June 2, 1999 by fax and mail SEE DI BONA and GLANTON
ADDRESSES at END
Corbin A. McNeill, Jr., CEO
2301 Market
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-841-4223 and 215-841-4513 fax
Attn: Joanne Kunigonis, Secretary
Dear Corbin McNeill, Jr.
As Task Force executive director, I led the Philadelphia campaign to win civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations (1982). Since that time, as you may know, our community has obtained greater visibility, recognition, and in tandem, the extension of various constitutional and civil rights that promote equal treatment and equal protection under law.
I was appalled to learn that PECO has refused to acknowledge, clearly and unequivocally, the celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride sponsored by Diversity of Pride/Philadelphia. Surely there’s been a mistake!
Over this last decade, Task Force studies have continued to demonstrate the epidemic level of hate-based discrimination and violence in Philadelphia and throughout the Commonwealth (attached). And, hate, Mr. McNeill, does not occur in a vacuum, but evolves out of complex and intersecting social and legal constructions.
PECO’s decision reinforces the invisibility of our people and constitutes, on its face, an attempt to diminish our humanity and being. It is an unconscionable act of hatred and disrespect that is both harmful and unacceptable.
Given the extraordinary impact of this matter, I would suggest that the PECO Board of Directors direct its management team to reexamine its uninformed decision, and that PECO as a socially responsible corporate citizen grant the request before it to recognize minimally "Gay (GLBT) Pride" on its Crown Lights Display.
I would appreciate your return call and response timely.
cc: PECO Board of Directors and Executive Committee
(list follows)
Addessa to McNeill, Jr. PECO Chair, President and, CEO
cc:
Fred DiBona, PECO Director, Executive Committee
CEO, Independence Blue Cross 1901 Market Street – 45th floor, 19103-Assistant Barbara Cooney. 215-241-2414 and 215-241-2624
Richard Glanton, Esq., PECO Director, Executive Committee,
Attorney, Reed Smith Shaw Clay, 1 Liberty Place, Suite 2500
19103 at 215-851-8120 and fax 1420
And Board as listed on PECO’s 1998 10-K
David Woods, Peco Public Relations and Shari Sprouse, Secretary 215-841-4323 and fax 4969 and David Hackney, Manager, PR. fax 4188
Franny Price, Executive Director, Diversity of Pride
William Way Center 1315 Spruce Street
215-875-9288 and dopride@aol.com
Mayor Ed Rendell, City of Philadelphia
Kevin Vaughn, Executive Director, PCHR
And Selected Media
Additional Information:
http://www.sec.gov/edaux/edlex.htm
(For a copy of PECO’s 10-K, go to the EDGAR documentation data base) ###