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Gaining a voice
May 24, 2011
The following is a guest piece submitted by an LGBT activist in Austin with whom Anthony Ash, one of our Courage field organizers you may remember from the NOM summer tour, worked over the weekend during some Harvey Milk Day events. -Adam
By Dustin Larson
I grew up with this notion that someone else would champion gay rights in America, someone bigger and larger than myself. But I was wrong – because I decided to do something. I went to my first rally this last weekend. “Gay, Straight, Black, White, Marriage is a Civil Right!” Before this weekend, these were just words that I had seen on a sign at the LGBT Museum in San Francisco six months ago. But this weekend, as we marched down Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas, I bellowed this chant out with a voice I didn’t realize I had. I now know that by becoming a part of the larger voice, I can truly make a difference.
Before the march began, Courage Campaign hosted an event to collect videos and signatures for DOMA repeal at a local gay business. I had the opportunity to meet some great individuals, and some inspiring couples – all champions in their own right. My boyfirend and I also had the privilege to meet some with different perspectives on gay marriage. While asking a group of older gay men if they would like to sign a petition for the repeal of DOMA, one vehemently refused and said, “I don’t understand what’s wrong with civil unions.” (In my opinion the list is too long to get into right now.) But in lieu of a confrontation, my boyfriend convinced me to let it go. Then Courage’s National Field Organizer Anthony Ash had a very profound message for me: “If it weren’t for people like us, people like him wouldn’t be able to sit in this gay bar today, without fear.”
This has become my adage from this point on: what I do today WILL help someone tomorrow. We owe the strength of our movement today to the brave individuals of the past, who stood up to ignorance when it ran rampant. I know that civil unions aren’t good enough for me, and no longer is it enough for me to just read about the change I want to happen.
It’s time for me to be a part of it.
This past weekend in honor of Harvey Milk Day, 75 of us here in Austin answered Dustin Lance Black’s call to record a personal video to honor Harvey’s work, remembering Harvey’s clarion call to “come out” of the closet. It’s part of making that change happen by sharing these videos across the country. I hope you’ll join us.
Filed under: Community/Meta,Videos
21 Comments Leave a Comment
1.
Anthony Ash | May 24, 2011 at 10:14 am
So very proud to be working along side of you! YOU ROCK!!!
2.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:20 am
From someone who's been there.
Paterson’s Hindsight On Gay Marriage
http://www.capitaltonight.com/2011/05/patersons-h…
3.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:23 am
Obama, Franken speak out against Minnesota anti–gay marriage amendment
http://minnesotaindependent.com/81940/obama-frank…
4.
Archidoodle | May 24, 2011 at 10:33 am
“If it weren’t for people like us, people like him wouldn’t be able to sit in this gay bar today, without fear.”
I dare say, without people like HIM, you wouldn't be even having the discussion today. I know it's frustrating when older gays and lesbians decide the bar has been raised high enough. But they fought battles in a very different climate than the one we all face today.
Right now, it feels like we're on the cusp of winning an amazing battle. But the elders in the community have likewise been on the battle lines in many historic victories, and have also witnessed the backlash and roll-back in rights that those victories sometimes engendered.
Granted, this gentleman sounds like he was speaking from a place of fear, but don't presume to think you understand his story.
Personally, I'm all for plowing full speed ahead towards full marriage rights. But don't look askance at someone who's own path has lead them to a different place.
BTW, the reason young people are put on the earth is to push us all towards a better tomorrow. Bless you and your energy!
5.
Glenn I | May 24, 2011 at 10:35 am
Thank you for working for civil rights.
Full equality will help everyone.
Even people who will fight you today – there's many a law-&-order Republican who blessed the rights he fought when later he found himself in trouble.
6.
nightshayde | May 24, 2011 at 10:42 am
A dear friend of mine is a minister — and he just donated $100 to my Swim for Equality coffers. I love that there are more and more people of faith who are backing the push for marriage equality.
Thank you, Dustin, for going out there and getting involved. Each of us can do something — and every little bit matters!
7.
Anthony Ash | May 24, 2011 at 10:50 am
Archidoodle-
By no means was I discrediting the work of people that had worked tirelessly before us. The situation was a little more intense than what Dustin wrote. The man actually yelled at the volunteer and told him that he in no way supported same sex marriage and made him feel as if he had interrupted his cocktail. For some of these Texan volunteers this was the first time working in an organized campaign and it was a completely new experience for them. Never did they imagine that a member of the LGBT community would NOT want the right to marry the person who they love, or for that matter yell at them for trying talk to them about the issue.
What I meant by my comment to the volunteers is that people like HIM are content at sitting in bars and clubs sipping their cocktails allowing others, past and present, fight for the ability to be able to sit in an openly gay establishment without the fear of having the police come in and raid and/or beat the gay patrons.
Make more sense now?
8.
Archidoodle | May 24, 2011 at 11:24 am
Got it. Thanks.
9.
Marco | May 24, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Awesome work, Dustin. We should all be doing the same if we give a damn about our equal rights–and anyone who takes the time to read this blog ought to fall into that category.
Join a local group like Get Equal (www.getequal.org) and participate in direct action. Straights–even our straight allies–disengage from our issues unless they're confronted with them. Go confront them!
10.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Two different takes on Proponents' reply in the motion to vacate.
Prop 8 Proponents’ self-serving argument for reversal
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2011/05/24/33536
and
Yes on 8 attorneys hammer argument based on Walker’s relationship
http://www.keennewsservice.com/2011/05/24/yes-on-…
11.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:16 pm
Adult Bullying: Chaplains Insist Upon Ability To Keep Military A Hostile Environment For Gays And Lesbians
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/24/chap…
12.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:19 pm
A bit of history.
FLASHBACK — Buchanan: AIDS Is Nature’s ‘Awful Retribution’ Against Homosexuality
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/24/buch…
13.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:24 pm
Teaching Sexuality In Schools Is Not a ‘Threat,’ It Promotes Safety And Understanding Of LGBT People
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/23/teac…
14.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Supporters Of MN’s Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Call For ‘Respectful Discussion’
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/23/minn…
"As Equality Matters’ Carlos Maza explained last week, marriage referendums reflect the views of well financed interests who use fear and discredited information (see pamphlet above) to sway the vote — not local constituents. As law professor Paula Abrams wrote in 2008:
(Quote): One can readily conclude that lawmaking by initiative, the manifestation of unchecked majority will, carries a high risk of producing bad laws. The “bad law” risk posed by the initiative is not simply that of generic poor policy. The absence of the deliberative process can leave the voters with profoundly inaccurate information. False information may be an unintended byproduct of the public campaign, or it may be deliberately disseminated for political advantage. Deliberate dissemination of false information can be a particularly potent and harmful strategy to agitate the majority against minority groups. Immune from legislative or executive review, initiative campaigns may rely on appeals to voter prejudice. [Oregon Law Review, Vol. 87, 1025, emphasis added, 2008] (End Quote)
15.
Sagesse | May 24, 2011 at 10:42 pm
Church of Scotland lifts moratorium
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2011/05/23/33507
16.
Mark Mead-Brewer | May 25, 2011 at 2:56 am
Anthony, what exactly do you mean by 'people like HIM'?
Your tone sounds VERY judgemental regarding this man who vocally chose to not support SSM.
Did you talk with him? Do you know his past? Do you have any idea what he may have gone through his self? How do you know anything about 'people like HIM'?
If not for people like HIM you and all your volunteers wouldn't even be allowed to host a rally in Texas for all you know.
He may have indeed earned the right to be as vocal as he wishes for or against marriage equality.
He certainly deserves better than to be dismissed with such rude comments and generalisms.
IMHO
17.
Adam Bink | May 25, 2011 at 3:33 am
I think there is a case of people talking past each other.
Let's make sure to assume good faith in these discussions, please.
18.
Mark Mead-Brewer | May 25, 2011 at 3:39 am
Really???
19.
Dustin | May 25, 2011 at 7:27 am
If it is his belief that we should be grateful to the straight majorities that allow (being a keyword here) us to have these unions, that is 100 PERCENT OK by me.
But there is a mature was to express your opinions and the manner in which this man acted in no way could be construed as mature.
Thats all Im saying
EVERYONE have a GREAT day, and thanks for the support
20.
Rhie | May 25, 2011 at 1:52 pm
@Mark
What you are bringing here is a fail known as the tone argument. You can find more info about it by Google searching "tone argument" but basically it's a common type of concern trolling. derailingfordummies.com is a good place to start.
So is Google searching "straight privilege".
To address your comments about this person, it is entirely possible that person is better now than they were a year ago. However, they are still a bigot. They are still fighting against the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness of other people. They still believe that LGBT aren't real people who deserve the rights non-LGBT people have. They are have the same ideology as people like Fred Phelps. Whether they realize it or know it is irrelevant. Unintentional bigotry is still bigotry, period.
21.
Rhie | May 25, 2011 at 1:58 pm
"If it is his belief that we should be grateful to the straight majorities that allow (being a keyword here) us to have these unions, that is 100 PERCENT OK by me."
Really? You really think it is an OK thing to believe that the minority should be grateful for the majority taking their foot off the neck of minority just a little bit? I say HELL NO. Would you agree to the following?
"I believe that people of color should be grateful to us white master types for allowing them to stay together as a family on this plantation. Aren't we awesome for not selling their kids down the river?!"
Yea, no. NO ONE EVER got rights by begging the majority to give them crumbs at a time. No one got rights by being nice and polite and taking into consideration the poor widdle fee-fees of the privileged.
People get rights by simply taking them regardless of what the privileged power thought about it. People get rights by explaining that the people with privilege need to realize it is NOT about them, their feelings or their preferred tone for an argument.
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