"Politics of the possible"
Tuesday, September 1, my SO and I had a face to face meeting with our congresscritter, Rep. Zoe Lofgren.
I had emailed her office last week, asking to set up a meeting. They called me Monday, said she'd had cancellations, could I come the next afternoon for a ten minute meeting. Of course I said yes - I'm unemployed, and live a few blocks away, but even if I'd been working I would have taken time off.
Knowing full well that ten minutes just wouldn't be enough to cover all of the issues I was concerned with, I typed up a list - my own words, the real concerns I had.
At the top of that list was healthcare. Then came GLBT issues. Then economy and finance, and more.
We brought copies, one for us, one for Zoe, one for her aides.
Yes, she has to be diplomatic, she has to negotiate with the rest of the House. She declined to comment on my sentiment that Grassley and Baucus were a waste of space. I felt like she was trying not to chuckle.
But I also felt that she needed to hear from the little people - the working (or unemployed) person, the woman trying to start a small consulting business, the people paying the highest tax rates when working because they're gay, childfree renters without tax shelters.
If people like me are willing to fork over for singlepayer, or at least a strong public option, then the rest of the contry can give up a little for the assurance that they and their children will have healthcare regardless of their economic circumstance.
She agreed with me on the GLBT items, talked about trying to get some of the more strident religious folks to see how gay marriage really isn't a threat to their religious freedom.
She told me, she has to be diplomatic, but as an activist, I don't.
Activists and advocates don't need to put their positions in terms of compromise, and we shouldn't.
The right wing knows this, and is ready to fling shit.
We need to push, and hard. We need to let our congresspeople know what we need.
Believe me, Rep Lofgren will be seeing me again. I'll be keeping track, and there will be praise given or questions asked.
Your Reps work for you. Make the time to go see them. Write down your concerns, so they have stuff to take back to Washington with them.
So, for a while now I've been wanting to blog. I guess it would only be appropriate if I do so on a site that I love so very much. Barackobama.com. As an introduction to myself I am a; Mother, Wife, Sister, Friend, Poet, Novelist (soon to be published hopefully), Midwife-to-be, and all around Feminist! All while being able to leap any obstacle in a single bound. I AM SUPERWOMAN...less the cape blowing in the wind! I contribute greatly to my community, East Garfield Park in Chicago, especially to the women and their children who reside here. It is one of my great hopes that I will wake up to a better existence here in America. When that day arrives, we will owe it to the life altering seeds that we have collectively help to plant.
My partner and I have six children and we had to fight for proper education of those children in Chicago Public Schools. I am sure that every poor American has also had to endure this battle. To gain a better level of education and educational resources my children awake everyday at 5a.m. From there they are bused out of their community to receive that just education that their mommy and their forefathers fought to capture and retain.
In as much Certified Professional Midwifery care for women, which I know for a fact provides superior maternal, infant, and family unit support and medical care is a felony in the state of Illinois. Yet within most minority communities, especially the African American community, the infant mortality,maternal mortality, and cesarean rates are up. As a contras, adequate social and health care support is down. Imagine women going to jail and being fined for providing a safe haven for women and adequate medical support!
A just educational system and adquate health care is the fight I wake up with every morning. Yet, I will not be moved. As long as there is breath in me, and I know what is right; I will speak out, support President Obama, and work towards the betterment of my community, the American Community. Mercy,Charity,Justice, and dignity starts at home! What better time to be an activist and activate yourself into a culture of humanity.
Keesha
This is the content of the Whitehouse Civil Rights platform, as posted on January 21, 2009. Currently, on this site, which is a holdover of discussions before the election of November 4, these were not spelled out. They are now, and we will hold this Administration to answer for them.
Support for the LGBT Community
"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007
-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007
crossposted from: http://princesamwise.gaia.com/blog/2008/11/what_do_we_want_equality_when_do_we_want_it_now
(all pictures copyright to Samme S. Samareta)This is Samme blogging from Sacramento, capital of California at the Rally on Repeal Prop. 8, Marriage Equality March. Thousands of people, men, women, teens and children rallied peacefully around the Sacramento Capitol that started around 10:30 AM. This rally is also organized around cities large and small in America and around the globe who would like to show their support for love, equality and human rights. Proposition 8 won on the Nov. 4 election which bans same sex marriage and it fosters discrimination and hate not just for our gays and lesbians brothers and sisters but it is also a violation on people's basic human rights and constitutional rights. The fact that this peaceful rally is happening around the globe is a testament to love, positive change and oneness. Love will prevail and love will win. All of my photos from this rally are now uploaded at my Flickr account. Check out my Sacramento Marriage Equality Rally photos at Flickr by clicking here. Men, women, teens and children marched shouting, "What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!" Let us hope that Prop. 8 which is a proposition of H8 (hate) be repealed and overturned. Love and equality to all! Thank you, SammePassionately blogging for peace, love and equalityThe following photos are just a few of my selected ones that I uploaded to My Gaia Photos.It is not all of it, otherwise it will take time to load this page. : ) More Change Is Gonna Come!Kudos to the Street Team volunteers!!! Thank you!The Sacramento CapitolLET FREEDOM RING!LET THE LIGHT SHINE AND SPREAD LOVE ALL OVER THE LANDS!
We will see how this will turn out in the Obama administration.
Yet Another Glass Ceiling With Many Cracks...
I write this blog post in a moment of bittersweet victory. Having campaigned my heart out for Barack Obama over the last 3 months, I am overjoyed at our victory and feel that real change is finally coming to Washington and Main Street.
On election night, I partied in the street on the West side of Fort Lauderdale - a gay white boy surrounded by black people, most of whom were probably heterosexual. It could not have made a difference at the time, because we were all so optimistic and excited. The following morning was a different experience entirely... My friends and I were informed that Amendment 2 had passed and that not only would gay marriage now be outlawed but also civil unions and commonlaw marriages would be denied legal status.
So drops the other shoe.
The most disappointing part of the experience was the media coverage. Every news station was telling us that Black People were to blame... That all of the blacks who came out in droves to vote for Barack Obama had not listened to his supportive speeches and had voted specifically and willfully against my rights... The media maintained that Black people had not returned the "favor" of equality.
I'm not buying it. Here's something that the media is not telling us:
According to the same exit polls from CNN which indicate that Blacks voted for Prop 8 & Amendment 2 at higher percentages than whites, there is a key bit of information that needs to be explored - The total number of black voters for the anti-gay amendments is still not even 1/3 the total number of white, Evangelical voters who voted for the Amendments in the rural areas of the state... In fact, most black voters did not vote on Amendment 2 at all...
It is unfair, unreasonable and devisive for the mainstream media to pit blacks and gays against eachother at a time when we should all be celebrating eachother's diversity... As a white, gay male who supported and voted for Barack Obama with all my energy, I can honestly say that I have not experienced the slightest amount of homophobia from anyone in the Campaign For Change. I have never really felt any exceptional homophobia from the Black community at large, either...
Furthermore, it was not black people who put this Amendment on the ballot in the first place. Once again, this hateful bit of legislation has been brought to you by those "true Americans" who live in the remote grassy knolls that you drive by on your way to better places.
I think it's time to stop blaming races and sexual orientations for problems which are largely brought to us by Republicans. That's the other missing statistic here... Those who voted for John McCain also voted 91% in favor of Amendment 2.
It's time for Black people and Gay people alike to stand up for ourselves and refuse to let Republicans and the mainstream media continue to assail us in the name of "divide and conquer"...
God Bless all of you who helped on this campaign and remember to keep your cool and love your neighbors... even the bigoted ones. We shall overcome.
Dear GLBT family,
Can you see the beautiful golden glow of the dawn of our community's first truly happy morning together, in celebration of our victory over centuries of lies, murder, oppression and inequalities against our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters by state and ecclessiastical authorities?
At first, I felt disappointment when it seemed that Barack hadn't clearly stated his committment to the restoration of the civil rights that gays and lesbians are guaranteed by our Constitution. But then, as I observed him, and then after he released his several clear messages to our community, I had hope for the first time in my life that my Sweetheart and I might be able to live together in the same country (in America) after Barack's elected president. My beloved Dzmitry lives a harsh existence in a small homophobic European country called Belarus. Discriminatory U.S. law doesn't recognize my family relationship with him, because we're of the same sex, so I cannot bring him here to live with me as I could easily do if I were heterosexual. I keep thinking about what President Lincoln did to end the disgraceful and embarrassing dehumanization of our black brothers and sisters. He set them free by executive order, justly reversing what probably hundreds of more years would not have done!
My discernment tells me that Barack Obama and Joe Biden have come at just the right time. They are the only two candidates who have specifically and clearly stated that they will use their influence to clear away the debris that is still denying us our Rights - barred by hateful crowds of religious fanatics who have infiltrated and hijacked our federal and state governments and are trampling us like we're filth! The GLBT community may be the key lever to alter America's course so that our country doesn't lapse into a modern Taliban-like theocracy that would be far worse for us. Have you listened to all of Barack's talks and speeches, read his book, and read between the lines of what he and Joe have been saying to us? I'm filled with so much hope, yet the happy expectation as I ponder the immensity of the opportunity before us, makes it difficult for me to receive the hope. But the sobering reality of another possible alternative future that could overtake our country instead of a future with Obama, causes me to get off my duff and do everything possible to get him and Joe elected. But the sobering reality of another possibIe alternative future that could overtake our country instead of a future with Obama, causes me to get off my duff and do everything possible to get him and Joe elected. We have two choices - two very different futures for America and for the GLBT community. Obama is a modern compassionate leader who shares our vision and who wants America to be a beacon of hope for all humanity.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden, with our support, will represent us, protect us, and reverse the damage that has been done to our community and country by both parties of the worn out old-world mentality. We can be certain of this, because we know who we are, and Barack and Joe have reached out to us, and we can get them elected. So we must work now, immediately to do everything to get them elected.
We're part of a new generation beginning a new millenium. We're stepping out of the old and embracing the new. We've left all the hate and division behind us. We know that we're all ONE! Our time has come. It is here now. The dark clouds are rolling away and the warm, happy sunshine of liberty and justice will rise from our Great Republic of America, from two compassionate, wonderful men who represent the best of our African and our European ancestors! All people is America need healing. We, the GLBT community MUST ACT and bring on the change! Go vote for Barack!
I love you all, and I love Barack and Joe for what they are doing for our country!
Madison Reed
Huntington, West Virginia
http://www.lotusopening.blogspot.com
Queers United stands firmly in support of Barack Obama for president because of his principles of fairness and equality for all citizens.
Barack Obama's Stance:
http://transpolitical.blogspot.com/2008/09/hrc-lcr-gop-not-glbt.html
reprint from TransPolitical blog: 9/9/08
“I don't know about the rest of you, but I am absolutely furious about this. Not only is this inequitable, it's fuckin dismissive and disrespectful.” — Steven Driscoll, National Stonewall Democrats Board Co-Chair
Can anybody tell me why HRC had such prominence with the Obama Campaign once Hillary was officially out of the race? They even proffered their own handpicked trans person, a relative unknown to the trans community itself that they brought onto the business council, to be the campaign’s transgender steering committee member. And this for what support they’ve shown?
As Andrew Sullivan noted at the time Hillary dropped out, HRC’s own board of directors had given to the following presidential candidates’ campaigns:
“Well I'll be damned, here comes your ghost again.But that's not unusualIt's just that the moon is full and you happened to callAnd here I sit, hand on the telephone,Hearing a voice I'd known a couple of light years agoHeading straight for a fall” — Diamonds And Rust, Joan Baez
“They were fast-moving opportunists encased in cynicism and proud of it.” — journalist, Jay Carr
For some reason, it seemed like a lot was going on while we were convened in Texas’ Democratic Convention last weekend. The economy tanked. Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign. And for trans supporters, Barack Obama held a conference call with the LGBT community. (No, I don’t get invitations to those things … I just volunteer on the campaign, organize, get others involved in volunteering and win a delegate slot to Denver instead. That’s plenty on the plate, I reckon.)
The Obama Campaign LGBT conference call focused on bringing in (of all people) HRC leaders, as in Human Rights Campaign or Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters – however you want to slice it. Indeed during the conference call, there was apparently some issue with the HRC (the group) focus and how “99% of the issues voiced” were gay or lesbian, while transgender was mostly never heard. For those in Trans America, we know we’re not Johnny-come-latelys and had long ago thrown our support to Obama (knowing Clinton’s gay/lesbian-only propensity).
Some of the trans participants in the conference call expressed surprise, hurt or “dismay” (as Donna Rose noted in her blog) at the focus of the subject matter due to HRC’s prominence in the call. For those who’ve been at this since the 90’s, especially old-line NTAC folk like me, having transgender being an equal part of something HRC-focused would’ve been the surprise. This opportunism and self-focus was classic HRC. If anything, how the conference call played out should serve to remind trans leaders that HRC is still HRC, and is still (as always) gay and lesbian. Period.
The differences were clear in the VP debate, as it relates to civil rights for GLBT people and their families.
Dear Fellow Americans,Just short time ago Sarah Palin 44, a social conservative, former union member and mother of five has been governor for two years joins the GOP presidential ticket as John McCain’s running mate. This is JUST what McCain needs--so he says. She is young, fresh, bright and attempts to paint McCain as the not so usual Washington puppet as we have ourselves done so in the past.But really now, what do we know about Palin?
Hi everyone,
I am posting here for the first time so thought I'd introduce myself. I am a blogger/podcaster/youtube video producer and I just got back from Denver. It was electric and I am fired up to do what I can to help Barack win. I've just signed up on this site, I plan to contact my election office Monday to see about being a poll watcher and I intend to be an active member in the GLBT Tennessee group here. I invite you to check out my regular blog (http://avalonfarmblog.wordpress.com) for posts from the DNC. I had a guest blogger in Denver: Marisa Richmond, Tennessee's first African-American transgender delegate. She posted daily from the convention floor at the Pepsi Center and Mile High Stadium. I was blogging from The Big Tent along with several hundred other bloggers. There were several exciting glbt events we covered including the HRC premier show with Melissa Ethridge, Cyndi Lauper and others. Cheers to all and let's go take our country back!
Peace & Love,
Val
Sensitivity Training: How To Talk To Hillary's Voters
My name is Jarrett. I am a life-long Democrat who campaigned and voted for Hillary Clinton in the highly contested swing state of Florida. Once again, Florida will decide the Presidential Election for the year 2008/09.
I have now switched my support to Barack Obama because his policies and outlook are far closer to my ideals than those of John McCain. The decision was easier for me than it will be for many Hillary voters because I am more familiar with the cut-throat nature of politics.
What I've noticed, since joining the Campaign for Change, is that many long-time Obama supporters don't really know how to effectively communicate with Hillary's supporters. Without further delay, I will explain the "do's and dont's" concerning the way we should solicit support from a Hillary Clinton voter like myself:
Remember H.I.L. (Humility, Interest, Love)
Humility - Hillary voters don't want to hear about you are the best and you beat them... They don't agree. We know that Hillary Clinton actually won the popular vote in swing states that will matter later on... If Obama supporters seem unaware of this inconvenient fact, they will appear foolish and egotistical to a Hillary supporter. The best thing you can say to a Hillary voter is "We REALLY need your vote/help in this election... We can only do it with support from motivated and knowledgeable folks like yourself."
Interest - Take a moment to hear what Hillary voters have to say and brace yourself... They might want to talk about how Hillary was railroaded by the media, about how sexism prevented her from winning, or about how she had the right idea concerning Universal Healthcare. You must NOT take these statements as a threat to the Obama campaign, but rather assume that these statements are a SUPPORT for the Democrats as a whole. Show the supporter that you agree with their concerns and that is why we need to stick together... Just remember that letting a Hillary voter do the talking will satisfy them - they want to educate YOU, not the other way around. The only thing they want to hear from you is that you are against Bush/McCain.
Love - Hillary solicited votes from Women, Young People, Gays and Lesbians and African Americans by speaking gently and lovingly about how much she cherishes each and every supporter. She speaks at great length about how amazing and inspiring each and every supporter is. You probably missed this if you were watching the mainstream media - but her supporters got wonderful HTML emails expressing gratitude and gifts and warm wishes. At her rallies, Hillary spent hours waving and smiling and shaking hands, and LISTENING to others. Quite frankly, this seems missing from the Campaign For Change because we are approaching crunch time. We need to always keep in mind that these are our neighbors, grandmothers, best friends, classmates and teachers. We have waited our whole lives to see a Female President of the United States of America and we are VERY concerned about Healthcare for our loved ones. Hillary voters WANT to support Barack Obama, but any percieved insult or indifference to Hillary as a person will steer them FAR away from that goal. Do not distract us with old arguments from the past. This is the NOW and we are all friends again.A good thing to say regarding this might be, "Gosh, it's really unfortunate that they wound up running against eachother in the primary because they are both such wonderful candidates."
Hillary voters MUST be reassured of the following things:
Thank you for taking the time to read this and please forward it to only your friends who are active in the campaign so we can continue to Ba-Rock the Vote together.
- Jarrett For Obama/Biden '08
I am a 66 year old gay man and originally supported Hillary to be our next president. I knew where Hillary stood on human rights and on GLBT issues. I did not know much about Barack at all, and until just recently was not at all certain where he stood on GLBT issues.
The more I learned about Barack, the more I watched and listened to Barack, the more I believed he was the right choice for our next president, --- yet I was still not sure where he stood on GLBT issues. I understand the challenges he is facing and the prejudice many have against him. I understand he doesn’t need more prejudice based doubts from his constituents by being “out” about supporting GLBT issues. Still I needed to KNOW if he was going to stand up for equal rights for me as a gay man. I also did not know how to answer all the questions I got from my friends who were either GLBT and or Hillary supporters.
All those doubts and questions have been put to rest by watching one video. Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council in New York City is very powerful and put all questions or doubts I may have had to rest.
I think it is a must see for any LGBT and or Hillary supporting persons to watch. This one video can have a major impact on any voter that may be temped to vote for McCain because of their personal disappointment about Hillary not getting the nomination.
The invitations are starting to come--in the mail AND by email. I don't know which ones to choose!
So far I'm going to the Unconventional Women Symposium, the Airplane Pilots party, and a panel discussion hosted by Chevy Chase. Next, I have to make sure I can get in to the Daily Show tapings.
I've downloaded 16 pages of convention related events and activities. They were published to compare to the lame Republicans events.
I really hope some group, like GLBT gets Kathy Griffin and Margaret Cho perform at a party. That would be amazing.
