In California, spontaneous protests over the passage of Prop 8 continue to swell. Now there's talk of a national protest, though whether this amounts to anything remains to be seen. This is starting to look important.
I share some of Dale Carpenter's reservations about the optics of protesting against churches. But I wonder, hopefully, whether we're seeing a gay political awakening on the gay-marriage front.
For one reason, I'm so very, very tired of hearing from our opponents that gay folks don't really care much about marriage anyway. For another, the civil-rights era in the marriage struggle is ending.
The civil-rights model tried to separate marriage from the political process, because we didn't have nearly enough straight support to win. That left our opponents with the political field to themselves while we busied ourselves in the courts. Not any more. We now have enough straight allies to win, long-term, in the political arena.
To judge from the protests, that's where we'll be going. Goodbye Thurgood Marshall, hello Martin Luther King. Goodbye Lambda Legal, hello ACT-UP. Sure, more love, less anger than in the AIDS days. But the protests, provided they are peaceful and don't turn hateful or anti-religious, point the way forward.
A friend in California writes:
The battle now is purely one in the culture. Against every instinct of our framers, we now have to fight for our rights (or this one, at least) in the political arena itself. That means the protests are the leading edge now, not the courts.
If more gay people in California and elsewhere draw that lesson from Prop 8, our loss won't have been in vain.
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Sorry guys..I just can’t get my undies in a knot over gay “marriage”. Most of my friends are left of center Democrats and NOT OF THEM have trouble sleeping with another man’s wife or someones else boyfriend. But my G_d mention you don’t give a rip about gay marriage and they look at you like you are a Nazi….go figure. Sick of their whining, but mostly of their hypocrisy.
“OK, tell me again–why does anyone think a nationwide protest is going to help?”
—It worked for the blacks. Why wouldn’t it work for the gays?
“To be honest, I think a nationwise protest carries greater risks than rewards:”
—What is there to lose now? Sure, some might accuse gays of being “sore losers,” but at this point does it really matter?
Hi!
Sorry to interrupt your blog, but I’m quite desperat to get some information about the coming protests. I’m at hollyday in SF for a while, and want to participate, to support the NO on ban!
Could someone please tell me where the protests will take place?
Thanks!
@tourist:
The San Francisco “Join the Impact” rally is Sat Nov 15, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM PST, at San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place. See http://protest8sf.wordpress.com/ and http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/page/San+Francisco for information.
See http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/ for links to protests in every one of the 50 United States, and 10 other countries.
Make some noise, everyone!
—What is there to lose now? Sure, some might accuse gays of being “sore losers,” but at this point does it really matter?
I was thinking mainly of that ugly scene of people ripping out a cross from an old lady’s hands and stomping on it. I’m very frightened about that. The blacks had (and still have) a lot more discipline.
So it’s either miss out on the best opportunity to make our voices heard, or make a fool of ourselves because we are not yet ready to protest responsibly.
However this is pretty important and I am not going to take responsibility for the actions of those other idiots. We really can’t leave this only to the radicals, and from reading that JoinTheImpact site, they’re progressive (progressives do get a lot of things done) but they sound responsible and definitely not like radicals.
Blacks had Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. We have Lance Bass and Rosie O’Donnell. Blacks had the churches marching with them. We stand outside churches and stamp on crosses. Are you starting to see why our protests aren’t working? This nationwide protest will just reinforce negative stereotypes. People will be more likely to vote against us. If you you choose to participate, tourist, you are working against those like me who want marriage. I ask you to make a positive stand and stay home. Thanks in advance.
Wow. I get called a tourist in my own city. I just feel so honored and specialed by the occassion.
“I was thinking mainly of that ugly scene of people ripping out a cross from an old lady’s hands and stomping on it. I’m very frightened about that. The blacks had (and still have) a lot more discipline.”
—Well, don’t forget that after MLK died, the blacks pretty much went crazy. Riots in all the major cities, black panthers, Malcom-X, Jeremiah Wrigt, etc. And inspite of the craziness, people today don’t say the n-word in front of a black person.
“So it’s either miss out on the best opportunity to make our voices heard, or make a fool of ourselves because we are not yet ready to protest responsibly.”
—I think it will be a learning experience. Sometimes you can’t afford to wait. What better way to show America that we give a damn about gay marriage by protesting the people who voted against gay marriage?
Setting up a protest about gay marriage and then using it as a means to hookup with that night’s partner while stomping on a cross doesn’t really say that the gay community is serious about marriage. There is nothing in these protests which suggest that gays are ready for the responsibility and maturity which comes from a lifelong, sexually exclusive relationship.
Setting up a protest about gay marriage and then using it as a means to hookup with that night’s partner while stomping on a cross doesn’t really say that the gay community is serious about marriage.
Ashpenaz, I personally do not think it’s a good idea for people to just hook up with strangers, gay or straight. And I certainly condemn those who stomp on someone’s cross, or any other personal article. I would agree that THOSE persons are not ready for marriage.
I went to a hockey game last night, and a couple of guys blurted out “homo” several times throughout the game, apparently also not caring whether children around them heard them. Oh, and all the straight people nearby refused to condemn these person’s behavior. So, according to your logic, all straights are not yet ready for marriage, and most certainly not ready for having children. By the way, this happens at most sporting events I attend. And opposite sex marriage is still legal. Go figure.
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