Vigils in Memory of Slain GLBT Youth Garner Florida Statewide Attention
Miami, Florida (April 15, 2007) – Freedom Democrats report that over 50 Miami Dade residents attended a special vigil on Saturday April 14. The vigil was in memory of Ryan Keith Skipper, a 25-year-old Polk County man 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. The vigil was sponsored by Equality Florida and Pridelines Youth Services, a Miami Dade organization supporting GLBT youth.
Ryan’s father, mother, brother and friends gathered at the main vigil in Winterhaven Florida where Ryan lived and the murder occurred - over 200 people attended. Over 1,000 people attended 14 vigils across Florida and in Washington DC (Winter Haven – 200, Fort Lauderdale –100, Tampa 75, Palm Beach 75, Miami 50, Tallahassee 50, Jacksonville 50).
The Vigil started at 1:00 pm and was held at Pridelines Youth Services. David Cornell, Director of Development at Dade Community Foundation opened the vigil with comments on hate crimes in Miami Dade. Stratton Pollitzer, Deputy Director of Equality Florida, continued with statements regarding hate crimes across Florida and continued inaction from legislators in Tallahassee to address a comprehensive hate crimes bill for Florida. At 1:20 pm the group held a minute of silence. Similar vigils were held simultaneously across Florida in 14 other cities and Washington, DC. 1:20 pm was the time picked because Ryan Keith Skipper’s body was found at 1:20 am in Polk County, Florida exactly 30 days previously. Harry Congdon, Chairman of Pridelines Youth Services, then addressed the gathering with four Miami Dade students who read comments from friends honoring Ryan Keith Skipper. Other attendees included Miami Dade activist and Save Dade member, Joan Schaeffer, North Miami Beach City Councilman, Scott Galvin, President of Freedom Democrats, Chip Arndt, and Head of the South Florida Chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network, Robert Loupo.
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: Equality Florida full story.
left to right: Harry Congdon, Robert Loupo, Stratton Pollitzer,
Chip Arndt, Scott Gavin, and David Cornell
Chip Arndt, President of the Freedom Democrats, states: “It is 2007 and we are still arguing whether we should protect GLBT US citizens in Florida and across this country. This vigil honored a loving human being and was very sad. Shame on our government officials and shame on all of us for not standing up for each and every person to be who they are; sticking our heads in the sand is immoral and 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.”
The Florida and Washington, DC vigils and Ryan Keith Skipper’s death come almost three weeks after new hate crimes legislation was reintroduced to the US Congress under the name of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in a similar fashion to Ryan Keith Skipper over 10 years ago in Wyoming.The new legislation is titled the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (LLEHCPA) and is a measured response to the unrelenting and under-addressed problem of violent hate crimes committed against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.
Freedom Democrats join Equality Florida, and many other organizations across the nation, to once again call on local, state and federal leadership to do more in the face of the rising tide of anti-Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender violence in Florida and the United States.
Letters of support and donations to the family of Ryan Keith Skipper can be sent to:
c/o Jesse Bennett Jr. P.A.
146 Avenue B North West
Winter Haven, FL 33880
Freedom Democrats, http://www.freedomdems.org/, is a registered Florida Democratic Caucus under the Florida State Democratic Party. We focus on representing the rights and concerns of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (“GLBT”) community in Miami Dade and electing Democrats to office. All citizens and Democrats, regardless of age, sex, color, religion or sexual orientation are encouraged to join and participate in our conversations. We are an open and nurturing organization. Please contact us at: info@freedomdems.org or 305.895.9466 x113 and ask for Chip Arndt.
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Chip Arndt
President, Freedom Democrats
Info@FreedomDems.org
305.895.9466 x113
