Scott Lively
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — On Monday January 7, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. the Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition Springfield will be joining the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) in Springfield Federal Court as they give oral arguments in the Sexual Minorities Uganda v. Scott Lively case. This is the first known Alien Torte Statute case seeking accountability for persecution on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Prior to the hearing, starting at 10:00 a.m. the Stop The Hate And Homophobia Coalition is organizing a stand-out along State Street in front of the courthouse, where we will be holding supporting signs and informational flyers so come early and join us!
After the hearing, expected to be less than two hours, there will be a press conference outside, in front of the courthouse. Speakers at the press conference include: Attorney Pam Spees, CCR; Frank Mugisha, Executive Director, SMUG; Jane Fleishman, MS, Certified Sex Educator and Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition member; Cathy Kristofferson, State Co-Lead GetEQUAL MA, and Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition member; and Theresa Coley-Kouadio, Assistant Pastor Christ’s Community Church and Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition member.
Not convinced? Read this: Sexual Minorities Uganda v. Scott Lively – why you should care, why you should go!
To attend the event, please note its scheduled day/time.
When: Monday, January 7, 2013 at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Federal Courthouse, Hampden Courtroom, 300 State St, Springfield, MA
What: Oral argument on Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss in SMUG v. Lively
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/447910275264215/
Twitter rally: #StopTheHate
The Stop the Hate and Homophobia Coalition was formed in January 2011 upon learning that Scott Lively was living and ministering in Springfield. Lively is president of the Abiding Truth Ministries, which has been classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and he has been running the Holy Grounds Coffee House. The coalition deplores hateful messages and actions, and calls for community education about the impact of homophobia on our communities, as well as calling for community leaders, neighbors, co-workers, family members, etc. to speak out against homophobia whenever it is perpetrated. The coalition involves a number of community-based organizations, including Arise for Social Justice, Out Now, GetEQUAL MA, the LGBT Coalition of Western MA, as well as local college professors, students, leaders and members of the faith community and individual community members.
[From a News Release]
