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Diversity rally set for Friday
Tuesday, May 02, 2000 By Ervin Dyer, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Richard Scott Baumhammers, the white man charged with murder in the Friday afternoon rampage that killed a Jewish woman, an Indian man, a black man and two Asian men, actually took aim at all minority communities, said Tim Stevens, president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the NAACP.
For complete Post-Gazette coverage, click here.
Stevens was speaking before a phalanx of anti-hate groups, rights organizations and ethnic associations from across the city that had gathered at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter headquarters on Wylie Avenue last night to speak out against violence and plan a communitywide response.
"This is more than black or white," said Stevens. It is a "time for everyone to come together to address issues of gun laws and race hatred in Pittsburgh."
Karen Yee, who works with a number of women's rights and Asian-American groups, said the violence was a wake-up call that diverse groups in Pittsburgh need to continually reach out to each other to support peace and tolerance.
Last night, the groups did just that. After a three-hour roundtable discussion, they decided to hold "Diversity, Respect and Peace: A United Community Response," an hour-long rally scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday in Market Square.
"We're asking schools to let students out to attend, city and county officials to let employees leave early to attend," said Jan Neffke, a project director with the Coalition to Counter Hate Groups. Political leaders and representatives from justice and peace-seeking groups will be asked to speak.
It should end in time for groups to attend the candlelight vigil Friday evening at Robinson Town Centre's Ya Fei Chinese Cuisine restaurant that will honor the victims of the shootings in a traditional Chinese service for the deceased.
In addition, the groups are asking all religious leaders in the community to send letters to their congregations calling for tolerance and assistance in promoting peace.
Also last night, the NAACP and other organizations threw their support behind the Million Mom March to protest handgun violence. The march will take place in Washington, D.C., on May 14. Buses will leave from Pittsburgh early that morning and return that evening. For more information, or to make a donation, call 412-369-4461.
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