Next Steps For LGBT Civil Rights

Since Election Day, I, like many LGBT Americans and their allies, have felt torn in two. On November 4th I was overjoyed to see Barack Obama become President-elect of the United States, and incredibly proud that the LGBT community played a central role in his victory. I was full of optimism at the prospect of a real ally in the White House, a president who has mentioned and credited the LGBT community in every major political speech he has given since 2004.

But then I woke on November 5th, to discover that hope and change were not coming to all Americans. Amendment 2 in Florida, Proposition 102 in Arizona and Proposition 8 in California had all passed, denying civil rights to thousands of LGBT families.

And I found myself asking: How could our nation embrace a movement for change, while three of its states voted to reject the rights of an entire group of Americans? Could this be real? And what did this mean for the future of our LGBT community?

I've carried that last question with me for the past two weeks. And on Wednesday and Saturday I got my answer, when I participated in two rallies that responded to this injustice.

Neither event was organized by established, well-funded institutions. They were fueled by modern day grassroots efforts. Thousands came together through word of mouth, text messages from a friend, or internet organizing. They were joined together as a community by a desire for justice and equality.

On Saturday, when I took the stage at a rally outside City Hall, the crowd stretched so far that you couldn't see the end. It took my breath away. The number and dedication of those gathered rivaled any demonstration I've seen in recent history.

I started to look at the faces in the crowd. It almost moved me to tears when I saw the looks in their eyes -- their smiles, their energy and optimism. They were not defeated; they were empowered, fueled by the possibility and the wonder of equality.

Of course people are angry -- I myself am angry. But what is significant today is that our community has taken an anger that might have turned to bitterness, and molded it instead into strength and action. We need to take this strength to our state capitals, and tell them that we are full citizens and deserve to have full and equal rights under the law.

The LGBT community's future is one of immeasurable possibility. It's bright and bold, strong and hopeful, and as limitless as freedom itself. Our community knows that our country is supposed to be the land of the free, where one can engage in the pursuit of happiness. On Saturday we once again demonstrated that we are committed to making it so!

Comments

[M1]

It would be nice to develop a media team that makes the news cycles during and after our rallies. Many of the spokespersons on our behalf, bles their hearts, were clearly not educated on the arguments regarding Gay marriage and equality. Like on Issues with Jane -Velez Mitchell there was comment on reparative therapy for gays. This slipped right by. This concept of reparative therapy is an outrage and needs addressing. How would these same religious heterosexuals like it if we looked at them like they needed repairing? Or, quotes about how Gay Marriage in other counties has destabilized marriage....no evidence just a big fat lay it out there with no cite for its basis. This too went unchallenged. We can't afford for these issues to be placed out there without a proper challenge.

Hence, a media team would be great to develop to go along with our grassroots efforts.

[JohnBisceglia]

There have been MANY civil rights stuggles throughout history. For many of us the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's is our reference point, but it was hardly the first nor last civil rights movement in our human history.

Our present fight is VERY different today. We have FACEBOOK, MY SPACE, and YOU TUBE. With one click we can inform thousands of upcoming protests and actions. We also have a "minority" that has some members with SUBSTANTIAL cash in their pockets; a minority where some pay incredibly high taxes.

Charles Merrill just discussed his own support of the National Equality Tax Protest today on the Ron Reagan Show on AIR AMERICA; GOOGLE it.

YES - times are a-changin'. How WILL the government respond if by April 15th we have over 20, 30, 50,000,000 straight and queer Americans withholding tax until ALL AMERICANS ARE EQUAL? Will they have the resources to arrest and prosecute ALL of us? Or will they finally decide that EQUALITY IS SIMPLE WHEN YOU SIMPLY INCLUDE EVERYONE.

What was initially a "crazy" idea has now become an empowering reaction to a government that has FAILED protecting a portion of its citizens. This WILL be an interesting April 15th in 2009.