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Loading ...Gay rights activist calls for march on Washington
06.08.2009 8:09am EDT
(Salt Lake City) An activist who worked alongside slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk announced plans Sunday for a march on Washington this fall to demand that Congress establish equality and marriage rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Cleve Jones said the march planned for Oct. 11 will coincide with National Coming Out Day and launch a new chapter in the gay rights movement. He made the announcement during a rally at the annual Utah Pride Festival.“We seek nothing more and nothing less than equal protection in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states,” Jones said.
He stirred up a crowd of thousands just blocks from the Salt Lake City headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, part of a conservative coalition that worked last fall to pass California’s Proposition 8, which overturned a court ruling legalizing gay marriage.
“I’ve got a message for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” Jones shouted. “I’ve got two words from California … I’ve got two words for the prophet … Thank you. Thank you for uniting us. Thank you for galvanizing us.”
Mormons were among the campaign’s most vigorous volunteers and financial contributors, giving tens of millions of dollars to back Proposition 8, which Jones said has helped awaken and unite the gay rights movement in all 50 states.
Like many faiths, Mormons hold traditional marriage as a sacred institution. The church has been active in fighting marriage equality legislation across the U.S. since the 1990s and, in 2006, joined other faiths in asking Congress for a marriage amendment to the Constitution.
Gay marriage is legal in six states. A handful of others allow civil unions for same-sex couples and about 40 either bar the recognition of same-sex marriage or have explicitly defined marriage – through legislation or constitutional amendments – as between a man and a woman.
Jones was a protege of Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay elected official, who was shot and killed by a fellow member of the Board of Supervisors in 1978. In the mid-80s Jones founded the NAMES Project, the AIDS memorial quilt that recognizes the more than 80,000 Americans who have died from HIV/AIDS.
In an interview Friday, he said a confluence of events – a new president, the success of the movie “Milk” and Proposition 8 – makes this the right time to intensify the fight for equality.
Since November, Jones said he has received hundreds of e-mails from Latter-day Saints who apologized and said they were uncomfortable or ashamed by the faith’s fight against Proposition 8.
“It’s unfortunate that a church and a people who experienced persecution in the past could not come to some accommodation that would allow them to maintain their faith without so vociferously seeking to deny other people their rights,” Jones said.
Is there a website of the organizers of this march? I’d be interested in more information.
Go for it Cleve, my husband and I will be there.
Until Gays are liberated and granted all Human and Civil Rights, our Rainbow Flag should be flown at half-mast, as an expression of the shame this country ’should’ feel.
Nancy Panaro
June 8, 2009
Until Gays are liberated and granted all Human and Civil Rights, our Rainbow Flag should be flown at half-mask, as an expression of the shame this country ’should’ feel.
Nancy Panaro
June 8, 2009
I get that a national, unified event ought to take place, but I’d like to see some alternative ideas. Not that a march is beneath us or anything, it’s just that I think our movement will have a greater impact if we move in ways that are more unique to our style. I don’t have any ideas yet, but I’m the exceptionally un-stylish gay man, who depends on the stylishness of others.
Where should I sign in to march to Washigton…
Most representatives aren’t in DC on the weekends anyway, so no matter what weekend you have the march, the reps won’t be there. The march is a great idea. For those of us without large bank accounts, there are plenty of hotels in the suburbs of DC that do not charge three figure costs for one night. In fact, many hotels in the area are actually cheaper on the weekends due to the business that goes on during the week. Getting together and sharing costs is another idea. Let’s see, wasn’t the recession going on when the inauguration was going on, but people were hell bent on getting here one way or another. Maybe the LGBT community should learn a lesson from the spirit of that event.
Would this march be any different than the one 20 years ago where those in power simply hid rather than deal with us?
Way to go Cleve!!! We will see you in DC!!
There definately should be some kind of networking to get the word out. Everyone should be well aware of this march far enough in advance to make arrangements to attend. In this day and age of technology there has to be a way to unite everyone and do it in an orderly manner.
I agree, this is way overdue. I will be there to support and encourage fellow family members of this movement.
Well, while I’m all for a march in support of gay rights (I’m gay, of course) I certainly hope that the organizers ALL go through the proper channels insofar as gaining ALL the necessary permits, etc. OTHERWISE, I can ASSURE you that the Washington D.C. POLICE will, without a second thought, haul every single person marching right to JAIL.
I’ll be there, even if I have to walk from Florida. Even if we don’t get the equality we deserve, we will at least show America, the public, and the news that we are sick of being discriminated against. It’s all in the numbers of people who show up. I’m on a fixed income, but if I have to, I’ll borrow it from someone, and catch a bus. Numbers is what we need, and people need to take “us”, seriously for once.
AWESOME! One of the ways gays will see change is through our own visibility.
But my big complaint with the LGBTQ community is that we don’t commmunicate well with eachother. Every person who considers themselves a part of this community should be well aware of this march LONG before october, but it usually doesnt happen like that.
Usually when theres a protest, or an event, theres plenty of people saying after it happened “I wish I would have known about this sooner, and I would have participated.”
ADVERTISE, ADVERTISE, ADVERTISE!!! Shout out about this march from the mountain tops so that we have a huge turn out. We know there’s strength in numbers, so tell EVERYONE you know, and plan to go NOW, I know Ill be there!
Poorly planned from the start on a weekend with three other permits – when Congress is NOT even in session.
Come on Cleve – pass the torch dude. We all want to go , but want to go on a weekend with maximum effect. Your planning from the very start was way off buddy.