United Nations’ Secretary General Ban Ki-moon got an earful when Michael Petrelis and Hank Wilson zapped yesterday’s World Affairs Council in San Francisco.
From Petrelis’ press release:
A group of activists staged a protest at an evening meeting at the Fairmont Hotel featuring the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, in order to protest the unconscionable, murderous silence of the United Nations concerning continued violence and executions globally which specifically target gays and lesbians. Ban was speaking before the World Affairs Council of Northern California, as San Francisco is considered the birthplace of the UN.
The nonviolent protesters twice interrupted Ban’s speech, first standing on their seats, chanting “Break the silence! Talk about about gays!” while holding up signs which read “Gay Rights Are UNiversal”, capitalizing the letters UN to drive home the point that the UN has not accepted its responsibility to monitor and defend the human rights of gay and lesbian people worldwide.
UN Secretary General Ban replied, “That is most unusual welcome for me . . . As Secretary General, I’m supposed to answer all questions . . . The gay rights issue is very sensitive.”
The action comes less than a week after the UN’s voted to accredit two gay organizations, giving them a say in policy making.
Though Clinton Fein’s photos capture the message, Zombie Time’s video really makes it pop. Check it out…
Martini-boy
Wow. Those activists have no tact at all.
qwerty29
It took the UN almost seven years to accredit those gay organizations, which is fantastic that it has finally happened. But currently there is no homo rights resolution to protect us against discrimination and violence.
Many European and Middle Eastern LGBT’s have been verbally attacked, beaten violently, and even hanged just in the last couple of months, simply because they were trans and/or queer. The UN has had NO response.
However you stand on being out, loud, and proud–please make a contribution in whatever way you can: learning about civil rights leaders who helped gain the small civil rights we have today, talking with queer/trans who lived during a time when it wasn’t easy–no matter where you live–to be queer/trans, do something like telling Ban to “TALK ABOUT GAY RIGHTS!”–whatever you do, use your imagination!