SOUNDBITES — “A march on Washington will not bring marriage equality to flyover country. It will help to prod conservatives to rally and focus energy and money into states like Maine (that could repeal marriage) or Indiana (where we’ve successfully fought off an amendment every year for almost a decade). In their zeal to bring marriage back to California, the coastal queers are willing to sacrifice us on the alter of domesticity.” —Activist and Bilerico Project founder Bil Browning on why a march on Washington isn’t worth the trouble [HP]
Bil Browning
‘A march on Washington … will help to prod conservatives to rally’
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InExile
I disagree with this story. The conservatives have been starting to distance themselves from the gay equality issue because it is not in their interest. Of coarse people like Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee are still pounding the drum but the trend is going the other way with conservatives.
We have momentum now, why not capitalize on that? We also have a President who made promises so we need to hold him to those promises. If we do not start making some noise in large numbers, our politicians will not have the political cover to move on anything. A march is a great start.
Mike
So we should plan our future on whether or not we’re going to anger or motivate the opposition?
Brilliant.
TANK
I’m just surprised anyone takes bilerico seriously…or the so-called activist community that frequents it.
Phyllis Wilson
I disagree with Bill on this one. The coastal states may quite possibly be able to secure marriage equality through their legislatures, or maybe even at their ballot boxes — but that is NEVER going to happen in places like Alabama, Mississippi, or…Utah! And we also shouldn’t expect the inner states to wait for ten, twenty years until their State Supreme Courts are as progressive as …well…Iowa’s.
No, it’s time for a full-court press on the federal government to deliver across the board civil equality to LGBT citizens across this country — not just on marriage equality, but housing & job discrimination, adoption/family rights, immigration, DOMA, DADT — the whole enchilada.
Has this march been born out of the momentum of the gay marriage issue? Sure, but that isn’t the sole organizing basis of the march.
Furthermore, it is time for the LGBT community to get in the faces of our dear friends the Democrats and start demanding that they govern like Democrats. Hell, the whole progressive community should be marching on Washington. We elected a Democrat for President and gave control of both Houses of Congress to the Democrats and it’s time they start delivering on their end of the bargain.
Terry
I would attend a DC event 🙂
edgyguy1426
I think Phyllis is right- now IS the time. Every ‘body’ on the mall (or wherever) is another democratic vote and it’s the right time to hold those dems accountable and not afraid of the ‘liberal’ label.
I’d also name names- let people know who is on our side and who needs to be voted out of office. We need to make people see our armed forces would be bigger and stronger, economies of states would benefit financially by legislating gay marriage, etc.
Mike
This is crap. I get that you guys are running your No-March-On-Washington campaign, but this argument is silly. It could be used against every single march we have had since Prop. 8 passed. Without them, we wouldn’t have gotten as many states in so few months as we have.
ChristopherM
I’m with Phyllis on this one, though I think the way this March is being organized is a huge mistake.
TANK
Yeah, october is for stupidhead pissypantses. It should be early spring.
Alex
As a “flyover” ‘mo (or queer or fag or gay man or white oppressor or whatever you want to call me), and I want this as much as anyone. Will there be backlash. Of course. There was backlash when we lost Prop 8, and WE LOST. Some of it was much worse than Maggie G and her “nom nom nom” crew spewing misspelled propaganda on TV. Today we saw backlash from Obama’s election in the form of the third terrorist attack in the United States in 10 days (since they were all “lone gunmen” they aren’t treated as such by the government or the media).
A march on Washington will show that we are serious. It will link our movement in the minds of at least some of the American people to The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and will help to illustrate the justness of our cause. And it could energize the movement even more. The far-right hatemongers are already revved up. If we considered them when we made our plans, we’d all go back into the closet. I’ll never go back.
Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell
@InExile: You might want to look a little bit deeper at why the GOP and religious right are not protesting this.
It definitely, no question is because Obama, for the most part, is ignoring it or not really putting much attention to it’s going anywhere right now.
In other words it is like a stare down. Obama’s numbers are high and unemployment has slowed, though not ended. That means he must (or at least it seems) be doing something right and the public is behind him, both strait and working class gays looking for work and health insurance. I don’t know about the rest of you but I, like the majority of america, was more interested in the economy than gay marriage as an issue. Personally I am not shocked on bit at what has/ has not happened on the national scene.
The republicans know they have no other choice but to pray he opens his mouth up about this because that is the only thing that will galvanize them and the religious right to rally their forces to get the next republican out in the spotlight that will run on the Save or Culture issues and it will have some strength because there are a lot of frustrated repubs and rednecks out there looking for an issue to harp on because Obama is who he is, the president(?). I am sure you can figure what the other issue may be with them as well. If not just refer to the 89 year old gentleman and his shotgun today in washington, dc and start figuring from there.
Obama, while unfortunately hurting the feelings of others, is playing it smart. He is not repeating the mistake Bill Clinton made that galvanized Jessie Helms, Bob Dole and the rest of the god bless hetrosexual white america crowd back in the 1990’s. That bunch sat back and allowed their own arrogance to hang themselves and gay marriage issues are the only thing that will revive them.
craigers
So Bill, it is best for us to sit around and let our so called “gay activist leaders” who know best decide our future? I think that is exactly our problem. We have a bunch of cowards calling the shots. Sure there are risk, just like there were risk in rioting at Stonewall, or for African American’s sitting at the front of the bus, but, great achievements never come without risk.
I for one am sick and tired of sitting around listening to so called gay activist leaders belittle this march on Washington idea because they didn’t “lead” us into it. The truth is the only thing the current crop of so called gay activist leaders have lead us to do is sit on our couches and type on blogs… and we have achieved so much doing that.
No, not only is it time we march on Washington, but it is also time we start acting for ourselves and get rid of the likes of Bill Browning, Joe Solmonese and the rest of our so called gay activist leaders. I don’t know about you but my 40 years of wondering in the wilderness due to their leadership is over.
We need to lead our selves just like our brethren did at Stonewall. Only then will we find the equality we seek.
The Gay Numbers
I don’t think its the best use of resources, but that has nothing to do with the right wing’s response to it. My feeling is that the money and effort should go into organizing state chapters of a locally driven, but nationally focused organizational structure with the intent of creating a 50-state strategy for gay rights like Howard Dean did for Democratic politics and Obama emulated for his run for the presidency. It’s an innovative bottom up structure that’s needed right now. Now the same thing that’s been done for 40 years. The problem is no that the right will focus on us. It is that we are not focused on how to out think them.
The Gay Numbers
By the way- the purpose of such an organization would be to have activist help each other out with resources and manpower as well as with financing of local efforts where needed. The other aspect of it is to allow locals to them build and encourage networks of support with allies such as progressive or conservative groups, religious organizations, organizations of color, union, etc. To literally beat them by showing up where they do not expect us to be, in states and cities where they do not expect us to be. To shift the Overton Window toward our position. This would be the point of a movement. It’s how the conservative revolution destroyd this country. is there any such though processes about how to build something that actually will build up a gay movement that will make the lives of gays better?
InExile
@Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell: I also care about the economy and health care but I am not content to wait forever for equality. I truly believe if Obama waits too long, we will miss our chance. We have about 16 months before the next election cycle starts, so the clock is ticking. This man made promises and should be held to his promises. Also we have no guarantee he will not be a one term President, a lot can happen between now and November 2012.
My perspective may be slightly different than many posters as I live exiled in a foreign country since I cannot sponsor my partner of 14 years for a green card. When you have lost your home, friends, family, and career due to the lack of equality in your own country you tend to look at the situation differently.
Mark
No oppressed group won their civil rights by waiting for those who discriminate to change their minds, change their votes. “evolve” or pass away. As well, no fierce advocate for civil rights stayed silent during historic moments of the fight, did nothing and backtracked on what they did promise. Clinton tried to do the right thing. Congress and leaders of the Anti-Gay industry had the majority on their side. It was Helms, Dole and others. Today it’s Bachmann and company- along with Obama who is wrong on the issue of marriage equality. He has shown no courage or leadership on these issues. It’s all talk. Alarming is his recent record of flipping on FISA, gun control, capital punishment, off shore drilling in the US, holding the architect’s of torture responsible, funding the wars, release of the war photo’s… He has backtracked on his commitment to the repeal of DOMA- it’s no longer on the White House web site and he’s moving backwards on DADT. It’s time for the GLBT community, our family, and our friends to hit the streets and demand equality from our Government. Embrace life and your destiny!
Bill Perdue
@Prof. O. G. Whataschnozell: It’s not the Republican response we should worry about, it’s the response of Democrats and Obots who put partisan politics ahead of the needs of the movement.
They’re scared stiff by the threat of mass marches in DC and SF, or regional and even local marches. The geographic focus doesn’t matter nearly as much as the organizing effort and the political program they’re based on. Democrats and Obots fear them because they unleash the pent up anger of our communities and focus it on Congress and the White House. Both are bent on delaying our agenda until they can ditch it in the next round of elections.
For obvious reasons they prefer the quiet, futile efforts of lobbyists who depend on their ‘relations’ with movers and shakers like Reid, Kennedy, Pelosi and Barney Frank. However, until we compel them they’ll never agree to an omnibus anti-discrimination bill that would make it easy to win awards from bigots who discriminate in housing, education, employment and access to social services and medical care.
Nor will they agree to laws mandating harsh prison terms for bigots who discriminate or who call for and endorse violence.
We should also demand that the White House and State Department open US Embassies and Consulates to GLBT folks fleeing death, torture or imprisonment. Especially if they come from puppet countries like Iraq and Afghanistan and ‘allies’ like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Gulf States.
Instead of the cutbacks in funding we ought to demand a Manhattan Project to fund research, treatment and social services for those affected by HIV/AIDS and other killer diseases. That and the assurance of good jobs, housing, nutrition, medical care and education for all working people, including immigrant and imported workers can be funded by ending bailouts and welfare for the looter rich.
In the long run a combination of persistent mass marches featuring cutting edge, “won’t take no for an answer” demands is what will bring us victory. Continued reliance on bigots in Congress and the White House will just add to our defeats.
With Democrats like Obama, Biden and the Clintons and Congressional party hacks like Reid, Pelosi and Frank, and there aren’t any other kind with an iota of power, who really needs Republicans?