When Cleve Jones descends on Washington D.C. for his National Equality March in October, he’ll be doing more than rallying gay rights supporters. The event, planned for the Oct. 10-11 weekend, will be a celebration of himself!
And that weekend does more than coincide with National Coming Out Day.
And it’s more than the date he picked in 2005 to move to Washington D.C. to helm a new AIDS quilt project. (He never did relocate.)
That weekend is also Cleve’s 55th birthday!
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Indeed, when the haphazard march on Washington thing-y happens this fall, fibber and self-celebrator Cleve will be celebrating himself.
Oh, you’ll be there too.
(The Bay Area Reporter suggests Cleve’s birthday is Oct. 11. Wikipedia says it’s Oct. 10. Either way, it’s a weekend-long event this year!)
galefan2004
I’m glad the King of all Douche Bags could spend $150,000 of our hard earned money and countless volunteer hours to throw himself a huge birthday bash in DC. However, I would rather see this money and these volunteer hours used to actually further the cause of gay rights.
Gin
quick name the last big march on DC when Congress isn’t even there that led to any change whatsoever.
yeah, didn’t think so.
now, name the last time pissed off people stayed home and confronted their members of congress at town hall meetings, captured national media attention and stunned the White House’s message machine.
get the picture yet, Cleve? please stay home, and that goes for the rest of us too.
galefan2004
@Gin: I will go farther than that. No march on Washington DC has every accomplished anything rather Congress was in session or not. It was not the marches on Washington DC that are remembered in the fight for racial equality. It is the marches on Montgomery County, Alabama. Those marches are also mostly remembered because of the death of MLK. If MLK wouldn’t have been a martyr for the cause, chances are the racial equality movement wouldn’t have been as successful as it was during that period of time.
ASSociated Pressss
THIS JUST IN:
Despite learning that the real reason Cleve Jones insists on everyone marching on the federal government when the federal government will be out-of-town is because he wants to think of it as his own birthday party, government officials announced today that they will not be moving Columbus Day to another week or month. “If we had only known sooner,” an unidentified, highly placed official revealed, “we would have been thrilled to accommodate Mr. Jones.”
Columbus Day is Monday, October 12th, and a paid holiday for all federal employees. Members of the House and Senate typically leave town the Friday before in order to maximize their opportunities to meet with their constituents back home, particularly those up for reelection less than a month later.
The President and his family are also expected to take advantage of the last three-day weekend of the year when the weather is likely to be pleasant and travel to Camp David or Chicago or one of their other favorite places.
Sources who know Mr. Jones say they aren’t surprised that this, and not the coincidence with National Coming Out Day as previously thought, is the real reason behind his stubborn refusal and hysterical outbursts when anyone pointed out the aburdity of “going to DC when DC will have gone somewhere else.”
“I love Cloris, as his friends call him, to pieces, but you have to understand: if his ego were any bigger it would require its own Zip Code. We’ve gotten used to his exploiting Harvey’s memory for his own adulation, but trying to exploit thousands of others around the country just so he can go up to the mike on the Mall and say, “Today is my birthday” has inspired a quiet rebellion among his private circle. But he probably won’t even notice that we’re not there.”
“He doesn’t countenance heresy of any kind, and has denounced several very good people, many of them with longer careers in activism, as ‘traitors’ for even daring suggest the date be changed to one in which Congress and the President would be in town. I guess the whole Oscar thing made an existing problem only worse.”
Andrew W
I’m also worried about the misuse of funds donated to this non-event. All my attempts to get some idea how the money has been spent have been ignored.
Cleve is the guy that said “the March will only cost $50,000,” back when he made himself King of All Marches (in the name of Harvey Milk). Now, he’s raised more than $200,000 – four times what he said was needed . . . FOR WHAT? BALLOONS AND CAKE?
The whole March idea is turning into a STOP CLEVE drama. Some people predicted that – 3 months and $200,000 ago.
Mark C.
How long does this sordid affair have to drag on?
Enough already. Make the announcement Cleve. Yeah, that announcement. Hurry before the investigation begins.
Chris Pell
I was at the 1993 MOW and it was amazing and fun and one of the best experiences of my gay life….a lot came out of it for those who were there experiencing it, regardless of whatever progess some of you think we never made because of any MOW.
However, something about this whole Cleve party just stinks. If you can’t get the support of any of the national groups than why even have it? If other groups have already been permitted the SAME weekend, then why?
I have always felt that Cleve was rather full of himself as are MANY of our OLD activists. Thanks for the jobs you have done, now pass the torch people. It is time for new fresh younger ideas. You may not have your big suite at the fancy hotel that weekend paid for, however …boo hoo.
galefan2004
@Andrew W: If you donated to the non-profit then under the “Freedom of Information Act” then they are obliged to tell you how the money is being spent. If they are refusing then hire a lawyer. Don’t sit back and say that just because its a gay NFP it gets a pass.
galefan2004
@Chris Pell: Good for you. However, bars are for socializing. Marches on Washington DC that are paid for by donated money are for MAKING THINGS HAPPEN. If you want to socialize in Washington then go to a fucking bar in Washington. Its not supposed to be about how much fun you had. Its supposed to be about getting an agenda accomplished with the money that is spent. People like you are the problem. You will show up for a march because its fun then go home and sit in your closet instead of getting involved in the cause and champion yet another march because its fun. I’m glad that we can waste $200,000+ that could have been used to achieve equality so that you can have fun though.
Its because people like marches. This is nothing more than an overly expensive get together by groups that claim to be activists but are really just gay support groups. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with gay support groups, but gay support groups don’t need to go party in DC for fun. I’m thinking people like Cleve Jones have no fucking clue how much $200,000 really is because they probably spend that on a weekend party. Not to mention, if you throw in the cost of traveling to and spending the weekend in DC for each and every person you are ranging from $500-$1500 per person. Say 100,000 people show up then that is an additional $50 million (if you assume all people somehow paid $500) to $150 million dollars (assuming that 100,000 people all paid $1500)that could have went to the cause. All in all, this huge DC birthday bash for the egomaniac could easily fund the fight for marriage equality in California for the next 10 election cycles if the money was simply donated to the cause instead of blown on a trip to DC.
In all fairness, its not like a lot of brilliant young minds are standing in line waiting for the chance to jump at the torch. I think that majority of younger gay Americans are just find where they are. They don’t really give a rip about gay marriage because they really don’t see how it affects them in a nation where even heteros are moving away from traditional marriage. The cause that younger people care about is job and housing discrimination. Marriage is almost a non-issue for younger gays and DADT is a non-issue as well because in a post Iraqi war America most people (again even the heteros) would rather move to Canada than get involved in a war effort in this country.
Mark C.
@Andrew W: I’m sending an official Demand Letter to Cleve Jones. Enough is enough.
ASSociated Pressss
For a “power to the people” movement, what’s happening and who’s in charge is more opaque than the old Soviet Union.
Go to their murky mess of a web site and tho the march is only 2 months away virtually everything is still TBA.
“Friday, October 9th, 2009
Organization and Community Briefing Meetings throughout the weekend
Times and Locations – TBA
Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Evening Event
Times and Locations—TBA
Sunday, October 11th, 2009
National Equality March will kick off the rally. Parade route TBA and approximate time 12:00 p.m.
National Equality March Rally West Lawn Of Capitol Building Approximate time 2:00 p.m.
Approximate Time: 12:00 noon – 5:00 pm
There are featured bloggers blah blahing away self-righteously about why there should be a march and feel good nonense about the “Twitter butterfly effect” but no steering committee identified to give anyone any confidance that someone is actually in charge besides Cleve. DC’s a long, expensive way for most of us to be asked to go on trust alone.
Someone told me there was one up briefly a couple of weeks ago but it was strangely quickly removed.
The closest thing to organization is the map with links to local groups. But there’s no way of knowing if each of them is made up of thousands of locals or 1 true believer. Marches on Washington are one of those things were size really does matter and there’s no way so far of getting any feeling for whether this one is going to be big enough to make it worth the effort.
The spam e-mails I get for penis enhancement products are more credible than the EOA web site.
Mark C.
The site hasn’t had much traffic either.
I don’t think this idea ever generated much interest. While many people wish it would just go away, there’s the problem of the continued solicitation of funding. The accounting better arrive soon.
Cleve needs to do the honorable thing and be honest with the community. Postpone, cancel (or do the other idea) – but stop bull-shitting. And PLEASE stop raising money. This is beginning to look like your “retirement fund.” You’ve had financial difficulties with charities in the past, don’t do it again.
Brian
I can only believe Cleve Jones is trying to make this March “his” Legacy. Harvey Milk has one – Cleve doesn’t.
I don’t have another explanation for his total disregard for the community, the movement and simple “honorable” business practices.
I’m beginning to think this will become a sad “what happened to the money” investigation. Maybe it already has.
Chance
The worst part of this whole Birthday Bash Debacle is that Cleve is pretending to have a strategy. So well-intentioned people will support him, when he doesn’t actually have a single creative idea in his over-inflated head. And that support (enthusiasm, time, money) could actually be going to someone with a plan. Enough to make you sigh. No wonder we’re all cynical.
Look at his website: his idea, in one sentence (he’s very proud of that): “Equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.” A demand. How… creative. Yawn. I guess it’s worked so well before… right? Because of all that threatening power behind the demand. “We’ll give you a bad haircut!” “I’ll seat you next to a crying toddler on your international flight!” But sure, Cleve, demand away. That’ll change some hearts and minds.
His strategy: “Equality Across America is a network of decentralized organizers in every one of the 435 Congressional districts.” OK. So let me get this straight. We’ll just go around demanding everywhere. Yes? Lobbying everywhere? B/c HRC has just inspired us so much with its effectiveness?
Bitch, please. Ask me to write a check when you’re DOING something.
Andrew
Let’s see what is forthcoming from Cleve by the Weekend.
SameOldS*&T
and while we’reat it whatever happened to those Dallas Principles?
wow looks like drama doesn’t gain traction, even if every generation has its political drama queens.
Hannah
So after reading all these comments, I went to my Twitter page and found this:
http://www.hrc.org//13372.htm
HRC is now supporting the March. Not that that means much to Queerty, but it takes out one of the arguments against the March.
I’m going. My hotel is booked, costing me $223 for two nights in a double room. I’ll be driving from Kentucky with friends to chip in on the costs, and thinking we won’t be spending over $400. I’m thinking the others will be up for living off peanut butter sandwiches for a weekend to keep our costs down.
Andrew
I am willing to bet $1,000 that Cleve PAID for the HRC “Endorsement” with some of the $250,000 he’s raised.
This should scare even more people away from a dumb idea.
The HRC press release said “HRC will train march participants to initiate and carry out successful in-district lobby visits—whether they come to DC in person, or take their activism on line.”
Incestuous.
Donald
Hannah – or you could take the money you would have spent and send it to organizations that actually make a difference in our fight rather than this giant pep rally/birthday party.
Mark C.
Cleve Jones + HRC ??
Two big reasons to say NO.
Brian
It’s time to stop talking about this silly March.
What did you do with the money Cleve?
Brian
@Hannah: Dope.
WhatsthePointExactly
Some people will spend money to trudge to DC, stay in a hotel, yell “woo” on the Mall, and what will be the tangible benefit to our rights? “Energized”? “Solidarity”? Didn’t realize those aren’t possible right where we are in our hometowns. “Visibility”? All the health care town hall cranks have shown how easy it is to get that in your home turf, kicking off a quake that can even rattle the White House.
It’s easy to imagine what HRC gets here: access to lists, possibly a cut of donations. There are MOUs in deals like this.
Why are we stuck on an antique protest model? Someone please tell me what this march is actually for, and what it will actually do. Fire you up to do what you could be doing right now at home?
Gas, cars, hotel rooms, in the Internet age. Trudging to DC at exactly the same moment the Right is showing how to shake the cage on the hometurf. This is just getting absurd.
Demand Equality
Everyone needs to know that Mark C. is Mark Cahill a fundamental Christian that shows up at gay marches to harass people.
Straight ally Jim of Irregular Times has exposed him on his website as well as confirmed I.P. addresses when Mark Cahill switched to Mark C.
Mark Cahill’s original post on I.T. blog used his whole name. You can see it here. http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/07/26/top-3-myths-about-the-national-equality-march-october-11-2009/
Mark is also using the name Brian as Jim exposed on August 12.
No. 64 · Brian
@Demand Equality: How much did Cleve Jones PAY for the Endorsement? Will this show up in the accounting? Has anyone seen the accounting for the $250,000 that Cleve has collected?
Posted: Aug 12, 2009 at 5:10 pm
No. 65 · Jim
@Brian:
Funny thing, but one Mark Cahill, fundamentalist Christian witness gay pride marches, just posted the same comment here:
http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/08/09/national-equality-march-is-not-cancelled-dont-believe-the-snipe/
You just happened to think that same one up?
Jim also has a great response to this tax-exempt issue that you can find here. http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2009/08/15/internecine-bitching-within-lgbt-movement-gets-ridiculous/
Thanks Jim for watching our backs. Mark C. is a false witness!
Jim Jones
Kool-Aid anyone? This whole March idea is really getting pathetic. Why are we even paying attention to it?
Sir-March-A-Lot
@Jim Jones: Kool-Aod or Gatorade would be helpful. A million gays are going to be in Washington DC to make a show of strength. They will be thirsty.
After the March politicians will change their minds and we will all have equality.
This is soooo exciting. By Thanksgiving we will be loved instead of hated. Marches are the answer.
Andy Cordero
No matter what has happened since or what may or may not happen, Cleve Jones should always be remembered as an Incredible Visionary who changed a simple quilt idea into a Life Changing International Force for Compassion & Change!!! This world will ever be indebted to him for this Gift!!!