Thursday, Sep. 24, 2009

Equality March is Set

 

 

Organizers and people around the nation are setting the stage for the National Equality March on Oct. 10 -11 in the nation’s capital. The march is being organized by Equality Across America, a grassroots network (project of the Tides Center) that, according to its Web site, is “united by their belief that the time has come for decisive action from the federal government to secure LGBT rights.” The two-day event is only the “first step toward building a national grassroots network that will continue organizing until we have achieved full equality,” says EAA.

The demand – “equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.” The organization plans to bring together members of every race, class, faith and community to form a larger movement for equality – in a way decentralizing the movement to quicken the passage of civil rights legislation at the national level.

There is definitely a new age of social activism growing in our country. You can almost feel it in the air. Not only for LGBT rights, but there is a growing sense that people are starting to speak out more. Employing common terminology of the ’60s – it is the dawning of a new revolution. Come together, everybody!

This is not, however, the first major LGBT march on Washington. The first such national march occurred on Oct. 14, 1979, and drew approximately 75,000 LGBT people that demanded equal civil rights and passage of civil rights legislation. Then the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was in 1987. Reports show anywhere from 200,000 to 300,000 people were in attendance and organizers came with a list of demands, including the legal recognition of lesbian and gay relationships, an end to sodomy laws and federal legislation banning gay discrimination. Then in 1993, the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation was possibly the largest civil rights demonstration in American history. It drew a lot of people, that’s for sure, but estimates range from 300,000 (according to federal park police) to around 1.1 million (according to the District of Columbia Police and organizers). The Millennium March on Washington was held April 28-30, 2000. Estimates of attendance range from 200,000 to 1 million. For those that remember news coverage – the event seemed more like a festival than activism. President Bill Clinton spoke to the attendees via video and HRC’s Equality Rocks concert was a huge hit over that weekend. The event has been criticized for lack of political focus and inclusiveness. All of these seemed to lack one thing – a charismatic leader.

More than a year ago, I mentioned the need for a gay Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.-type figure to lead us on the national level. I wrote that the time had come to stop standing by on the sidelines and to start actually fighting for our equality. Cleve Jones is no stranger to activism or leadership. He worked as a student intern alongside gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk during the 1970s. He started the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Now, as one of the lead organizers for the National Equality March, he takes the stage as possibly our next great leader in civil rights history.

In September, Jones spoke with Bilerico.com. Here is part of that interview. “We’re trying to change the strategy of the movement . . . I am tired of fighting state by state, county by county, city by city for fractions of equality. I am tired of compromises and I am tired of the strategy that divides us from each other. It is time for us to unite across state boundaries in a truly nationwide movement to win full, actual equality, which can only come from the federal government. That’s not my opinion. That’s a fact. If we want to be equal under the law, we must now – as the great heroes of civil rights movement of 1963 and 1964 showed us – turn our attention to the federal government.”

There seems to be a new sense of urgency coming from Jones and EAA. They seem to have more focus on activism. Yes, the weekend of Oct. 10-11 will surely be full of parties, but the focus of events is on training workshops, LGBT family and youth activities, service member memorials and finally the march and rally on Oct. 11. The route of the march has yet to be announced, but will be followed by a rally on the west lawn of the Capitol building. According to EAA’s Web site, organizers say “we look back to 1963 and ’64 when the historic civil rights movement made its transition from fighting local battles to winning a national victory with the passage of the civil rights act. It’s time for that passage for LGBT Americans.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another video of Cleve Jones speaking at the Eve of Justice candlelight march and rally in San Francisco on March 4, 2009, the evening before the California Supreme Court voted to uphold Proposition 8, which overturned the previous legalization of gay marriage in the state.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the promo for the National Equality March.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out & About

Friday, Sept. 25 - Pull out the tiara and get the red gowns ready for the Miss Red Ribbon Friends 2010 pageant. Presented each year by Time Out! and Red Ribbon Friends, the annual event raises awareness and money to help with RRF's Careteam Grant Fund, which assists LGBT residents of Horry, Georgetown and Williamsburg counties who are living with HIV and/or AIDS. Contestants are judged in three categories: talent, evening gown and on stage question. Winners receive $100 cash prize and a crown. Prizes are also awarded for first and second runner-up, along with "Best Presentation in Red." Previous winners, including Kiki Merlot, Miss RRF 2009, will also perform. The pageant will start at 11 p.m. at Time Out!, located at 520 8th Avenue North in downtown Myrtle Beach. For more information, visit www.redribbonfriends.com.

Sunday, Sept. 27 – Rock Church Myrtle Beach is hosting Fun in the Son, a community-wide picnic at Myrtle Beach State Park at 5 p.m. Sunday. The event will take place at Shelter B-6 at the park and admission is free. The park however does charge $4 for adults, $2.50 for S.C. seniors and $1.50 for children ages 6-15. Children 5 and younger are free. Myrtle Beach State Park is on U.S. 17 Business three miles south of downtown Myrtle Beach. Organizers ask that you RSVP to rockchurchmb@aol.com to ensure that enough food is available. For more information, call 283-0918 or e-mail rockchurchmb@aol.com.

Friday, Oct. 2 – The Gay Professionals Happy Hour will meet from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7 at the Anchor Cafe, located at the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes. For more information, e-mail FirstFriday@GambleLivingston.com.

Till next week, have fun and be safe.

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