As Pride celebrations continue throughout most of the country and many parts of the world ( San Francisco’s Pride weekend is coming up), I am cognizant that with the long strides that have been made in civil rights for the LGBT community we are still very much a minority faced with legislated bigotry and second class citizenry.
With issues in our country like DADT, Marriage, Health Care, Immigration , Adoption and other critical policies and constitutional questions being decided that is affecting the LGBT community, I hope we all take time during these celebrations to be resolved to continue the fight for equality.
We cannot be apathetic or complacent. Our very place in society and our futures are being decided and we must hold our ground to make sure that the most critical civil rights movement of our times is successful.
The debates will continue to be heated and we will need to be stronger. We know that most of what is being used to kill our rights is originated in hate and ignorance. We are being stereotyped by a slew of salacious propaganda to make us less than who we are to justify their actions against us.
We will win this fight, if we remain focus and united. When that day comes, we can finally unfurl the rainbow flag of diversity on that mountaintop with PRIDE!
Twitter, Facebook, Blogging and other forms of social media continue to play an important role in the civil rights movement of this early part of the 21st century of our country – the quest for equality for LGBT community or gay rights.
This has taken many forms whether it be the movement for same sex marriage or the removal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. The power of social media has been in its ability to light a figurative smoke signal throughout the internet to rally support either for a rally, a petition, a lobbying effort, or a fundraiser.
I saw this personally at work in the recent March for Equality in Washington. It was used to spread the word and garner participants and support throughout the nation and the world.
As social media use continues to mature and its effectiveness improved, the tools are only as good as the passion to the issues of the individuals that are involved. One to the great challenges to the LGBT community is to unite effectively on the many fronts of the civil rights movement and not become complacent with the victories and generally more favorable climate that is continuing to to exist in some areas of the country.
The reality of the situation is that full equality has not been realized and that gay rights are still something that our country has failed to achieve. I hope that as these technological tools are available that we can truly take the grassroots tradition of community activism to the next level and realize our hopes.
The March For Equality at our Nation’s Capital today for LGBT rights and equality overall recognizes the historic steps that have taken place and also the major hurdles that need to be overcome towards full legitimacy in our society. President Obama this weekend has far reaching statements about ending the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy in the military and also about recognizing the rights of gays to be married. Progress – Yes. Reality – Not Yet.
This is the big civil rights movement of our time. With the economic recession and health care burden bearing down on all of us, we have this fight for human dignity and recognition marching on in vigorous force. It is a grassroots movement of gays and straights, all Americans who realize that a democratic society who segregates and discriminates against the few, is not living up to its grand ideal.
The issues surrounding LGBT rights have been deeply mired in the interference of the right wing religious political agenda. Conservative theocratic forces have been the driving opposition which has been actually the tradition in most anti civil rights movements in this country. It has been more about change in power structures than theocracy that has been the underlying motivation. More hate rhetoric has been spewed in the name of Jesus woven into fear propaganda campaigns appealing to the the lowest level of media lynching of the gay community.
The collateral damage over the years has been hate crimes against LGBT individuals, high LGBT youth suicides, discrimination on all levels, and even murder. Yet upon the shoulders of the martyrs and those who have fought diligently, we have been able to see things change. Our voices have gotten louder and we our courage has gone up a notch or two.
For those of us who are unable to march with our brothers and sisters in Washington D.C. today, we want you to know that march with you in spirit and in pride. We support this great cause for the rights of all LGBT people. It is more than a fight for our civil rights, it truly is for Equality for all. March on, March on, March on.
This past Thursday, a measure that was included in a defense budget bill that included protections against hate crimes for persons regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity passed the House of Representatives. It is also slated to pass the Senate. The White House is committed to sign on it.
It is about time.
It has taken this long and under a one party majority to make it happen. This speaks volumes to the state of bigotry that has existed in this country against the LGBT community. It also celebrates the victory and rewards the sacrifices ( literally the martyrs) of the many who were all part of the united fight, straight and gay, to finally make a law like this happen on the federal level.
This demonstrates the power of the grassroots movement for civil rights and equality for LGBT citizens. This is one step forward of other major steps that still need to be taken.
Using the age old argument against past civil rights movement or quests for equality for groups in the United States of America, Representative Steven King- Republican from Iowa, takes the desperate pot shot of associating the quest for marriage equality with Socialism.
With the negative connotations that has been embedded in our country about Socialism, this is a tactic to appeal to that portion of the population of America that still gets alarmed by such stupid rhetoric. King is trying to organize a political lynch mob.
Of course, he brings out the fear factor by stretching the public’s imagination by stating if gay marriages were allowed, group marriages will be allowed, and that there will be a free for all. However, I have yet to see a socialist model in practice where that has been allowed that to happen.
Your claim that marriage equality is part of a socialist agenda…laughable!
Of course this is not about socialism, this is about democracy and our rights as Americans. It is under this government that we are seeking the right to be treated like everyone else. It seems that it has been the agenda of the extreme religious right that has been fueling the likes of Mr. King, where theological interference in the affairs of government brings us back to the days of the middle ages…that actually fostered the very beginnings of the revolution that created this great democracy.
So what Mr. King actually wants is to reverse time back to a place where freedoms were squelched and ideas were limited to one point of view.
As an American, I say no, Mr. King, you are wrong. You are simply reflecting your bigotry and it a shame that you are even in the halls of the great Congress of our country wasting our time with rhetoric that belongs back centuries ago in history.
The LGBT community will win this right because this is America where Equality wins because democracy works despite despotic and bigoted opposition.
Recent legislative events have shown gay marriage support rise across the country as more and more people recognize the civil rights of the LGBT community.
When Prop 8 was being considered for passage by the voters in Calif. this past election an organization of Mormons from the site: http://gaysandthegospel.org released this video targeted to the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and other Christians who truly want to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ regarding the rights, marriages and families of LGBT people.
I think amidst the growing anti -gay marriage efforts again by the Mormons and Christian fundamentalists, it is appropriate that this video is released again. It speaks to their language and reasoning.
On June 28, 1969 a series of demonstrations took place at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City that was cited as the first time gays and lesbian fought back against government sponsored discrimination.
With Gay Pride celebrations reaching its pinnacle in June, a new video has been released commemorating that event and the legacy of activism and history of the gay rights movement for 40 years by the LGBT community.
There has been a lot of progess but we still are in the midst of the biggest civil rights movement of our day. Let us remember those brave souls of Stonewall and carry on the fight for equality!
UK Guardian produced a series of videos on the aftermath of Prop 8 on its victims. Leona and Grace Sonia describe the magic of their wedding day and how their love is no different from the average couple
The UK Guardian Produced a series of videos showing the aftermath of Prop 8 on its victims. Raymond and Byran want Americans to be educated about what gay people’s lives are like
