The board of Pink Triangle Press, Xtra’s publisher, calls upon Pride Toronto to reverse its decision to ban the use of the phrase “Israeli Apartheid.”
Read the letter PTP sent to Pride Toronto (PDF):
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To the Board of Directors of Pride Toronto –
The principal subject of discussion at the May meeting of The Board of Directors of Pink Triangle Press was the decision by Toronto Pride to ban the use of the phrase “Israeli Apartheid” from all Pride-related events.
The Board has authorized me to inform you that it has adopted the following resolution:
AdvertisementAffirming —
That freedom of speech is a fundamental democratic freedom;
That freedom of speech has been the foundation of our communities’ political and social progress since Canada’s first national gay demonstration in 1971;
That Pink Triangle Press, having been tried and acquitted three times on charges of obscenity, has played a significant role in fighting for freedom of speech for our communities and for all Canadians;
That Toronto’s Pride Day sprang from our communities’ resistance to the bathhouse raids of 1981 and celebrates a political struggle for justice and freedom that has always been openly allied with other political struggles at home and around the world;
We call upon the Board of Directors of Pride Toronto to reverse your decision to ban the use of the phrase “Israeli Apartheid” at Pride events and to resist this attempt by politicians, funders and lobbyists to intimidate you and suppress our freedom.
This resolution was adopted unanimously.
Sincerely,
Ken Popert, president & executive director
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Read more:
- Jane Farrow rejects Pride Toronto honoured dyke title
- Watch: Queers Against Israeli Apartheid at Toronto Pride 2009
- Alan Li rejects appointment as Pride Toronto grand marshal
- Banning QuAIA sets a dangerous precedent: Toronto Pride founders
- Protesters demand Pride Toronto reverse censorship decision
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