2011-09-26 Connecting Rainbows Bigot Bell

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  • 8/4/2019 2011-09-26 Connecting Rainbows Bigot Bell

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    Connecting Rainbows Releases Episode 3 of Bigot Bell Parody YouTube Campaign 1 / 3

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Please contact:

    Louis Flores [email protected]

    1 (646) 400-1168

    Connecting Rainbows MembersRelease Episode 3 of Parody

    YouTube Campaign Against Taco Bell

    Video Link : Episode 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ileji1V5XTM

    Video Link : Episode 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFiaRocbGDc

    Video Link : Episode 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4Bf1xhSdnM

    September 26, 2011 -- New York, NY The LGBTQ civil rights group Connecting

    Rainbows continues with its world-wide boycott ofYum! Brands restaurants following

    a case of alleged employment discrimination against a member of Connecting

    Rainbows.

    Jason Smith is an openly gay employee ofTaco Bell, and he is a member of

    Connecting Rainbows. In April 2011, Mr. Smith was dismissed from his job, after

    another employee made a threat against Mr. Smith based on his sexual orientation. A

    Taco Bell manager witnessed the threat. After Mr. Smith was dismissed, Taco Bell

    conditioned Mr. Smiths return to his job only after Mr. Smith deleted each of his

    Facebook profile and the entire website of Connecting Rainbows, the former which Mr.

    Smith refused, and the latter over which Mr. Smith has no control. Connecting

    Rainbows is a democratic collective of LGBTQ activists and allies, with no hierarchy.

    To read more about the incident, please read Mr. Smiths description of the events :

    http://connectingrainbows.ning.com/forum/topics/hate-crime-needs-to-stop-taco

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    Connecting Rainbows members have launched an online petition :

    Members of Connecting Rainbows launched a petition on Change.org, to publicise

    Mr. Smiths plight :

    http://www.change.org/petitions/world-wide-petition-yum-brands-restaurants-re-jason-ray-smith-read-his-story-and-sign-petition

    About Connecting Rainbows demands to Taco Bell and Yum! Brands :

    Yum! Brands restaurants apologize to Mr. Smith and the LGBT community

    Rehire Mr. Smith and provide a hostile-free work environment, or compensate

    Jason for his loss of income and other damages

    Provide diversity and cultural competency training to every employee --

    worldwide!

    About Connecting Rainbows demands for legislative remedies :

    Connecting Rainbows demands that Congress amend the Civil Rights Act of

    1964 to include sexual orientation and gender identity to the major forms of

    discrimination that are outlawed.

    Connecting Rainbows also demands that federal legislators pass the

    Employment Non-Discrimination Act (''ENDA''). ENDA is routinely introducedin Congress, but never passed. It is time for Congress to prohibit discrimination

    against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

    About Bigot Bell :

    Bigot Bell is an innovative, hybrid direct and online action conceived by members of

    Connecting Rainbows to target Yum! Brands and Taco Bell. In response, Yum! Brands

    has spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees and social media monitoring all in

    an attempt to each of squash the Connecting Rainbows action and avoid its

    responsibility to Mr. Smith. Recently, Yum Brands even censored BigotBell.com and

    went to great lengths to unsuccessfully shut down this campaigns dedicated website.

    Visit : http://www.bigotbell.com/

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    About Connecting Rainbows :

    Connecting Rainbows is a borderless, democratic collective of LGBT activists and allies,

    with no hierarchy. The groups mission is to create a mass movement, demanding full

    civil rights for LGBT people everywhere. Its members organise civil rights walks and

    other actions for LGBT civil rights. Connecting Rainbows uses the power of a social

    media platform, where people create online profiles, meet others, plan events, join

    groups, blog, and participate in online forums.

    Visit : http://connectingrainbows.ning.com/

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