You can sign up here.I sat glued to my television. President Obama was addressing the nation in front of the United States Constitution at the National Archives. For sure I thought, he was going to announce an end to all the discrimination against those of us in the LGBT community. After all, he was talking about the rule of law. Here was our Constitution teacher-in-chief and he was going to end the unconstitutional policy of Don't Ask Don't Tell. Well... as I watched our President, followed by the former Vice President, it was obvious that no such pronouncements were to take place.
Yesterday, as I watched our first African American President nominate a Hispanic woman to the Supreme Court (imagine that 40 years ago!), and I thought, finally the time has come when he will use this historic moment to announce that gay Americans deserve the same civil rights granted all Americans and call for the end of Don't Ask Don't Tell and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, actions promised during the campaign when we were asked to give money to see him elected.
But this was not that moment.
As a middle-age gay American, I'd like to think that being gay is the least interesting thing about me. But it's not when I'm being denied the civil rights promised all Americans in the Constitution - liberty and justice for all. What part of all am I? The time for full equality for all is now. Separate is never equal. No delays. No Excuses.
On May 16-17 twenty-four committed donors, activists and thinkers from the LGBT community came t ogether in Dallas and put together a document called - The Dallas Prinicples. I commend them for it. Two of the people who attended this convening called me with great excitement and asked me to sign on.
THE DALLAS PRINCIPLESAfter reading the principles I signed on immediately and I urge each of you, gay and straight, to do as I did. Go to the website - www.thedallasprinciples.org -- and go here to sign on.The following eight guiding principles underlie our call to action. In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:
1. Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.
2. We will not leave any part of our community behind.
3. Separate is never equal.
4. Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.
5. The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.
6. Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.
7. Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by woby words, access or money raised.
8. Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.
This is not a veiled ask for money. It is a gathering of grassroots activists and the more of us who simply show-up and sign-on, the faster we move to the promise of full equality.
Last week's Don't Ask Don't Tell witch-hunts only bring home the terrible waste of military talent being thrown away for being gay when we need them most. Full equality is civil rights for all. When anyone's civil rights are denied all of our civil rights are diminished. It's really simple and its time to make it the law of the land for all of us.
Many of my friends have asked why these principles and what distinguishes them from those of other gay organizations. To me the difference is accountability. Right now I have made a promise to myself that I will only support organizations, businesses, and political leaders who actively support my values. If they don't, they won't get any of my time or money - pure and simple. It's time to put principles ahead of politics and personas.
I ask each of you to go to the website - www.thedallasprinciples.org - and sign on. More than that I urge you to make a simple video stating your support of the principles. The more we put faces on these principles, the faster we effect political change. We are not statistics. We are Americans asking for the promise of our country - liberty and justice for all.
Visit The Dallas Principles...
* On Facebook
* On Twitter
* On YouTube. Here are some of the videos voicing why now is the time to provide full civil rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in this country:
To quote the President, "fair enough"- so how do we best make him and his administration AWARE of what we are protesting and why it is so important?
============================================
My husband Charlie told me this morning that he sides with SciFi Geek, in regards to the higher importance of the economy, and we had a "spirited debate", especially when he ill-advisely asked if "I remember how bad the economy was back in January when Obama took office".
Yes, he was able to leave the house standing and all is well... I'm not going to be a CNN news story today! ;)
I don't think he and SciFi Geek are necessarily wrong- certainly the economy, healthcare reform etc are critically important matters.
But so are the hate crime legislation, ENDA (gawds, do I need to learn and advocate more on THIS topic!), DADT- and it would be nice to get SOME sort of acknowledgement of the recent civil right advances regarding Vermont, Iowa, Maine and possibly next week in New Hampshire- more to come on that last one.
MSM sure as hell isn't helping- little tidbits and blips are the best we get, while Dick Cheney and now George Bush openly admit culpability in their war crimes walk free. I've long since given up any hope that Karl Rove, aka Turdblossom, will ever be brought to justice, even though his actions were FAR worse than those accusations against Speaker Pelosi.
Oh yeah, the media let themselves fall for the GOP "bait and switch" Nancy Pelosi smokescreen and ate that mess right up, didn't they?
Now they're all having dessert with the feast of feigned GOP and talking head outrage over Sonia Sotomayor...
And these issues help our economy... how again? Sorry, I'm not able to connect the dots here.
Maybe mine is an overly simplified view, but it seems to me that you best help people by... helping people.
Silly me- ensuring civil rights and more equality, by its very NATURE, levels the playing field.
Sure, go ahead and create universal healthcare- you're still going to have some individuals paying more than others, because their relationships do not have the full marriage protections, recognitions and benefits of married couples. This affects not only the couple, but their children (if they have kiddos) as well.
Create more jobs and a more stable economy- well, who in their right mind is gonna oppose THAT?
But here's the thing- those without equal marriage rights are STILL going to be carrying the burdens of higher taxes.
Do you now see the sheer unfairness of this line of thinking? I sure as hell do.
I know the President has only so many hours in a day and even though he is a skilled multi-tasker, some things are gonna fall through the cracks on his watch.
But dammit, I'm gonna work my heart out to ensure that those items that fall through the cracks are not the lives of other human beings...
Cross-posted at: http://www.tips-q.com/965219-wingnut-loses-sanity-battle
A writer for a small Georgia newspaper who wanted to give President Barack Obama a letter was forcibly removed from a press area near Air Force One on Thursday shortly before he [sic] arrived at the airport.
Airport security officers carried the woman away by the feet and arms as she protested her removal. She was then allowed to leave. She said the letter she had written was opposing gay marriage.
She later identified herself as Brenda Lee, a writer for the Georgia Informer in Macon, and said she is a "Roman Catholic priestess" who lives in Anaheim, Calif. She said she has White House press credentials.
On the eve of the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall, come join us in celebrating the achievements of the LGBT equality movement:
I'll Toast to That Thursday, June 25th, 2009 6:00pm Charles Froelick Gallery 817 SW 2nd Avenue $40 beforehand, $50 at the door (tickets available here)
Attire: pizazzulous
A special thank you to our sponsors: Organic Nation Spirits Devil's Food Catering Raptor Ridge
Music by: DJ Scotty D
Ticket price qualifies for the Oregon Political Tax Credit which means you can get every penny of your ticket price back at tax time! Click here for more information on the Oregon Political Tax Credit. Questions? Call 503/222.6151
Subscribe to Reader feed
Subscribe to daily Email
No comments:
Post a Comment