There are rumblings of folks calling for another March on Washington. From JMG
This week we're beginning to see the rumblings of a call for another March On Washington. Could the lightening of 1993 strike again? Or would we see another scandal-ridden fiasco like the 2000 Millienium March? Would it be remotely possible to organize and conduct another March without the overlords of the Human Rights Campaign? Should we? How would we marshall our new and eager army of young queers? These kids are champing at the bit for a shot at their own Stonewall, their own Queer Nation. The LGBT world of the 21st century is larger, younger, and I think, smarter. I would love to watch.
If you don't remember, 2000's "Millenial March on Washington" was a fucking fiasco. HRC's power play in organizing that event made for a political nightmare, with the fallout continuing for years to follow (see herefor an overview of the criticisms, which include racism, exclusionary, top-down organizing methods, and financial mismanagement).
After the HRC fallout from ENDA (just Google "transgender HRC ENDA" to find out what that was all about, or see my post on the debate here), I don't think HRC is well poised to organize a cohesive LGBT national event. Talking to folks around the country, I hear a lot of resentment towards HRC after the debacle, and thus I think any national march organized by them would be a complete and utter disaster.
That said, I think there is a great energy to tap into after Prop 8 failed in California to really mobilize collectively around this issue. I think that queers that are suspicious of marriage for its tendency to privilege certain kinds of relationships over others I think have largely come to realize the symbolic and economic important of this victory, and aren't as stridently opposed to organizing for it any longer. I could be wrong there -- but that's my read on the situation. So I think we're at a moment that an inclusive, grassroots March effort could be successful.
But everyone's gotta be at the table, and that means that HRC can't hijack the effort.
The thousands of people that have come to the protests here in L.A. definitely represent a wide spectrum of queers who may or may not care about marriage per se. As you say, Trevor, I think Prop 8 has struck a cord with queers generally about the basic injustice of banning our relationships from state recognition. But also it's woken people up to the shocking homophobia that persists, even in live-and-let-live Cali.
Instead of a national march on D.C., I'd like to see a coordinated march on state capitals. It'd cost less for people to get to our respective capitals and might make a powerful statement that we demand our equality in every corner of this country. Damn it!
Hmm very interesting! The only potential problem I could see with individual state marches is that there are many states without the necessary infrastructure to effectively organize something on that scale. Or at least that's my perception. But perhaps the anger that many folks feel in reaction to Prop 8 and the other amendments would eclipse the need for organizational / institutional support...
I think it wouldn't matter if Jackson, Mississippi has 200 people and Sacramento, CA has 200,000 ... every state can organize at least a few hundred and that way we are decentralized and avoid the problems that plague marches on Washington. Having 50 marches makes this a local story in every state but ties it to a national story. I think we need to promote this idea! Facebook would be a great way to spread the word. What do you all think?
Wherever it is, I'll be there.
We need something that will heal our movement and represent to the country that we are a united voice against homophobia. To me, this can only happen with a March on Washington. As it is the responsibility of the federal government to protect the rights of minorities that states threaten, we need to take our concerns to Washington.
The Passage of Prop 8 was terrible, but it has offered us a clear vision that there is a national movement against us. The LDS Church, the Defense Alliance, etc...these are supra-state organizations ready to pour money into any place where LGBT rights are considered.
The HRC may have had the power in 2000 to undermine the movement, but we now have a greater, more palpable enemy in this national movement, and we need to mobilize ourselves against it.
It is already happening.
JointheImpact.com
Shockingly, this is not my website... but word is getting round and Cincinnati is participating.