SF Gay Men's Chorus via Twitter
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus is preparing for their trip to the South East of America to sing and talk about unity, but they think they might need extra protection.
Last month, we talked about the SFGMC’s plan to go to states like South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, and so on to spread the message of conversation over hate and argument.
The chorus still plans to go through with the idea of the Lavender Pen tour, but they are also preparing for the worst-case scenario.
“Our concern ranges from personal safety to, you know, a bomb threat,” says the ensemble’s executive director, Chris Verdugo.
“We are looking to raise $30,000 in 30 days for our enhanced security measures,” says chorus board chair Steve Huffines. “Based on our conversations with local law enforcement officials, we believe that the odds of us encountering a hostile event are actually quite low. But the board is committed to erring on the side of caution to insure that everyone on the Lavender Pen Tour is kept safe throughout our journey.”
The idea is to insure complete safety of everyone involved, not just the chorus men but also the townspeople they will be visiting.
Karen Alberts is the head of security for the tour and until the extra money is raised, she is planning out the best possible ways to insure the safety of both groups of people.
She’s keeping in touch with local law officials, prepping her security team, and negotiating deals with possible new recruits.
“Things have changed a bit since Charlottesville,” Alberts says. “All the local law enforcement agencies in the areas we’re going to be traveling to are aware of our presence.”
If you want to help the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus get more security, you can donate at the link shared in the tweet below.
