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 EMAIL: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] OR CALL: NAE: 202-789-1011 Re: Stop Hurting Gay People Dear Religious Leaders: Rev. Leith Anderson, National Association of Evangelicals I am writing to ask that your organizations please cease and desist from opposing legislation to end discrimination against gay families in immigration reform and generally stop all efforts against LGBT equality and justice. As you currently oppose gay couples in immigration reform, our bi-national gay families suffer immeasurable harm and anxiety under existing law, facing forced separation and life uncertainty, despite being legally married and in committed relationships. This harm is man made and can be ended by you. Moreover, as evidenced by the recent murder of Mark Carson in NYC and anti-gay attacks around the world, cultural and religious advocacy against the LGBT community causes severe psychological and physical suffering for our people. And this must stop. Neighbors murder and rape us because you tell them to disrespect us. And our children commit suicide because they are taught to hate themselves and are not safe at home or school. Where do the children go to hide from this? Where do our souls go to be safe? Your position is literally killing us. And your political advocacy blocking our efforts to protect ourselves means that this harm continues unchecked. Division and judgment, not love and compassion, prevail in this context. With love guiding us all forward, the majority of people of many faiths now support LGBT couples, and all faithful, including your own, increasingly support our equality and dignity as equal human beings and co-habitants of earth. All souls are equal, are they not? In this spirit, we beseech you to seek the greater goodness in your heart and to end the active persecution and political lobbying against LGBT happiness and safety. The religious freedom of other faiths dedicated to performing our unions depend upon your standing down. The end of our vast suffering depends on your standing down. And the love of humankind for one another depends on your standing down. We look forward to a public announcement that your organizations will no longer oppose our political quest for protection from discrimination and equality, so we can all live peacefully and with love, across all faiths and all peoples, in all of our glorious diversity. Respectfully yours, (INSERT YOUR NAME) p.s. Working together, you all could end LGBT persecution around the globe if you chose to do so.
For the first time in a decade, on March 26th and 27th, the Supreme Court will hear two cases about LGBT equality. Their rulings on these two cases will likely direct same gender marriage laws for the next decade(s). The cases are ably handled by two civil rights organizations: The ACLU LGBT project and the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
We all understand the importance of our marriages being valid everywhere. We know of the problems that occur when you travel or relocate and suddenly you are not considered married. Loving Everywhere is a connection to the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that interracial marriages should be valid everywhere. At that time the majority of Americans opposed interracial marriage (while today most Americans support same gender marriages). At that time, contrary to today, interracial couples legally married could be imprisoned just by moving to a state that did not allow such marriages. When President Obama was born in Hawaii to an interracial couple, their marriage was illegal in many states. The purpose of Loving Everywhere is to inform justices of the need for our marriages to be recognized everywhere, not just by the federal government or a few states. The personal touch of a picture and a thoughtful letter has a unique impact. Go to LovingEverywhere.com to get the names and address and start writing! Remember, the cases will be heard at the end of March. Please tell your friends and family to do the same!
Hey everyone. ARIZONA CALIFORNIA COLORADO (Toss Up Presidential) CONNECTICUT FLORIDA (Toss Up Presidential) GEORGIA HAWAII IDAHO ILLINOIS INDIANA IOWA (Toss up Presidential) KENTUCKY MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA MISSOURI MONTANA NEVADA (Toss up Presidential) NEW HAMPSHIRE (Toss up Presidential) NEW JERSEY NEW MEXICO NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA (Toss Up Presidential) NORTH DAKOTA OHIO (Toss up Presidential) OKLAHOMA PENNSYLVANIA RHODE ISLAND TEXAS UTAH VIRGINIA (Toss up Presidential) WASHINGTON WISCONSIN (Toss up Presidential) SOURCES:
Here’s a list of counter-protests by GetEqual Ohio & Freedom to Marry-Ohio to the Family Research Council’s “Values Bus Tour”. Go grassroots!!! COLUMBUS: Tuesday, April 10 — 12:00pm until 1:00pm FAIRFIELD: Wednesday, April 11 — 3:00pm until 5:30pm FINDLAY: Friday, April 13 — 5:30pm until 6:30pm TOLEDO: Saturday, April 14 — 9:00am until 11:00am WESTLAKE: Sunday, April 15 — 8:30am until 1:30pm CUYAHOGA FALLS: Sunday, April 15 — 3:00pm until 6:00PM Thank you to GetEqual OH and the Freedom to Marry Ohio Coalition and other groups and individuals WILLING TO TAKE A STAND !!! https://www.facebook.com/GetEQUALOH FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION on the Family Research Council which is A DESIGNATED HATE GROUP by the Southern Poverty Law Center, see: http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/family-research-council
 (No Ratings Yet) (RePosted for: Tommy News Thomas and Irish Queers) “Traditional Family Values”? NO! New York City residents should call 311 and register a complaint. Protest Protest NYPD, Mayor Bloomberg, City and Church sanctioned homophobia Take Action: NYC Saint Patricks Day Parade sends Message of Hatred and Recently, Irish President Mary McAleese turned down an invitation to A 1995 conservative U.S. Supreme Court decision allowed the private In New York, gays have again been banned from marching in the parade In the parade, public employees such as on duty uniformed police and Therefore, we must protest not only the discriminatory exclusion of The inclusive St. Patrick’s Parade in Queens, held before We must protest as long as these homophobic and discriminatory We insist the NYPD, NYFD, public schools, public agencies and From Irish Queers http://irishqueers.blogspot.com/ On Saturday, March 17, the NYPD takes off the mask. Fifth Ave. between West 56th and 57th St @ The St. Patrick’s Day parade This Saturday, tens of thousands of cops will march in an explicitly How much does the NYPD support religious anti-gay bigots? The NYPD PROTEST NYPD HOMOPHOBIA and ANTI-QUEER VIOLENCE! More: http://irishqueers.blogspot.com/ Write, Email, and Call The Parade Organizers Here: NYC SAINT PATRICK’S DAY PARADE St Patrick’s Day Parade & Celebration Committee P.O. Box 295 Woodlawn Station, Bronx, NY 10470 Phone Number: 718-231-4400 718-231-4400 Fax: 718-231-4401 Web Site: NYCStPatricksParade.Org Web Site Information: [email protected] General Info:[email protected] Chairman: Chairman-NYC-St-Patrick-Day-Parade.Org Scholarship: [email protected] FAQ or Information requests New York City residents should call 311 and register a complaint. Contact New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg here: www.MikeBloomberg.com Phone: (212) 639-9675 City of New York City Contact New York Governor Andrew Cuomo here: http://www.congress.org/ Albany Office: State Capitol Contact NBC and other Media here: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/ http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=org_pages&org_id=559 Website: www.msnbc.com/news Contact the Ancient Order of Hibernians Here: Greater Gospel Temple Aoh http://www.aoh.com/officers.html New York City residents should call 311 and register a complaint. Contact and Boycott the Parade Sponsors: Quinnipiac University 275 Mount Carmel Ave. Manhattan College Visa Irish Connections Visa Empire City Yonkers Raceway www.yonkersraceway.com FORD MOTOR COMPANY MANHATTAN COLLEGE Group Photos, Inc. Ireland Calls Radio Show Pride of Irish Heritage The Irish Examiner Tourism Ireland Turtle Wax Budweiser Sponsor links here: http://nyc-st-patrick-day-parade.org/links.aspx
Help STOP THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S ANTI-GAY CRUSADE: Please email the Pope via Cardinal Dolan, his chief envoy: and/or: St. Patrick’s Cathedral: [email protected] With the words: GLITTER, glitter, GLITTER, glitter, GLITTER Or Call: St. Patrick’s Cathedral: 212.753.2261 And say: Glitter, Glitter, Glitter, Glitter, Glitter. BACKGROUND: The Catholic Church is on full attack with its ANTI-GAY CRUSADE in America. And make no mistake: this is politics. The Activist Priest leading the political attack against gay Americans is Timothy Dolan, Last Saturday, the Pope rewarded Activist Priest Dolan with a promotion to Cardinal for his full-fledged anti-marriage equality and pro-DOMA onslaught – which recently went so far as to threaten President Obama with a holy war if he did not submit to the Pope’s will (see clips below). This Saturday, at 4 p.m., Timothy Dolan will host a mass in his own honor to herald his ascendency – on our backs – to higher office. Please join in the festivities, by sending an email or calling with the message: GLITTER GLITTER GLITTER GLITTER GLITTER By lobbying government to deny us our civil rights, the Church is breaching the fundamental social compact in America – by which we agree to create a safe haven for each of us – and all of us. Their religious freedom is based on this, and so are our civil rights. So this a GLITTER warning to LET GAYS BE. More info on the first 7 Crusades: Join action on FB here. ______________________________________________________ Timeline on Dolan’s Anti-Gay Crusade and Corresponding Promotions: FEB 23, 2009: DOLAN APPOINTED ARCHBISHOP OF NY – St. Patrick’s Cathedral. NOV 16, 2010: DOLAN PROMOTED TO PRESIDENT OF USCCB (vote 128-111) JUNE 2011: DOLAN LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST NY MARRIAGE EQUALITY http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2011/06/dolan-gay-marriage-bill-an-ominous-threat/ AUG 2011: DOLAN ON 60 MINUTES (i.e. anti-equality media campaign). http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-20044758-10391709.html SEPT 22, 2011: DOLAN WARNS PRESIDENT OBAMA of “a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions” if he supports DOMA repeal. http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-23/gay-marriage-bishop/50528104/1 NOV 2011: DOLAN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCES PUBLIC POLICY FIGHTS NOV 2011: DOLAN ANNOUNCES ANTI-ME FIGHT IN OTHER STATES NOV 2011: DOLAN MEETS WITH OBAMA – OPPOSING MARRIAGE EQUALITY http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/obama-dolan-dialogue_n_1093679.html JAN 6, 2012: DOLAN NAMED CARDINAL BY POPE (Ceremony Feb 18, Rome). NYC Ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral: SATURDAY FEB. 25th. 4 p.m. (tickets only). SEND GLITTER
(No Ratings Yet) (Posted for: Tommy Thomas of “Tommy News”) -By Tommy News Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the Roman Catholic Sunday masses will then celebrate this elevation of church sanctioned hatred and homophobia against gays, womens rights, and against full civil rights equality including same-sex civil marriage. Dolan has even gone so far as to petition the President of The United States to take anti-gay action. We must protest. From our friend Tif: Timothy Dolan is the chief architect of the Pope’s anti-gay crusade in America. He arrived in NYC spewing homophobia rhetoric, and was quickly He has broken every basic social compact – by taking his church’s views into the political arena. He has violated the basic tenet of creating a safe space for all of us – all people and all religions – in America. From Truthdig: New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan is a man of the world in some Here, he takes up a disappointingly common rhetorical tool to explain the church’s aversion to gay marriage, asking Morley Safer, “Where would, then, the tampering stop? I mean, I love my mom. I don’t have the right to marry her.” Sigh. —KA Video Here: From The New York Times: Archbishop Dolan Condemns “Sexual Immorality” in Sunday Homily Archbishop and Cardinal-to-be Timothy Dolan gave a stern homily on morality on Sunday at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, telling church attendees that sex outside of marriage is still a sin, despite what popular culture would have society believe. “The one who, with God’s grace and mercy, tries his or her best to be pure and chaste is often thought of not as a hero, not a saint, but as a freak in our culture today,” Archbishop Timothy Dolan said at St. Patrick’s, reported the Daily News. “The biblical teaching on sexual responsibility is countercultural,” Dolan continued to say that teaching abstinence is countercultural. Those who try to live according to the teachings of the bible including devout Catholics, he said, will face “ridicule and criticism.” Dolan called on priests to do a better job in guiding their parishes to live a virtuous life. He linked societal crimes, such as violence, sex crimes, disease and broken homes and divorce to “sexual immorality,” reported the Daily News. “The church has at times in the past, sadly, come across as, as some naysaying, puritanical nag, always giving a big ‘no, no, no’ to one of life’s greatest joys,” he said. Dolan is set to become cardinal in a ceremony on Feb. 18, 2012 in Rome. More: The Pope has called gay people “intrinsically disordered”, and his misguided homophobia works to surpress gays and women. Jesus never once mentioned homosexuality, and may have been gay or bi himself. In fact, Jesus said that gays as opressed persecuted people are Blessed! The Pope and Arch-Homophobe Dolan really need to read their Bibles. This is the word of Jesus, from the Sermon on The Mount. MATTHEW 5:10-13 Blessed are they which are persecuted 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:11 Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. 5:13 You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its savour, with what shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. That is the word of Jesus. The Archdiocese of New York is widely considered the spiritual heart of the American church. It counts about 2.6 million Catholics in a sprawling jurisdiction that includes includes Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island and several suburban counties. Timothy Dolan opposes Marriage Equality in New York, and has pledged to work to oppose marriage equality, persecute and oppress gays in New York and in places out of his jurisdiction. This directly contradicts the teachings of Jesus. The Pope and Timothy Dolan must learn what great harm is caused by their homophobia, which is defined as the irrational fear of, aversion to, animus or discrimination against gays, homosexuality or homosexuals. However, anti-gay hate speech leads directly to animus, bullying, hate crimes, depression, confusion, low self esteem, and suicide. We must protest. Now is the time. Ways to Protest: 1- Occupy The Church The message is simple, yet loud; Equal Rights for All. Sign suggestions: LET US BE Stop The Hate Let Gays Marry Church Homophobia Must End! Cardinal Dolan Hates Gays Gays are God’s Children Too Blessed Are The Gays Jesus Loves Me Too Vote For Civil Rights 2- Write, call, email, weform and Fax your elected representatives, newspapers and media outlets, and pass this message on to everyone in your address book. Get contact information here: www.congress.org 3- Write, call, email, webform and Fax your clergy, friends, and family 4-Write, call, email, webform and Fax Pope Benedict and Timothy Dolan’s Office Contact: Timothy Dolan email [email protected] or [email protected] More Here: http://www.archny.org/departments/ The Pope’s regular mailing address is: His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI email the Pope at [email protected] (English) or Call The Vatican Basilica Switchboard + 39 06 6982 More Here: MEDIA CALLING DOLAN “GAY HATING” & http://www.towleroad.com/2012/01/gay-hating-ny-archbishop-timothy-dolan-to-be-elevated-to-cardinal.html http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-york-anti-gay-archbishop-timothy.html More from Tif: Timothy Dolan TIMELINE: FEB 23, 2009: DOLAN APPOINTED ARCHIBISHOP OF NY – St. Patricks Cathedral. NOV 16, 2010: DOLAN PROMOTED TO PRESIDENT OF USCCB (vote 128-111) JUNE 2011: DOLAN LEADS CAMPAIGN AGAINST NY MARRIAGE EQUALITY http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2011/06/dolan-gay-marriage-bill-an-ominous-threat/ http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/06/archbishop-timothy-dolan-were-working-with-gov-cuomo-but-we-still-oppose-gay-m AUG 2011: DOLAN ON 60 MINUTES (i.e. anti-equality media campaign). http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-20044758-10391709.html SEPT 22, 2011: DOLAN WARNS PRESIDENT OBAMA of “a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions” if he supports DOMA repeal. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/22/timothy-dolan-issues-letter-to-obama-about-gay-marriage_n_976788.html http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-09-23/gay-marriage-bishop/50528104/1 NOV 2011: DOLAN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE PUBLIC POLICY FIGHTS NOV 2011: DOLAN ANNOUNCES ANTI-ME FIGHT IN OTHER STATES NOV 2011: DOLAN MEETS WITH OBAMA – OPPOSING MARRIAGE EQUALITY http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/14/obama-dolan-dialogue_n_1093679.html JAN 6, 2012: DOLAN NAMED CARDINAL BY POPE (Ceremony Feb 18, Rome). (Here is what the Chicago folks did last week with their Cardinal Francis George: Please take action and pass this on to everyone in your address book.
NOTE: CORRECTION: the source of the information has since said there was a misunderstanding, and that HRC, NGLTF & NCLR are not operating in coalition on the omnibus and have not opposed Title VI inclusion. For a subsequent note on these conversations, see this post. As the writer, I maintain this is what I was told, and regret any confusion. ORIGINAL POST: In a shocking bit of news, it appears that the main LGBT organizations are blocking the inclusion of Title VI in the “Omnibus” equality bill being developed by Representative Polis for filing in January. The outline shared by Polis’ office is sweeping, but clearly omits Title VI, which pertains to all federally funded programs, and marriage equality, which is not even on the table. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act reads: Sec. 2000d. Prohibition against exclusion from participation in, denial of benefits of, and discrimination under federally assisted programs on ground of race, color, or national origin. Including Title VI in a true omnibus would add “sexual orientation and gender identity” to this list, as has been proposed regularly since the omnibus idea first emerged in 2009, and would effectively end federally subsidized discrimination. It appears, however, that a long-needed coalition of LGBT corporations has formed, and is now speaking with one voice against an inclusive omnibus. WHY IS GAY INC AGAINST AN INCLUSIVE BILL? The pro-offered argument is “pragmatism.” In other words, as the story goes, the Omnibus will be more viable legislatively if Title VI is not included. Of course, this sounds immediately fishy. It would almost be better to hear them say: “We don’t want to put Title VI in play in 2012 because it will force Obama’s hand, and the opposition will be saying: ‘Look they want to force homosexuality on your community. Boo.’ So, since this is an election year, let’s file w/out Title VI, and then we’ll add it later, after the next election.” It’s actually a convincing argument and we’ve heard ones like it before, like when they sought to leave transgendered people out of ENDA. It’s a politics of compromise whereby we negotiate against ourselves, before the game even starts, compromising principle, deflecting the call for equality. BUT WE ARE A MOVEMENT FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE CREATED EQUAL AND ENTITLED AS A MATTER OF INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHTS TO BE PROTECTED BY THEIR GOVERNMENT FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THE STATUS OF THEIR INNATE SEXUALITY AND GENDER. If this is remotely true, filing an omnibus without TITLE VI sure doesn’t cut it. Think about it. Title VI, by making it illegal to discriminate using federal money, enlists an enforcement army of thousands of contract managers, managing over $3,400 billion dollars, to stamp discrimination out. It is the mechanism by which our federal non-discrimination policy becomes a social norm via the vast economic power of the United States. This is how the money talks. Of course, Gay Inc knows all of this. Representative Polis knows all of this. The DNC knows all of this. So WHY does the outline Rep. Polis issued NOT INCLUDE TITLE VI? Title VI, which has been in the eQualityGiving.org Omnibus since 2009, and the American Equality Bill from the outset. Title VI which puts “non-discrimination based on race, color, and national origin,” on every contract to every school, to every homeless youth program, to every police department, state, city, town, hospital, etc. Title VI, which gives the 1000s of lawyers in the Department of Justice’s offices the power to sue to stop discrimination everywhere in America. To many, this is where “pragmatism” comes into the picture, not in defining the goal. Because there is a reason the various non-discrimination laws exist, and their benefits will be of equal value to our community, and their exclusion our equal loss. SO IS THIS REALLY PRAGMATISM? Possibly, but is that the appropriate standard? What is pragmatism anyway? Pragmatism is the obstacle of choice in politics. It lives within the now, or even the past, but not the future. It says: yes your equality may be what you want, but do not seek it. It is the voice of the impossible blocking change. From 1974 to 1994, LGBT organizations backed a Civil Rights Bill. In 1994, weary from a decade of AIDS, we made the pragmatic decision to drop an equality bill, and thereby, separated ourselves from our Civil Rights heritage. We decided to seek only an end to employment discrimination in a deal with potential allies, and for 17 years, have fought that pragmatic fight, unbeknownst to society at large. Meanwhile, the world has passed us by. Marriage is legal in Argentina and South Africa where “sexual orientation” is protected in the Constitution. Our plight is recognized by the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Organization of American States, which has made explicit the duty under international law to “prevent, punish and eradicate” discrimination based on SO&GI. The United States pushed those international resolutions under President Obama and Secretary Clinton, and is bound by them. They know that Title VI is the fulfillment of this duty. Everyone does. Surely pragmatism cannot dictate that we not seek its protection. The protection of human rights, under a clear duty to act, but not for us? SO WHY WOULD REPRESENTATIVE POLIS LEAVE IT OUT? Because HRC, the NGLTF, NCLR, and a confidential list of others, led by an invisible hand, managed behind closed doors in secret and in concert, like only corporations can, have decided that it is not “pragmatic” to even file a bill for Equal Civil Rights protections. That we should not seek equal protection under the law, not now, not yet. That we should wait, and follow, with no public open conversation about the entire matter. Of course it does depend on WHY WE ARE EVEN FILING AN OMNIBUS BILL? NO ONE THINKS we are filing this bill to pass in this Congress. That is not the point. The point of the omnibus, like the AEB, is to put EQUALITY on the table. To take OUR stance. To reflect OUR dignity. Not as a statement of the possible, but as a statement of collective intention to manifest our liberation. It is an opportunity to be the change we seek. It is the chance to make our equality a major issue in the 2012 race, by giving our own people a beacon. This is the “intangible” that pragmatic legislative or corporate analysis fails to grasp: The power of Collective Intention to manifest change beyond the possible in today’s terms. The power of a shared dream. THE LOVERS & THE DREAMERS UNDERSTAND THIS. Our movement is ultimately about love. And two-spirited people have long been the shamans and visionaries, still dancing among us today. When Richard Noble takes to walking across country for Equal Civil Rights, he points the way. When the Mayor of West Hollywood and the City Council, as duly elected officials of a city that is 40% LGBT, issue a Resolution for the AEB, they declare it. When the Mayor of Salt Lake City calls upon the U.S. government for Equal Civil Rights for LGBT Americans, the way is clear. Like this, we need Congressman Polis to be a representative visionary. As a rather pragmatic truth, the LGBT community has no directly elected representatives, neither among its organizations nor in Congress. So as a community and people, we rely on surrogates, custodians of the public trust to do the community bidding. In this spirit, the call for the Omnibus has repeatedly come from the community. When eQualityGiving put forth the original draft in 2008, and The Dallas Principles spoke the truth of unity. When the National Equality Marchers demanded “Full Federal Equality.” When The American Equality Bill Project encamped for 37 days, and activists fasted. When hundreds chanted “CIVIL RIGHTS NOW” in Grand Central Terminal. The community has spoken. When the Mayors of Oakland, Reno, Boulder, Salt Lake City and West Hollywood issue Proclamations. When the LGBT Community Centers in Denver & Boulder – the Congressman’s own district – issue Resolutions explicitly calling for Title VI and EQUAL Civil Rights. When the Wall Street Occupiers say no more corporate control of politics and take to the street for the voice of the people, they speak for our movement as well. The legitimacy of our movement depends on it, and our destiny is tied to it. Corporations cannot set the dreams for all of us. Our movement is spiritual. We seek to free people from discrimination that binds their very being, denying their soul’s journey on earth and the safe haven to become their authentic self. We are liberating all of society by securing the acknowledgement by this Government of its primary duty: to protect us as we are, not as someone else would have us be. Ultimately our cause is a focal point of today’s holy wars, calling the ultimate question of love or anger, compassion or judgment. And we should no longer hide from this responsibility or avoid this role. When we INCLUDE TITLE VI we start a macro conversation about WHY LGBT PEOPLE ARE NOT ALREADY COVERED EQUALLY by federal non-discrimination laws, WHY we are not treated with dignity, and WHY discrimination is wrong. When we INCLUDE TITLE VI we announce what we intend to accomplish, and that YES we are speaking to everyone, everywhere in this Country. When we INCLUDE TITLE VI we are saying we are equal, and we expect our POLITICIANS to say so too. We have had decades of pragmatism, while societal acceptance has over shot our own organizational expectations. We’ve bowed to allies and other minorities, denying our own dignity in the process. We’ve seen more and more teenagers taking their lives because we won’t force the macro conversation we need to have to address a societal wide illness of homophobia and transphobia, cultivated by our own Government and propagated by its laws, that leads to barbaric acts like parents rejecting their own offspring or people tied to fences and beaten to death. We see exponential mental illnesses among our people, spiking under anti-gay referendum, police abuse, killings, political ostracizing, families torn apart, and the generalized rejection of an entire segment of society by their own community, not as a group, but individually in a forced emotional isolation born of fear. The Civil Rights Act can’t change this. But the debate over our Equal Inclusion can. And then, after we win the legislative battle, after we build a chorus so loud we can no longer be ignored. Title VI will push that conversation deeply into every corner of this country, leaving no child behind and no dream deferred. We’ve seen a sea change in public opinion ushered in by television programming, but not by a mass movement. It’s time to find our common intention to liberate ourselves as a matter of entitlement. It’s time to find our voice as a community entitled to respect as a matter of consciousness. It’s time to file a bill for equality that says: WE ARE EQUAL & WE ARE NEXT. For AN INCLUSIVE OMNIBUS, email: [email protected] Your input is invited.
(No Ratings Yet) GET READY: National Coming Out Day is Tuesday, October 11th 2011 -by Tommy News Thomas Please pass this message on to everyone in your address book. Take Action for International Coming Out Day October 11th is International Coming Out Day. Take Action! National Coming Out Day is Tuesday. Here are some important actions Write letters, email, call, and fax your representatives asking them Get contact information at www.congress.org Make a commitment to be honest about your sexual orientation or gender If you are participating in Occupy Together protest events, wear your http://www.occupytogether.org/ More information on AEB Here: http://www.actonprinciples.org/aeb-senate/ From The Human Righta Campaign: National Coming Out Day Donate your Facebook status http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/national-coming-out-day Whether you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or a straight ally, Use HRC’s Coming Out for Equality Facebook app to show your support New ways to come out for equality will be added each week leading up About the App We can’t do this alone, but together we can make a difference. Recruit Learn about Coming Out Day Find coming out guides and other resources Download the guide http://www.hrc.org/resources/entry/national-coming-out-day Please pass this message on to everyone in your address book. –
And breaching, like a whale in the ocean, is BOULDER COLORADO! With great local fanfare, on Saturday, September 24th, OUTBOULDER, which runs both Pride and the LGBT Community Center, is hosting a luncheon for The American Equality Bill and Richard Noble’s Walk Across America with special guests Representative Polis and Mayor Osborne. For details and to RSVP go to: http://www.outboulder.org/content/congressional-luncheon-american-equality-bill The reason Boulder is so magical is that it is the district of openly gay Democrat, Representative Polis who, according to all reports, is systematically working to prepare an omnibus civil rights bill for filing THIS YEAR! Working diligently, the internal process evidently involves canvassing LGBT organizations via Jonathan de Wolff in the D.C. office, and the public as well, via Lisa in the campaign office. Word is there will be a draft issued for public comment, along with additional transparent processes to ensure we have a true “community bill” ! So it finally seems safe to say: A ONE BILL STRATEGY is now in play. HURRAY!! Over the next few months all eyes are on Boulder Colorado, and it could not be more fitting that Mayor Osborne is joining the Mayors of West Hollywood, Salt Lake City, Reno and Oakland, in issuing a Proclamation calling for Equal SO&GI Civil Rights — and that OutBoulder is helping to lead the charge with this lovely luncheon! Thank you all for your intentions!! Keep it up! We’ve a long way to go still. But hope is clearly on the horizon!!! BRAVO EVERYONE!!!
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head of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, and the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which marshals the Church’s political activities.
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG is finally emerging in our quest for Equal SO&GI Civil Rights!
