Indianapolis--In an email letter to its members, Indy Rainbow Chamber Chairman Jon Keep expresses displeasure that a "meet and greet" event during a planned visit by Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese will be held at the Rathskellar Restaurant in the Massachusetts Avenue arts district.

The Rathskellar has recently come under fire for hosting a fundraiser for Speaker of the Indiana House Brian Bosma, who has been one of the leading proponents of anti-GLBT legislation. While there have been calls from many in the GLBT community for a Rathskellar boycott, to date no such action has been taken.

"This neighborhood has the highest concentration of GLBT businesses in the state of Indiana," stated Indiana Action Network President Jerame Davis during the Bosma protest, "bigotry is not welcome in any neighborhood, and certainly not here. It's simply unconscionable that Brian Bosma is raising money in this neighborhood only to use it against its residents."

In his letter to Rainbow Chamber Members, Keep also states that the Rathskellar is understood to be planning a fundraiser for Senator Pat Miller, who recently gained national notoriety for her "Unauthorized Reproduction" proposal, a controversial measure to prohibit gays, lesbians and single people from using medical procedures to become pregnant. Miller dropped her proposal after a firestorm of criticism, although she has stated that she may bring it back when the new legislative session begins.

Keep writes "[w]hile we are supportive of this event in Indianapolis, there are dozens of GLBT-owned and GLBT-supportive restaurants in Indianapolis far more appropriate to the function envisioned by HRC. GLBT events held under the current conditions at the Rathskellar risk not only light attendance, but risk sending exactly the wrong message to Indianapolis."

He goes on to ask the GLBT community to contact HRC ( or 800.777.4723) and "advise them of your reluctance to attend an event at their chosen venue."

 
 Read the Rainbow Chamber Letter