I am deeply saddened by the article in your paper regarding pride (BTL,June 7, 2007, "Michigan Pride in trouble.") I am a volunteer this year and am very excited about Lansing Pride. It is the best event, bar none, in the state for the efforts of the LGBT communntiy. I hope to be on the committee next year and look forward to anything I can do to help. Your (reporter) was off the mark by a long shot. Maybe he should put his efforts where his mouth is and instead of condemning the people who help put this thing together. Maybe he should stand with them. Aren't we all family! Are we all in this together? His statements make it seem like we have exhausted all our resources and are clammering to get things done. Well let me tell Mr. Heywood something. I am a volunteer among many. I think his information is inaccurate and maybe directed toward ending pride all together. I think we make the most of our activism in the very city where all of our laws and rights are voted on. Do you agree Mr. Heywood? Or do you think it should be just one big party with no agenda. Don't ridicule the very thing that makes us one and try to tear down something people have worked their lifetime to achieve. Stand with us Mr Heywood. Help us! Help yourself by helping us! I don't know much about the finances of this great effort, however maybe Mr. Heywood should get his priorities straight. Sounds like you have an agenda!
{ITAL Donna Brown
Lansing}
Michigan Pride phone is disconnected
We had someone call our church office yesterday who was trying to get through to Michigan Pride about their booth for the event. The young lady apparently knew that we, too, were going to sponsor a booth at the Pride event. She told us that she had been calling the number on the website (Michigan Pride) and it kept saying "no longer in service." We checked it as well, and got the same response.
Do you (at BTL) know what is happening? We have a group of people prepared to man our booth on the 30th (of June) and I would surely be embarrassed to have pressed them into service, if there is not going to be an event. Nothing on the Michigan Pride website indicates any problems.
I'd surely appreciate your insight into this mystery. It's very hard to support and uphold the-*GLBT community…when it doesn't uphold itself.
Thanks so much.
{ITAL Rev. Kent Lederer
Unity of Greater Lansing }
Michigan Pride non-responsive
I can understand why Michigan Pride is in trouble. I and at least two of my friends have emailed and tried to call to offer support, but as of this date none of us has heard any kind of response. That is not the way to generate funds or volunteers. Non-response to willing volunteers is a potential death knell for a community based organization. I will attend Pride on the 30th, but I am not as excited or as committed as I would have been if I had received a little encouragement from Pride and perhaps even some information as to how to get involved. Michigan Pride-shame on you. AND a question: Why is one of the co-chairs of the event living in Atlanta? If I were in that position and moving nearly 1000 miles, I would have sought a replacement and resigned the position – or waited to move until the event was finished.
{ITAL Jim Lynch
Lansing}
