RALLY AT MCC JUNE 9TH: TROY PERRY FEATURED SPEAKER
(from Prime Time, July, 1977, p. 1.)
There was a lot of gloom among St. Louis gays right after the defeat of gay rights in Miami June 7th. But for the 300 people who attended the rally at MCC Thursday evening, June 9th, the gloom was short-lived. Excitement, hope and determination were in the air, and built steadily all through the rally. It soon became apparent that gay people—at least In St. Louis—were not about to give up, and in fact were more determined and more united than ever after the defeat in Dade County.
Speakers at the rally Included Rick Garcia, of the St. Louis Task Force for Human Rights; Jim Alexander, representing Dignity; Marvin Kabakoff and Galen Moon for MLSC; the Rev. Elder Carol Cureton of MCC-St. Louis; and the Rev. Troy Perry, founder of MCC.
Certain themes were sounded by one speaker after another: determination, unity, refusal to compromise, lie or hide, insistence upon the importance of being openly and honestly what we are and who we are. Wc must insist on our basic human rights, Troy Perry emphasized; things will not be all right if we just keep quiet and remain afraid and closeted.
Miami, Perry stressed, was only one battle, one temporary setback, not the war. In the long run, he said, we will win. He reminded us of how very far gay people have come in the past few years, spoke of his participation in the White House meeting with President Carter's representative, and declared In a ringing voice: “We are never going back In the closet!"
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