8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS ACCEPTANCE An attitude, "only my life matters," is popular among bullies. In terms of behavior as opposed to legislation, equal rights means allowing others to live, believe and disagree, even if it is different from your personal or religious beliefs. Two people were fatally shot, including the shooter, two critically injured, and former president Donald Trump wounded July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pa. Police visually scrutinized every pedestrian crossing the University of Michigan Diag during the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, April 22-May 21. It wasn't harassment. It was to prevent violence against the Gaza and antiwar protestors. There were no mass shootings of protestors nationwide. Why would we ever consider these ideas, mass shootings and assassination attempts? As a country, what are we becoming? "It was very American to think that to be willing to use violence was to show seriousness and to be effective but that was not what I had learned in Vietnam," Daniel Ellsberg wrote in his book, "Secrets." Ellsberg, a former government official and Marine, helped end the Vietnam War by exposing the lies of five presidents. He gave the top-secret Pentagon Papers to the JANE REILLY Groundcover vendor No. 611 New York Times and 18 other newspapers. He was tried for espionage, the charges dismissed. Whether the gunman meant to kill or help, Donald Trump has the right to exist. The life of murdered bystander Corey Comperatore, 50, of Sarver, Pa. mattered. (Information from Thomson Reuters News Service.) At a Groundcover News vendor meeting on July 2, a newcomer was met with hostility simply for existing. The vendor said they cannot tell their Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Queer friends they are homeless. They cannot tell their homeless friends they are nonbinary; nonbinary means someone who does not exclusively identify as male or female. "It can be easy to ask, 'Why are events like this important?’" Joe Halsch, Director of Ann Arbor Pride and President of the Jim Toy Community Center, wrote via email, "and I think the experience involving your coworker stresses the importance of building safe, inclusive, welcoming communities. "Pride is more than just a party," Halsch added. "Pride is a connection point to others in our community. Pride is a protest and a statement. Pride is still needed in 2024." The Jim Toy Community Center is presenting its 29th annual free Ann Arbor Pride celebration August 3 from noon to 9-10 p.m. at Liberty and Main Streets in downtown Ann Arbor. The Jim Toy Community Center is the LBGTQ support and advocacy group in Washtenaw County. Artists Gilbert Baker and Lynn Segerblom created the original rainbow Pride flag in 1978 at the request of Harvey Milk. Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California as San Francisco City Supervisor, was assassinated for writing a law banning discrimination in public accommodations, housing and employment based on sexual orientation. (Inforsee PRIDE page 11 JULY 26, 2024 A2 Pride reminds us that all lives have the right to exist Rainbow Groundcover News sign at Ypsi Pride, June 7. Each of the eight colors was assigned a specific meaning by artist Gilbert Baker: Hot pink: Sex; Red: Life; Orange: Healing; Yellow: Sunlight; Green: Nature; Turquoise: Magic and Art; Indigo: Serenity; Violet: Spirit. The brown and black are inspired by the Philadelphia Pride Flag of 2017 to honor queer People of Color.
9 Publizr Home