Please Join Us in Miami, Key West or Ft. Lauderdale TOMORROW! Saturday, April 14th for a Statewide Hate Crimes Vigil in Memory of Slain GLBT Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Miami, Florida (April 13, 2007) - Freedom Democrats support and ask that all Florida residents participate in one of many statewide vigils held in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, a 25-year-old Polk County man was viciously murdered and his body left on the side of a road in what the Sheriff's office is classifying as an anti-gay hate crime.

Ryan was brutally stabbed at least 20 times and his car and a laptop computer were stolen. According to witnesses, two suspects drove Ryan's bloody car around and bragged to their friends about savagely killing him. To read an in-depth article about the attack and what the loss of Ryan has meant to those who were closest to him, click here.

Chip Arndt, President of the Freedom Democrats, states: "It is 2007 and we are still arguing whether we should protect GLBT US citizens in the state of Florida. Shame on our government officials and shame on all of us for not standing up for each every person to be who they are; sticking our heads in the sand is immoral and, if it continues, leads to a generation of youth who think it acceptable to discriminate against others unlike them. I am outraged and it is time to hold every public official accountable for their silence on rights and protections of GLBT peoples."

As an initial step, Equality Florida is assisting with plans to hold vigils in Polk County, around the state, and in other parts of the nation on Saturday - April 14th. We will mourn Ryan's tragic death, join friends and family in celebrating his life and we will also spotlight the terrible impact of hate violence at the local, state and national level.

Freedom Democrats join Equality Florida, and many other organizations, to once again call on state leadership to do more in the face of the rising tide of anti-Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender violence in Florida.
Please join us to honor Ryan's memory, Saturday April 14th at the following South Florida locations.

For all locations in Florida please click here now: http://www.freedomdems.org/oped.html

Miami Dade Vigil:
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: Pridelines Youth Services, 180 NE 19th St, Miami
Corner of NE 19th Street and 2nd Ave
(across the street from Temple Israel of Greater Miami)
Contact: Tobias Packer, tobias@eqfl.org, 305-924-6237

Ft. Lauderdale Resident Vigil:
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: gay and Lesbian Community Center 1717, N. Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale
Contact: Rev. Frank Faine, frank@sunshinecathedral.org

Key West Vigil:
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Steps of the Old Custom House (Base of White Head Street), Key West
Sponsored by GLCC of Key West and NOW
Contact: John Andola, jandola@hotmail.com, 305-849-0379

Freedom Democrats

Freedom Democrats, www.FreedomDems.org, is a registered Florida Democratic Caucus under the Florida State Democratic Party and focuses on representing the rights and concerns of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender ("GLBT") community in Miami Dade and electing Democrats to office. Please contact us at: info@freedomdems.org or 305.895.9466 x113 and ask for Chip Arndt.