ACT On Principles

NO LGBT Groups Speaking at Nat. Immigration Rally on Sunday – while hundres of us MARCH.

Well – the opening salvo has appeared on the immigration reform debate with a “framework” letter from lead drafters Senator Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Graham (R-SC). (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031703115.html).

And guess what, 300 million of us have to get very fancy – and supposedly innocent – biometric social security cards – that somehow has no data about you stored on the government side, but which we all have to have to “work”.

I’m sweating already. But it’s definitely “close and control” the border. If only we trusted our government even just a little. But what a bizarre posture to begin with politically! There’s a lot to swallow and chew on, which the ACLU is already ready to spit out. (http://www.aclu.org/technology-and-liberty/5-problems-national-id-cards)

In related bad news, we “gays” were headed happily to D.C. this Sunday for the big immigration reform march until the big surprise Friday that there is NO LGBT Immigration group invited or speaking at the Rally in which 300-500 hundred LGBT folks are already expected to be marching (http://www.immigrationequality.org/blog/). For us New Yorkers, it’s like driving 10 hours r/t to party you’re not really welcome to. But hey – we’re going and with more CHANTS. “Let Us Speak” – jumps to mind.

In response to this badly defended slight, there was an spontaneous nationwide phone bank Friday started at 4:36 p..m. by direct activists (from directactionnetwork, QueerRising & Out4Immigration) that targeted the Center For Community Change (CCC), a major player at the national level (on the Reform Immigration for America, Management Team), that’s coordinating the event.

They’re big friends, endorsed UAFA, and have an openly gay ED, but somehow we were still over looked. If only “you had joined the conversation sooner,” one spokesperson explained like they don’t know about us. That’s why we had to do the phone bank. By 6 or so that night, the delightful Deputy from CCC, Marissa Gaciosa, was on the phone with us explaining that Deepak Bhargava, the openly gay ED will definitely mention our community, and Rep. Mike Honda will talk about UAFA. But there’s no LGBT group representative out and on stage speaking for us — and there is really no substitute for this.

The sad part is that the press release issued by CCC announcing the other speakers promotes this beautiful message of the collective effort: “On March 21, we will celebrate America’s values and history as a nation of immigrants. We will celebrate America’s values of inclusiveness, justice and equality. We will exercise our Constitutional rights and demand economic fairness for everyone and recognition of our civil rights for all who work hard to sustain our country. Our laws and policies must honor our families, protect American workers and move this country forward.”

The truth is – and everyone admits it – we weren’t included because we are the “gays”. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) does not even want us on the community stage, as part of the rally, now alone in the bill. So we have a lot of work to do with all the other big players in this coalition. We have to stand down Catholic opposition to our safety and equality, and this is a good place to do it when they are trapped in their own organizing matra.

Clearly religion is no longer a justification for our inequality. 21 other countries allow same-sex immigration partnership rights, including Spain, Brazil, and France each with huge (73-94%) Catholic populations, the US. is only 24% Catholic. (http://tinyurl.com/CIIR2010-TenStatePlan). Clearly religion and equality can peacefully co-exist in a secular country, but the “United States” Conference of Catholic Bishops, unfortunately, is still getting old memos from Rome (http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-122.shtml).

So – on stage or off, we’ll still march and have our voices heard. Some are wearing medical masks and sunglasses for our partners who dare not show their face, like so many others. We’ll chant: “We’re Here, We’re Queer. You are not alone.” to make our presence known, and our support clear. And maybe now and then we’ll toss in a: “Let Us Speak” – — so the issue is not overlooked.

Already, we have started a new conversation about our political dignity that will set the stage for the debate about to ensue with a new set of demands: We must be included up-front in any legislation that affects our equality or safety. We will no longer be treated like a dirty little secret in the process. We expect more of our friends. And religion is not an excuse.

But given the scope of the conversation Schumer/Graham just started, I think we’re going to be an easy sell, and almost irrelevant to this bill. But we will be a major annoyance to the coalition if they don’t live up to their own mantra and treat our community with real respect.

So far, they left us out of the Rally, but what we really want is to be included up-front and dignified-like in the pending-any-day “comprehensive” immigration reform bill. Let’s hope that’s the plan, as Schumer is hinting. (http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/18/Schumer_Signals_UAFA_Inclusion/).

But to help that be true, call the Senators and demand “UAFA inclusion in CIR” now. We don’t want to be treated like a dirty little secret in the bill, like we are at the Rally! (Schumer, 202-224-6542) (Graham, 202-224-5972).
Here’s the list of speakers.

SPEAKERS:
Cardinal Roger Michael Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles
Andy Stern, president, SEIU International
Eddie “El Piolín” Sotelo, national radio personality
Marc Morial, executive director, National Urban League
Carlos Saavedra, national coordinator, United We Dream
Ben Jealous, executive director, NAACP
Lucia Mendez, Actress
Gustavo Torres, executive director, CASA de Maryland
Los Lonely Boys, Grammy Award winning musicians
Deepak Bhargava, executive director, Center for Community Change
Angelica Salas, executive director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Wade Henderson, president, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Janet Murguía, executive director, National Council of La Raza
Pramila Jayapal, executive director, One America
Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Bishop of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church
Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)
Sen. Robert Menedez (D- N.J.)
Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.)
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.)
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)
Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.)
Rev. Sam Rodriguez, Jr., president, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Rev. Derrick Harkins, senior pastor, Nineteenth Street Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, president and general minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rabbi Morris Allen, Beth Jacob Congregation
Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, senior pastor, Reformed Church of Highland Park
Rev. John McCullough, executive director, Church World Service
Angela Sanbrano, executive committee president, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities
Esther Lopez, Director, UFCW Civil Rights and Community Action Department
Arturo Venegas Jr., retired Sacramento Chief of Police
Eliseo Medina, executive vice president, SEIU International
Emma Lozano, executive director, Centro Sin Fronteras
Billy Lawless, Celts for Immigration Reform
Ali Noorani, executive director, National Immigration Forum
Chung-Wha Hong, executive director, New York Immigration Coalition
Josh Hoyt, executive director, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Eun Sook Lee, executive director, National Association of Korean American Service and Education Consortium
Maria Elena Durazo, Los Angeles County Federation, AFL- CIO
Maria Rodriguez, executive director, Florida Immigrant Coalition
Arturo Vargas, NALEO
Tuyet Le, executive director, Asian American Institute
Mary Rose Wilcox, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors
Justin Rubin, executive director, Move On
Arlene Holt-Baker, vice president, AFL- CIO
Joe Hansen, president, UFCW
John Willhelm, president, UNITE-HERE
Arturo Rodriguez, president, UFW
Juan Salgado, board president, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights
Kim Propeack, CASA de Maryland

MEDIA NOTES: Media credentials for the March are available by signing up at http://www.campaignforcommunities.org/press-room/media-registration. Registration period ends promptly at 12 noon, Saturday, March 20, 2010.
Space on the riser is available on a first-come basis. Please email [email protected] to reserve a spot.

BLOG for equality now

Dan & Jim: Equality will not wait for a Convenient Time

Here is a strong shout-out to Lt Dan Choi and Captain James Pietrangelo for their courageous stand on Thursday, March 18. Court date is set for April 26th, 2010 at the DC Superior Court. We know there will be thousands of supporters rallying on that day.

Below are four significant pieces of history that we wanted to share with you: Dan’s official statement from prior to the rally, the rally statement, the White House fence statement, and the jail release statement. All significant in seeing the story unfold.

Editors Note: Dan Choi just became a Champion on Act On Principles.

Hat Tip for the coverage and video: AMERICAblog Gay

“Hello. My name is Lt. Dan Choi. I am being discharged from the US Army because I am gay and dared to say it out loud.

Today, I am here on a mission with Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, and we are asking you all to join us. We’re calling you to action because we are at a turning point — a moment in time where talk is no longer enough, and action is required.

Equality is not going to happen by itself.

You have been told that the President has a plan. But Congressman Barney Frank confirmed to us this week that the President still is not fully committed to repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this year.

And if we don’t seize this moment it may not happen for a very long time.

Some may tell you that I am one of the lucky ones. I have been welcomed back by my unit with open arms. And it would be easy for me to stay quiet and hope that change will happen.

But what I was taught at West Point and learned in war is — hope is not a strategy. As officers, James and I both find it a dereliction of our moral duty to remain silent while thousands of our brothers and sister are not allowed to serve openly and honestly.

Capt. Pietrangelo was honorably discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2004 and I will be subject to the same shortly. As officers we are here today fighting for those in the ranks, and we need our Commander in Chief to do the same.

Our fight is not here at Freedom Plaza, it is at the White House. We are walking to the White House right now to send the President a message. So…take out your cell phones and your cameras. Document this moment. Join us as together — we make history.”