(Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images North America)Human Rights activist Cleve Jones speaks during the Broadway cast of
"Hair" Be-In news conference to promote marriage equality.
July 13th, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
Some local, state activists criticize ‘self-indulgent’ event
Aug 07, 2009 | By: Chris Johnson The Washington Blade
Organizers are solidifying plans for a LGBT march on Washington, despite objections from some in the movement who are criticizing the timing and insisting it is diverting resources from other important tasks.
Longtime gay activist Cleve Jones, who called for the march during a Utah Pride event in June, said in an interview with the Blade July 31 that the steering committee for the National Equality March has been assigning responsibilities, negotiating with authorities and increasing outreach to straight allies.
Jones, a protégé of gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk, said the march comes at a critical time.
“I think that clearly an historic window of opportunity has opened to us,” he said. “I believe that if we push very hard right now, we can win full equality and soon, very soon.”
Jones said he still sees the march, set for the weekend of Oct. 10, as a grassroots movement and that organizers are “absolutely committed to doing it with as little money as possible.” Activists have raised about $150,000 for the event, Jones said, adding he doesn’t think much more money will be necessary.
The goal of the march, according to the organizers’ web site, is to achieve “equal protection in all matters governed by civil law,” including the passage of federal legislation such as a hate crimes bill and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Jones said he envisions the event as beginning with lobbying in each of the 435 congressional districts throughout the country followed by a gathering in D.C. He noted that he had no estimate as to how many people would participate, but he’s “confident” that people from all 435 districts will participate.
Not all LGBT activists are fully supportive of the march. Some activists working to achieve rights advances at the local level have been particularly critical.
Steven Goldstein, chair of New Jersey’s Garden State Equality, said he has a “mixed” view of the march and called it “a pain in the tuchus for those of us at the state and local level.”
“It’s a good concept that has needed way more lead time,” he said. “For those of us at the state and local level, it’s a potential diversion of time and resources.”
Goldstein said New Jersey is within reach of legalizing same-sex marriage and that that must remain the goal for activists in his state — not organizing for a national march.
“Many of us are not thrilled with the event,” Goldstein said. “On the other hand, if the zeitgeist develops where the event gets enough traction, of course, we’re not just going to sit back and do nothing. ... The ideal is to find a medium where the march on Washington is relevant to state and local action.”
Rick Rosendall, vice president of D.C.’s Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, said dedicating community resources to a march on Washington “doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“I think this event they’re organizing for October is very self-indulgent on the part of the people that are doing it, like Cleve Jones,” Rosendall said. “I think it’s a sign of a fundamental lack of political seriousness that they think that all they need to do is have a rally.”
Rosendall said GLAA has no plans to contribute to the march and that he’s busy preparing for a battle over legalizing same-sex marriage in D.C.
But Jones disputed suggestions that the limited amount of resources available within the LGBT community could be better spent elsewhere.
“There’s this notion among some people that there is a finite amount of money and a finite number of volunteer hours and a finite number of people that are available at any given time,” he said. “The purpose of a movement is to grow. A movement that does not grow dies. We must constantly work to expand that base of support.”
Jones noted that among the activists who are criticizing the march are bloggers calling for another ballot measure to restore same-sex marriage to California in 2010, which he said would cost tens of millions of dollars.
“I think it’s a very worthwhile investment to put a couple hundred grand into a concerted effort for national equality,” he said. “So I reject that argument completely.”
While the heads of some local groups are voicing objections, Jones said national LGBT organizations have been “very helpful” in putting together the march.
Longtime gay activist Cleve Jones, who called for the march during a Utah Pride event in June, said in an interview with the Blade July 31 that the steering committee for the National Equality March has been assigning responsibilities, negotiating with authorities and increasing outreach to straight allies.
Jones, a protégé of gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk, said the march comes at a critical time.
“I think that clearly an historic window of opportunity has opened to us,” he said. “I believe that if we push very hard right now, we can win full equality and soon, very soon.”
Jones said he still sees the march, set for the weekend of Oct. 10, as a grassroots movement and that organizers are “absolutely committed to doing it with as little money as possible.” Activists have raised about $150,000 for the event, Jones said, adding he doesn’t think much more money will be necessary.
The goal of the march, according to the organizers’ web site, is to achieve “equal protection in all matters governed by civil law,” including the passage of federal legislation such as a hate crimes bill and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, as well as repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Jones said he envisions the event as beginning with lobbying in each of the 435 congressional districts throughout the country followed by a gathering in D.C. He noted that he had no estimate as to how many people would participate, but he’s “confident” that people from all 435 districts will participate.
Not all LGBT activists are fully supportive of the march. Some activists working to achieve rights advances at the local level have been particularly critical.
Steven Goldstein, chair of New Jersey’s Garden State Equality, said he has a “mixed” view of the march and called it “a pain in the tuchus for those of us at the state and local level.”
“It’s a good concept that has needed way more lead time,” he said. “For those of us at the state and local level, it’s a potential diversion of time and resources.”
Goldstein said New Jersey is within reach of legalizing same-sex marriage and that that must remain the goal for activists in his state — not organizing for a national march.
“Many of us are not thrilled with the event,” Goldstein said. “On the other hand, if the zeitgeist develops where the event gets enough traction, of course, we’re not just going to sit back and do nothing. ... The ideal is to find a medium where the march on Washington is relevant to state and local action.”
Rick Rosendall, vice president of D.C.’s Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, said dedicating community resources to a march on Washington “doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
“I think this event they’re organizing for October is very self-indulgent on the part of the people that are doing it, like Cleve Jones,” Rosendall said. “I think it’s a sign of a fundamental lack of political seriousness that they think that all they need to do is have a rally.”
Rosendall said GLAA has no plans to contribute to the march and that he’s busy preparing for a battle over legalizing same-sex marriage in D.C.
But Jones disputed suggestions that the limited amount of resources available within the LGBT community could be better spent elsewhere.
“There’s this notion among some people that there is a finite amount of money and a finite number of volunteer hours and a finite number of people that are available at any given time,” he said. “The purpose of a movement is to grow. A movement that does not grow dies. We must constantly work to expand that base of support.”
Jones noted that among the activists who are criticizing the march are bloggers calling for another ballot measure to restore same-sex marriage to California in 2010, which he said would cost tens of millions of dollars.
“I think it’s a very worthwhile investment to put a couple hundred grand into a concerted effort for national equality,” he said. “So I reject that argument completely.”
While the heads of some local groups are voicing objections, Jones said national LGBT organizations have been “very helpful” in putting together the march.
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