Comments on: At 54, Cleve Jones is ready for his comeback

By: Dr. Peter

Dr. Peter — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 07:22:34 +0000

Mr. Cleve Jones, ever since 1975 Mr. Harvey Milk and you, Mr. Jones, have been my guiding light, my beacon that has carried my to this, my 65th (totally out and open and Proudly Gay year.
May God bless and keep you always.
Respectfully

By: SaraBeth

SaraBeth — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:01:28 +0000

Dude, we still have a sense of generational purpose! It’s not the same at all, and sometimes I think it would be cooler if we were all doing one thing, but I see my friends (I’m 18) working on solving all the world’s problems, from the environment to international development to LGBT rights to fair business practice…we wanted Obama for a reason.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:46:42 +0000

I think the effectiveness of marches for gay people has diminished greatly. Every year there are pride parade all over the country. People will just say “Oh look honey, the gays are having another parade”.
We don’t need another national march.
We need to concentrate on coming out and urging others to come out. We need to spend our money on local elections etc. Not traveling to Washington. This is a recession, remember? Marches have become cottage industries.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:20:08 +0000

Wayne M, I have written and mailed Obama three letters since he took office: one regarding violations of civil rights, another against DOMA and a third against DADT and the firing of Mr. Chou. I have no heard a peep from the White House, not even a standard computer-generated reply. Obama doesn’t like us and prefers to let us suffer as the last remaining target for discrimination. I wanted to see the Smithsonian anyway; might as well travel to D.C. to march as well.

By: Wayne M.

Wayne M. — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:02:38 +0000

Cleve Jones is one of the living heroes of our fight LGBT Liberation and Equality.

As for the proposed March on Washington:
If you want to end “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell (just lie)”, and the “Defence of (restricted) Marriage Act”, you need to match the power and strength of our opponents. To be heard, you need to speak out and act. That is why the religious right is able to be very effective in getting the President to delay action on his promises to our community.
If all LGBT people do is look for the next party or night at the bar, change will not happen. We need to make sure our voice is heard, loud and clear.
If you cannot get to Washington for the march, then take the time to write the President and politely make a case for change.
Can we send 100,000 letters to the President demanding repeal of “Don’t ask; don’t tell (just lie)” I have already sent a letter, but have you?

By: Lincoln

Lincoln — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:14:18 +0000

The only time you see a crowd of queers is to party. I think it is about time to gather and PROTEST loud and clear. Now is the time for all of US to stand up and shout! We have so many reasons for making a HUGE noise.
If we could get every group that is fighting for something in their home town and state, every person who has been discriminated against, every member of our brave armed forces to come together and in one voice make it clear we are not going to have our lives and loves shoved around any more, then maybe they will listen. The only thing that most str8 people hear or see is the party. While I love Drag Queens and Kings and half naked women on bikes, it is not the best example of our population.
How long are we going to have our lives voted on and off? We are supported by almost every major org. and proof from other countries that giving Us full equality is not the end of the world. It may be a plus in alot of ways.
I am tired of being passive. I am tired of taking crumbs that don’t add up to a meal. I am tired of lame excuses and lies. I am tired of jumping thru hoops to cover my ass when all I need to do is say “I Do”.
Are you all tired of having every aspect of your lives left up to people who don’t really have a clue?
Maybe a SEA of people demanding their Rights will make a difference.
My wife and I will be there, out front giving it all we’ve got.

By: Dave W

Dave W — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:59:21 +0000

John, I disagree. People are afraid of us. Fear has been used against us for years, we need to turn it on them.

closeted straights, bigots, church leaders fearing the loss of donations if their lies are thrown open will all fear a huge march that shows our political power, tenacity and anger.

If done wrong, or if it fails due to naysayers like you, it would set us back seriously so we all need to get behind this effort to show the nation they cannot trample on us anymore.

I go to Maine as my getaway place and will work to protect the right my neighbors there have secured through the legislative process. I don’t see how a march on Washington would impede that work.

However, for the record, why a holiday weekend? We all have families, or at least that is what we are fighting for, and the choice of a holiday weekend is going to strain our existing plans. The irony in this choice of dates really bothers me.

By: John from Boston

John from Boston — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:21:51 +0000

Just what we don’t need right now — another march on Washington. Instead of spending all this money traveling to DC (bus, train, plane, hotel, meals, etc.), folks should send that $$ to Maine to help them fight the attempt to repeal marriage equality.