OMAHA, NE – Nebraskans for Equality’s first event, the ‘Full Equality Before the Law’ rally is a complete success. A big thank you to all who joined the First Full Equality Rally today!!! It was fun, it was great to see some new faces!! I hope the very happy and peaceful Full Equality Rallies become regular events for Nebraskans For Equality because Full Equality Before the Law is what Nebraskans need and deserve! While a certain HeartLand Pride President would compare peaceful activists like us to Westboro Protesters, we know we did the right thing. Thousands of Omahans were made aware of LGBT issues as they drove by and honked at seeing our signs, informing them of the need for legislation covering Marriage Equality, Workplace Fairness, Stop Bullying, LB380/LB385 and overall Full Equality, to name a few. Seven wonderful activists showed up for the rally, and I would like to give Fremont a special shout out for supplying 4 of the 7 ralliers!

On another note, I don’t understand why so many activists in Nebraska have to trash LB380 and LB385. These bills could have been law by now, if the community had gotten on board to begin with. Nebraska children and Nebraska families need those bills. These bills also encompass more than just the LGBT community. It doesn’t help the movement to put one LGBT issue ahead of another, especially laws that we can pass by LEGISLATIVE ACTION. We should be pushing for FULL EQUALITY. I grew up in a household that taught me to have a job, have an education BEFORE you start a family. This is why I don’t understand why there is this push to put marriage equality above all else, when there are no state level protections for housing, public accommodation and the workplace, all which are basic needs for people who plan to get married someday. Being married does not protect you from job or housing discrimination. This why I believe we should push for FULL EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW in Nebraska.

There are four currently scheduled items that are huge for Full Equality efforts in Nebraska.

1. Forward Equality’s Pizza and Postcard party in Lincoln, Tuesday, August 6th at 5:30pm at Yia-Yia’s Pizza see the FaceBook Event for further details,

2. The next event is Forward Equality’s Pizza and Postcard party in Omaha, August 20, at 5:30pm,

3. Rally for Marriage Equality on Sept 3 from 2pm to 4pm at 72nd Dodge Street,

4. Brad Ashford‘s Unicameral Judiciary Hearing in Lincoln on Oct 4th for Same-Sex Marriage in Nebraska.

**Memorandum for Full Equality in Nebraska: We must work toward Full Equality legislation that grants full non-discrimination protections on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression equal to those accorded other statuses under existing civil rights laws and Supreme Court jurisprudence including, not limited to Public Accommodations, Public Facilities, State-Funded Programs, Employment, Housing, Education, Credit, State-Level Marriage Equality, as well as Labor, Disability and Leave.

Ken Riter