A Seattle police chief rejected an invitation to a law enforcement appreciation dinner he said is hosted by evangelical Rev. Franklin Graham, citing concerns over its ties to groups against gay and transgender rights.
The invitation to a free dinner at a local four-star hotel was sent out to department employees Wednesday and is hosted by Graham, said Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz. The chief wrote his own response to department members in his rejection of the invitation. The reverend is the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
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“An internal email was shared this week informing SPD employees of a free appreciation dinner hosted by the Rev. Franklin Graham,” Diaz wrote, according to the Seattle Times. “Based on Graham’s history and affiliations, the email has raised concerns that the SPD may not be committed to the equity of our community’s LGBTQ members. I want to make clear the Department fully supports the equity and just treatment of all people.”
Diaz’s email was meant to “rescind the invitation” because the dinner’s hosts “do not share the inclusive values of the SPD,” he said.
One officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he’s heard “nothing good” about Graham’s organization and that the timing would be poor with the trial of Derek Chauvin, the ex-Minneapolis officer charged with second-degree murder over the death of George Floyd.
“I hit delete so fast,” said the officer. “This is not the time. Law enforcement should be concentrating on getting things right.”
Graham responded to the department’s rescinding of the invitation, saying that the offer still stands.
“This is not a taxpayer-funded event,” he said. “This dinner and event are a gift from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and from Christians all across this country who want these men and women to know they are appreciated. Even though the email from interim Seattle Police Chief Diaz announcing the event has been rescinded, our invitation and the dates still stand. I hope many officers in the surrounding areas will take advantage of this special night dedicated to them.”
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan’s office applauded the chief’s decision. Durkan is the first lesbian mayor of Seattle.
“As a gay woman and mom of two, Mayor Durkan has fought for LGBTQ rights for decades and continues to work with Chief Diaz to ensure SPD reflects the diversity and inclusivity of our community,” said Durkan’s spokesman Anthony Derrick.
Billy Graham, a preacher who died in 2018, is cited as an influential figure for evangelical Christians but a staunch opponent to the gay and transgender community.
In one instance, Graham referred to homosexuality as a “sinister form of perversion,” according to NBC News, which cited the book Martin Luther King Jr., Homosexuality, and the Early Gay Rights Movement.
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Diaz, who assumed office in September 2020, succeeded former Police Chief Carmen Best, who retired after mass protests and significant cuts to her department that were voted on by the city council.
This article has been updated with Franklin Graham’s response.
