Thousands of gay rights supporters marched from the White House to the Capitol in Washington yesterday, hoping to bring attention to President Obama’s promises to allow gays to serve openly in the military and work to end discrimination against them. But are they making a difference?
Rainbow flags, colorful outfits and hairdos, and hand held homemade signs lined Pennsylvania Ave. yesterday as the revelers chanted “Hey, Obama, let mama marry mama” and “We’re out, we’re proud, we won’t back down.” The march on Washington comes just as the District of Columbia is considering a law to allow gay marriages, and one day after President Obama spoke at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, considered America’s largest civil rights organization for LGBT equality. Once again vowing to end the military’s antiquated “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, the president spoke to a receptive crowd of cheering gay rights supporters saying “I stand here with you.” He continued “We should not be punishing patriotic Americans who have stepped forward to serve the country… We should be celebrating their willingness to step forward and show such courage.”
Will this be the year for gay rights and gay equality?
Barney Frank is the #1 gay in Washinton and even he said that march was a waste of time. Get a life!
I'll admit, before watching the "Equality" Rally on CSPAN yesterday, I too was thinking "what a waste." But watching/listening to the general theme:"Every American should expect Equal Rights under the law and the Constitution regardless of age, race/ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status or sexual orientation"…and having to acknowledge to myself that the long struggle of the LGBT community to gain those same Rights_NOT "Special" Rights_afforded to us all made me rethink the matter.In short: In that instant, my mind was CHANGED…so the March/Rally was indeed NOT a waste.
To people who feel that LGBT rights aren't a Civil Rights issue:"Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.We have a lot more work to do in our common struggle against bigotry and discrimination. I say 'common struggle' because I believe very strongly that all forms of bigotry and discrimination are equally wrong and should be opposed by right-thinking Americans everywhere. Freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation is surely a fundamental human right in any great democracy, as much as freedom from racial, religious, gender or ethnic discrimination.I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people. But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people."– Coretta Scott King
if u wanna be gay…. go be gay. but what good is a march gonna do?