a responsibility to disavow sponsorship if local authorities refuse to provide
safety to all who participate in the games that they are promoting," said
Mike Lackovich, founder of StonewallAGAIN.
"These homophobic laws enacted are similar to those passed at the start
of the holocaust in Nazi Germany.
McDonald’s needs to work with the IOC to find a safe venue for all
participants to compete without fear of abuse, violence or deportation for
being who they are.”
In response
to questions concerning the forthcoming protest, the Chicago
Phoenix reported
Wednesday the following statement from Suzanne Valliere, senior manager of McDonald’s
Global External Communications:
“There is no
room for discrimination under the Golden Arches. McDonald’s welcomes, respects and values the
diversity, culture and unique differences of our 69 million customers and
nearly two million employees around the world every day. McDonald’s supports the spirit of the Olympic
Games and its ability to unite the world in a positive and inspirational
way. We’ve been a proud sponsor of the
Games for 37 years. Regarding the recent
Russian legislation, we support the International Olympic Committee’s belief
that sport is a human right and the Olympic Games should be open to all, free
of discrimination, and that applies to spectator, officials, media and
athletes.”
"Valliere’s
press release is full of fluffy words that are contrary to what is actually occurring,"
said Lackovich. "The Russian
government and the IOC are imposing a state of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,' with
tolerance for violence and threats of violence thrown in for good measure. As experience in the U.S. has shown, the
policy of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is discriminatory in and of itself, and in
direct contradiction to the claimed 'spirit of the games.'"
“As for the ‘diversity’
Valliere speaks to,” Lackovich said, “nearly all gay people have to go through
a difficult 'coming out' phase in their lives.
To ask people to go back into the closet so they can compete in something
they have aggressively trained for regardless of sexual orientation is utterly
absurd. Clearly, Valliere has no idea
how painfully difficult this phase of LGBT life is. Most in the LGBT community would find this demand
offensive and unacceptable.”
The protest
will begin at 11AM and have speakers including StonewallAGAIN Founder, Bisexual
Queer Alliance Chicago Founder Mike Oboza and Gay Liberation Network’s
Co-Founder Andy Thayer. More information
about the protest is posted on the group’s website, StonewallAGAIN.com or their
Facebook page.
For further
information, contact StonewallAGAIN at 312-600-8429 or email info@StonewallAGAIN.com
# # #
No comments:
Post a Comment