Comments on: Hundreds march in Philly national gay rights rally

By: Patti

Patti — Wed, 06 May 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Wow, I’m very involved in LGBT activism, I’m “plugged in” on LGBT happenings and issues locally & nationwide, I’m on all of the mailing lists (& I read the emails), I donate money, I’m about as saturated in the fight for LGBT equality as a good LGBTer can be. Yet I too knew nothing — not a peep, anywhere — about this “natonal” march in Philly. No wonder only “hundreds” showed up. Too bad it was not publicized, even apparently within the local Philly area.

On another note, there IS a 50-state protest effort underway (one march/rally per state) slated for June 28, 2009, the 40h anniversary of the Stonewall riots … the “Million Gay March 2009″ to happen simultaneously in all 50 states. Check out GrassrootsEqualityNetwork.com for info on the protest in your state.

By: Gerry Fisher

Gerry Fisher — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:27:41 +0000

“What if they threw a rally and no one showed up?”

Nice of them to tell us all about this “national” rally…I didn’t hear about it until it happened. It must have been organized by the same folks who ran the save-gay-marriage campaign in CA. (DOH!)

By: Rick Wolfe

Rick Wolfe — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:36:03 +0000

the band that played was the Philadelphia
Freedom Band. A member band of the Lesbian and Gay Band association (LGBA)
The same organization that marched at the inauguration.
If you know anyone in the Philadelphia area that would like to join or support the band the website is:

http://www.philadelphiafreedomband.com

I think it was great that people did get out in the chilly rain for this event.

By: equalnotspecial

equalnotspecial — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:39:52 +0000

Stonewall was a milestone, but hardly the birth of the gay equal rights movement. The first public organization was shut down by the police in 1924. The next emergence was in 1950. The Compton Cafeteria riots led to Stonewall. It is disrespectful to those who faced arrest and severe persecution to not acknowledge the hard work that led up to
Stonewall.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:14:13 +0000

Sure the turnout was lousy and the organizing disorganized…so what else in new? You know what? It still matters that some hundreds bothered to march in a heavy rainstorm instead of sitting at home watching Blu-ray or blogging. Besides, Stonewall wasn’t exactly a crowd and look at what followed. We should not become overly discouraged because the momentum continues to build for our side and our enemies are such blathering idiots.

By: james walsh

james walsh — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:33:44 +0000

I wish this would have been a national protest in all 50 states. GLBT people need to come together and put together a protest across all 50 states and not within a month or two. but a really great hard working protest that would excite the communitites to be involve.

By: Marc

Marc — Mon, 04 May 2009 21:30:44 +0000

Although the event was poorly planned, the rain was terrible, and definately impacted the turn out.

Regardless, it was demoralizing. Malcolm Lazin needs to be ousted as a gay rights figure in Philadelphia. He estimated nearly 40,000 would show up, and I doubt it even broke 1,000.

It’s time for new leadership in Philadelphia and else where. We need tech savvy people who are willing to step up and start fighting.

If you live in or near Philly and think the same way, drop me an email at phillyfightsback@yahoo.com

By: Johannes

Johannes — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:06:58 +0000

So this was the first “national” rally since 2001 and HUNDREDS showed up? Uh-hmm. I wouldn’t exactly call a rally most of us never heard about or didn’t hear about until two days before and that was held in a city and state that is not currently at the center of any major gay right developments and whose attendants numbered in the hundreds “national.”

By: LOrion

LOrion — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:01:23 +0000

KEEP TELLING THE STORIES AND SHOWING THE PICS: When Americans see families they change their minds.
“Bryan Berchok, of Upper Bucks County, Pa., listened to the speeches as he held his 4-year-old adoptive son, Shawn, whose face was painted to resemble the black mask of Spider-Man’s evil alter ego. He and his partner of 15 years, John Ferraro, said it was difficult and expensive to try to get the same rights afforded to married couples.

“We worry how things would work out if one of us was not able to care for Shawn,” Berchok said. “It’s just a little scary.””