MILK

Gay, straight, black, white. See MILK tonight! Or tomorrow, or the day after, or whenever, just go see it.

MILK's bitter sweet relevance allows it to become more than an Oscar worthy film. It transcends the biopic trappings in part because of a great writing, directing and acting. But more so, because the historical parallels to modern day are just plain eerie. California found itself engrossed in a Gay Rights battle thirty years ago in the form of a numbered proposition put to popular vote. Sound familiar?

Only then the gay community had a leader in the form of a displaced New York Jew finally standing for something in his forties. Now we have no Milk. Only then California's majority voted to sustain the rights of its minorities. Now we don't have that. Only then we had hope of things getting better. Now, do we have that?

I hope so. And Milk gave me that hope. Both the man and the movie.

Bust

"Sacramento or bust?" was my battle cry Monday. Now it is simply, bust. The joys of be a struggling aspiring writer with not so stellar health insurance. One doctor's bill later and my plans for protest have been to put to rest. So unfortunately I will be sidelined for this one. I hope those with the means to attend will do just that. As for me I will be here in LA writing away. Hopefully, making this mean an end to my own personal struggle with my wallet. Why again did I decide to start over and go for my dreams? Because now it's kind of a nightmare.

So this is a very interesting post and it goes along with what I first started saying on here.

http://www.queerty.com/do-our-gay-leaders-have-to-go-20081117/

I totally agree. We need new leadership. The current lobby group is bloated and boring. Time to shake things up. And in that effort the movement continues and we protest. Who was at a rally Saturday? You know the big one happening at City Hall in 300 cities in all 50 states and 10 countries world-wide (cited -www.jointheimpact.com). Hopefully, you were. There are few excuses that fly for not attending. It was the big one on scale of national visibility.

I attend the one here in the heart of the action - Los Angeles. It was amazing. I want to give great thanks to both the Los Angeles metro rail (for the free rides given to everyone!) and L.A.P.D.(for organization and understanding). What saddens me though is that news outlets are under reporting the turn out of many a march. CNN said 12,000 came together in downtown L.A. Saturday. Try more like 25,000. That is a huge error in counting. And we are showing up to count. To count as people. To count as first class citizens. To count for something. So I hope this does not become a trend. I want people to know the GLBT community is serious. We will give up brunch and body sculpting to fight for our rights. Right?

www.jointheimpact.com

From Street to Strategy

Freedom
Action
Inclusion
Rights

This is a group spawned by the question, what next? Check it out.

www.justFAIR.us

The rest is still unwritten.

Hey gang,

I'm feeling loads better. And seeing as only the lovely Scott cared to play in the previous post it is back to me to do the writing. Please look to the clip above if you have not done so. It is a a pretty heated battle of words from both sides of the Prop 8 debate. Clearly, you know where I stand. "On the right side of history" as Dan Savage would declare.

Yes, the buzz phrase that has taken hold of the American lexicon since a black man won the White House. Being one that loves a way with words I find this turn so intriguing. It immediately justifies those that agree with you on such a broad spectrum they could never turn back. Likewise when "on the wrong side of history" you instantly become a monster of such ill repute history must deem it so.

And though I love a crushing blow just as mush as the next argumentative S.O.B., this one has got to go. It is far to soon to unleash the future of the human tale on someone, right? I mean it hasn't even happened yet! So for the purpose of preserving the sanctity of impact. Please give history its back.

Then again it doesn't take a fortune teller to know equality is right. ;)

All for one cause

This goes out to the friends and readers of this blog.

I want to hear what everyone currently thinks of the state of California and Prop 8. For instance how does it affect you? Do you see this as the genesis of a new Gay Rights Movement? How do you see this changing the national scene? It must since there are nationwide protests, right? Really whatever you are thinking or feeling right now, I want to hear it. Please write it in the comments section. It would be great to get a sense of living history.

Thanks.

'Til Saturday

Hey gang,

Still sick here. I have strep throat. Resting up for the protest at City Hall downtown on Saturday at 10:30am. Hope to see you there. In my current state of sickly haze I can't properly form a thought for this site. So I'll let the LA Times do it for me.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/californias-gay.html

Now let's hear your slogans! I saw some great signs in Silverlake this past weekend. Mine was, "let freedom have 2 rings." What's yours?

Update

Hello all. I will make this brief. I'm fighting some dreaded sickness that comes complete with sore throat, body aches, congestion, and I'm just guessing here - a fever.

But I wanted to take a moment to say what a success Saturday was in Silverlake. The protest drew an estimated 12,000 people (according to the LA Fox news affiliate). This is amazing. And I will say I saw straight allies marching along with the GLBTs. Also a good celeb contingent cared to come out. So thank you - Wanda Sykes, James Franco, Drew Berrymore, and Alec Mapa. I'm sure there were more, but those are who I'm aware of.

There will be more protests to come. So if you missed it, join us next time. There will be a big one this Saturday at City Hall in downtown LA. It's at 10:30am. I think it will be a good one. Please join!

List of EQ CA gatherings

I'm glad they are stepping up. Here is a good foot forward.

http://www.eqca.org/site/apps/cd/month.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=4028667

A friend of the law

This is from my friend Scott, a very successful and capable legal mind here in LA. He has this to say about the current campaign against Prop 8.

As far as my legal take, it is really disgusting/troubling that civil rights are being put to a POPULAR VOTE. If desegregation had been put to a popular vote in Alabama in the 1950s, which way would things have come out? A long-recognized role of courts is to take a counter-majoritarian role if necessary and protect minorities from widely held prejudices or passions. It's one thing to amend the Constitution to require chicken coops to be bigger....quite another to strip human beings of civil liberties that the state supreme court has ruled are rightfully theirs. The Constitution should not be so easy to amend. That said, I am not sure I want to see this overturned in the courts. That may just turn more people against us. I think we have to regroup, work really hard in the next 4 years or more to change hearts and minds, and have another go at it. It's frustrating to wait but the next time it gets on the ballot we need to be confident we can win.

I'm coming out!

Hey gang,

So on the agenda are many more protests. People have been wondering, what's the point? And I think I've got the answer. It's our coming out party. And like the coming out process we start with those closest to us and work our way out. I see this to be the geographical plan thus far. We began in West Hollywood - home. Next is Silverlake. Some ask, why not Pasadena? I would ask the same. But now I kind of get why Silverlake. The residential make up is very gay, but more so gay friendly. The young hipsters that inhabit this section of Los Angeles are with us I believe in spirit. Now we need to get them to step out with us, be a part of our physical numbers. We need to grow the movement. The gay population, being a minority has only so many people to march. So I ask that every GLBT person attending a protest bring a straight ally. We need everyone that believes in equal rights to use their voice at this time in our US History. Hopefully like hate, love too can be contagious.

Go!

Emergency Protest & Rally - ALL OUT!

Time and Place Date: Saturday, November 8, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Sunset Junction
Street: Corner of Sunset Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd
City/Town: Los Angeles, CA


All progressive people who stand for equality and against discrimination should come out this Saturday in Los Angeles to protest the passage of California' Proposition 8. The well-funded right-wing campaign of bigotry is trying to push millions of LGBT people back into the closet. We can't let this happen. Everyone should have the right to marry. The LGBT movement and its allies won same-sex marriage rights and only a militant movement will ultimately prevail. Gay or straight, documented or undocumented; Black, Latino, Asian, Arab or white— Prop. 8 is a slap in the face of equality for everyone. Let's unite and fight back! An injury to one is an injury to all!

Anita Laugh

Briefs

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/06/hostin.qanda/index.html

This is some interesting intel on the legality of the current Prop 8 situation. Looks like whatever happens it's going to be a process. What can we do as laymen to speed it along?

This is good.....

http://www.invalidateprop8.org/

In the meantime....

Sign this!

http://www.petitiononline.com/seg5130/petition-sign.html

Another Day...

So much to say, let's dive in. Thank you, “fagtasia” for your comment in the previous post. Being a resident of Los Angeles County where the vote was split 50/50and essentially losing the measure for the gay community, I feel fully qualified to identify some key factors and problems with the outcome. As for your statement of not doing enough I completely agree. I did not do enough. I don't think any of us did. And that is the problem.

And that harsh reality has hit the community. Finally, galvanizing what once was an apathetic affluent minority. We now realize that we are indeed marginalized, and that neither money nor the law will save us. So what is the next course of action?

One was the rally in the heart of West Hollywood last night. I attended, wanting to see what would be said about the past and the future. There was definitely a feeling amongst the crowd I had not felt before. It was far from the boozey elation felt during Pride, because the feeling was not pride. It was anger! And I for one am happy to see this. We have been such a passive group. We attempt to fight illogical rational with reason and to buy equality through legality. I truly believe we must change the minds of the majority, for any laws to pass and furthermore be enforced.

Now bear with me on this tangent. What got the ball rolling for the Civil Rights movement was an image seen by America, on their television sets, of a high pressure water hose battering a small girl in the South. Once people saw the injustice in a physical, palpable form they began to change. Empathy took hold. We have no empathy from the opposition, obviously. But there is little from the undecided and slight supporters. I say this as they are my family, my friends, and my co-workers. The ones that are not gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (amendment: I should have also said full on straight "allies" as well, to counterpoint my previous terminolgy of "slight") - never quite get it. And I feel this is perhaps where the community’s efforts should be focused. We have to make them see us as lacking in some way. But how can we do this with a black tie gala?

So in light of this I am glad with what happened after the rally in West Hollywood. Because while I feel the gathering in on our own backyard was comforting, it did nothing to sway outsiders. This is where the march through Hollywood became amazing. The news outlets call it an act of civil disobedience. Well thank God. We have been civil and obedient until now. What has that done for us?

So I guess my call to action is for everyone that sees this to start brainstorming. Let’s come up with something new, because the old regime is not working. Post, blog, rant, rave. We can overcome!

http://www.insidesocal.com/outinhollywood/

http://flamingpolitics.com/2008/11/06/developing-los-angeles-police-department-attacks-prop-8-protesters/

Because we should all have a voice.

Hello readers,

One of my friends read the below post "Wrong on Rights", not knowing it was by me, Jason Coffey. I feel we should all be heard, therefore I want you to hear him. This was his response.

The statement below could not be more wrong! (of course the person that wrote it does not have his/her name listed) They should check their facts first. Did the author volunteer to work in Pasadena or the Inland Empire? I did!!!!! And hundreds of others did!!!

I wonder how exactly the author thinks we raise the money to air those ads. Those cocktails parties raised a LOT of money. Ads aired on almost ALL networks and shows that are watched by a large cross section of voters. The ones on the 'gay' channels were targeted to make sure the GLBT vote knew to vote NO and not YES. MANY voters were confused by it.

To respond to my dear friend. Yes, I did volunteer. I also applaud the efforts of everyone that volunteered. It's like I support the troops, just not the Bush administration sending them to war. Get it? And this is how I feel with the current leadership of the GLBT Community. For instance, can you name the current leader of this movement? Could you spot him/her in a crowd? Good luck. Our leadership is faceless as is the cause. And this was the issue I was getting at prior. Our last true symbol was Matthew Shepard. Surely we, like the African-American community has Obama, need a positive strong communicator leading us. Not a martyred memory. I say that with all due respect to the victims of hate.

Also in terms of the advertising effort put forth by EQ CA, it was abysmal. I say this with a degree in Advertising and 6 years spent working in the field. What should have been done, was to come out guns blazing with a real statement. Show separate drinking fountains, then draw the parallel for voters. Not make some contrived and confused ad with a woman tripped at the alter. They finished off in this vein, but by the 11th hour - too little, too late. And why not use Samuel L. Jackson's face along with his a voice? An endorsement from an African American in a tv spot would have been ideal. Yet again we squandered a face.

This is wherein all the issues come back. We have become afraid to identify ourselves. This is old but true, from Milk:

"...Come out to your parents, I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth! Come out to your friends, if they indeed are your friends. Come out to your neighbors, to your fellow workers. Once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake..."

Wrong about rights!

Hello Americans,

I finally have a reason to write. First, let me congratulate President-Elect Barack Obama. You showed America prejudice can be put to the side given the right message and mediums. That of hope and change. And I cling to these talking points this morning. Because while I smile for a new direction that this country has taken as a whole, I weep for the state I live in. A state of sadness. The state of California.

Though the bell has not tolled, I can hear the first bitter chimes of defeat. California voted YES on Prop 8. Also known as, "proposition hate". And there will be many theories floated around as to why. One being the overwhelming turnout of African-American and Latino voters for Obama who also believe in "traditional" marriage. While this may be in part the reason I feel the true nature of this loss comes from the gay community itself.

This is because "we" did not do everything. While we campaigned near the polls in West Hollywood, we left Pasadena untouched. While we threw vodka parties to raise money, we left doorways in the Inland Empire empty. While we ran spots on Bravo, we neglected time on TNT. While we compared equality to a wedding gone wrong, we forgot the precedent of the civil rights movement set by Dr. Martin Luther King. Separate is never equal.

I for one am not happy on the back of the bus or drinking from a separate fountain. If California Equality had nailed home these comparisons we might have won. But we forgot to fight. When did this happen? Was it the day Milk died? Was it the day ACT UP leaders lost their lives to AIDS? Was it when we found new power in disposable income and lost sight of old campaign ways? I am saddened by where the Gay Movement currently stands. It is stagnant if not backsliding.

I feel the only way to move forward is to follow Barack Obama's words of change. We must change our ideology as outsiders and align our struggle with of other minority groups. We did this in the seventies following the lead of the sexual revolution, Civil Rights and the Woman's Movement. Then of course AIDS killed lives and the hope of equality. But this too must change. We must move forward. So I ask every member of the GLBT community to step outside your gay ghetto and rainbow bubble. Because the fight is not within, but without. And for this reason we must change.