Renewed Determination

UPDATED: AmericaBlog has a piece on a boycott concept that ought to be utilized in my view. The details can be found here. Given the size of the LGBT community's purchasing power, its a $800 billion bat to hit them back with.

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After having a mini-pity party yesterday, I am resolved to get up and continue my small part in the battle for full gay equality under the law. This Saturday will be a first step as the fundraising dinner I am co-chairing takes place with a sold out crowd of over 250 people, new mainstream sponsors - including two major local law firms - and a Congressman and Congressman elect attending. The proceeds will go to fund the efforts for gaining more legal rights for LGBT Virginians.

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The other thing that all of us can do to the maximum extent possible is live our lives "out and proud" - be who you are and apologize to no one. The guy's shirt in the photo at left sums up my attitude (click on it for a larger view). The more of us who live openly as who we are, the sooner the stereotypes utilized by our enemies will fall apart. Would that more professionals and celebrities would come out and dispel the lies told about us.

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On other fronts, I would love to see an organized boycott of Utah and all Mormon owned businesses by gays and our allies (e.g., avoid ski resorts in Utah and let them know why they are being boycotted). There should be a severe cost levied against those who disproportionately funded the attacks against gay equality. Likewise, someone needs to have a real "come to Jesus" with black leaders about anti-gay discrimination within the black community being unacceptable. I worked election day in a majority black precinct to protect black voters and my pay back was that their counterparts in California put Proposition 8 over the top. Why would I ever want to volunteer my time again for that cause? Anti-gay actions must have negative consequences.

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The other good news for the long term is that the Christo-fascist GOP may be killing itself for a generation as 63% the under 29 voter demographic voted a straight Democrat ticket in most instances. This is the same demographic that voted overwhelming FOR gay marriage. Time IS on our side as older homophobic bigots die off and a new generation replaces them at the polls. Since this group also increasingly views Christianity negatively (thanks in large part to evangelicals), there will be a increasing cost to the GOP in embracing the haters of the far right.