Today is the 30th anniversary of the assassinations of Harvey Milk and George Mascone. We wouldn't be where were are now if not for Harvey Milks life or his martyrdom. Who would we be if there had never been a Harvey Milk?
The boys and i are gonna go see the movie tonight at the Castro Theater. I hope to see you there.
Same-sex couples in Connecticut expect to begin marrying today after a court hearing which begins in about an hour.
Conn_2"Superior Court Judge Jonathan Silbert has scheduled a hearing at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday in New Haven to enter the final judgment in the case that allows same-sex marriages in Connecticut. Once the hearing ends, couples can pick up marriage license forms at town and city clerk's offices. It's unclear how many couples will get married. The state public health department says 2,032 civil union licenses were issued in Connecticut between October 2005 and July 2008. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a civil union law. Only Connecticut and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage. The unions were legal in California until voters narrowly passed a ban last week. At least three lawsuits ask that state's Supreme Court to overturn the vote."
In last week's election, voters rejected a proposed Constitutional Convention that might have amended the state's constitution to banish marriage equality.
Last night I went to the People's Premire of Gus Van Sant's 'Milk' movie and i can only begin to describe how moving, how INSPIRING it is.
There is an eerie resonance between to events of the movie and the recent events of gay history, as if they are Bizaro World reflections of one another. Except this time our movement lacked organization. This time our movement had no leadership.
But this time our movement has allies.
I was touched to come home last night to find that two political commentators, both of whom i respect greatly, had made statements of support and solidarity with the cause of LGBT rights. The first, and the one i'm sure will garner the most attention, was Kieth Olbermann's:
Mr. Olbermann, Thank You! Your powerful words and the clear passion with which you spoke them have earned you my eternal respect and gratitude.
The second pundit to show solidarity with the Gay Movement was Benjamin Wachs from the SF Weekly. Mr. Wachs implores us not to start a 'holy war,' He says that their are clear paths to victory and the all involve 'outreach.' And i agree. Outreach to the black and latino communities, exposing them to our humanity, is the only way we can get Prop 8. reversed.
But it is not enough. For too long the agents of hate have sallied forth from whitewashed walls and brick steeples to do violence to our community. For too long have have these hate-mongers clothed themselves in self-righteousness as they stood on pulpits and behind podiums preaching to their flocks that MY PEOPLE are monsters, are MOLESTERS! PERVERTS undeserving of the samebasicrights and considerations as everybody else.
Fuck that. I'm not going to turn the other cheek anymore. We need to stop playing defence with our own rights and lives. We need to take the fight to the enemy. To every priest and pastor and two-bit politician that would whip his congregation into a frenzy by pointing out the gay boogieman lurking in every school and on every street, i say that we will not take it anymore. We will fight you. We will expose you for what you are. WE WILL DEFEND OUR SELVES.
Tonight a massive rally marched in protest from Silver Lake to Hollywood and Highland in what the localnewschannels are calling the biggest protest yet.
From Towleroad: A petition drive has begun to the IRS to strip the Mormon church of its tax exempt status:
"Section 501(c)(3) describes corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literacy, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in section (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office."
As i type these words Pollo Del Mar is leading a traffic blocking rally at 18th and Castro. I have to admit that I was a little bit crushed that Prop. 8 passed. I've been angry for days. But seeing everybody gathered together, the fire in their eyes, the passion in their voices...
