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Arizona, Phoenix (Cable Muse Network) -- A contingent of Seven Straight Night (7SN) participants gathered
at a busy intersection in the Biltmore Area of Phoenix; an affluent, rising upper class neighborhood to show their support
for the GLTB community. 7SN were highly visible with their large colorful placards. Horns were sounding in support with responding
cheers from the vigilant demonstrators. The participants consisted of people from a wide range of ages, classes and occupations.
Approximately 80 people attended the three hour vigil. The event was under-reported by locally syndicated
news media. One reporter lamented that GLBT events in mainstream media are usually buried unless something tragic happens.
The effort to bring awareness of GLBT issues was not overlooked by Cable Muse Network or Arizona’s ‘NTouch News
Magazine. Passing the intersection every few moments, in marked SUV’s, the local police was ever present and nonintuitive.
 William Reber and Susan Hurley, were the dedicated couple who organized the Phoenix vigil.
The message of the evening was to empower straight allies of the LGBT community. “To stand up for their loved ones and
neighbors, to speak out for equality, standing against the pervasive
atmosphere of ill-treatment to which gay and transgender people are still too often subjected” Susan Hurley stated.
Susan added, “Another goal of our event is to inspire mainstream, straight Arizonans who see a group of straight folk
in a public demonstration of solidarity with their LGBT neighbors, to begin considering for themselves why a group of straight
people would do that, to consider for themselves why it is important for all of us to speak out against the ill-treatment
of any member of our wider community.”  William Reber told Cable Muse
Network, “What we have now is a group of people who are being discriminated against. Fifty years ago it was because
of color, now it’s because of their sexual orientation. One is every bit reprehensible than the other. We are at the
beginning and it’s going to be a long road as it was with the Civil Rights Movement. But, we’ve got to get to
the point where people can who they are and feel free to express who they are without parts of society condemning them simply
for who they are.” William added, “We are finding that every time we do these [vigils] it raises the consciousness
of people, so we have to keep at it.”  The evening’s speakers included Jeffrey Brown working on equal rights in
the city of Flagstaff, AZ; Ray Ceo Jr. an undergraduate and one of the Co-Directors of the Human Rights Campaign at ASU; Rebecca
Glenn, on the leadership team for The Center for Progressive Christianity; Reverend Dr. Nancy Nelson Elsenheimer, Senior Co-Pastor
at Church of the Beatitudes United Church of Christ; Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton and Jennifer Twitchell, Assistant
Director of Arizona Regional Anti Defamation League.
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