Group Fights Anti-Gay Measure With Music

The organization working to foil a second anti-gay initiative in Idaho is selling a music cassette to raise money for this year’s effort.

The Decline to Sign campaign on Wednesday announced it is selling “Sing, Don’t Sign,” produced as a benefit by Reprise Records.

The tape has 16 songs from a collection of musicians, many of whom are gay or lesbians. Among the performers are Ani DiFranco, Doubleplusgood, Ferron and Boise singer Rebecca Scott.

“As with last year’s “Fiddlehead Salad” compilation, which Reprise put together for the Maine Won’t Discriminate campaign, we see “Sing, Don’t Sign!” as a excellent way to draw people’s attention to this critical civil rights issue as well as offer them some great music,” Reprise President Howie Klein said.

The Idaho Citizens Alliance is gathering signatures once again to put the anti-gay initiative on the November ballot.

“This is not the first time Reprise has donated a project like this in the name of human rights,” said Tim Johnstone, marketing director for the Record Exchange music stores. “It is a relief to find a forward-thinking company that is not afraid of putting their money where their artists are.”