The Ghost of Bill Clinton

While we never ran into them among the huge throng at the National Equality March, my friend Wayne Besen and his partner Jamie (at left) - we last saw then in NYC in mid-September - were in Washington as well for the March. Not finding friends was a frequent situation I suspect given how huge the crowd turned out to be despite the grumblings of naysayers in advance of the March. Like me, Jamie is a relative newcomer to the gay activist world and Wayne's column at Truth Wins Out reinforces some of the views I expressed in prior posts on why the March was a success. Here are some highlights from Wayne's column:

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It was thrilling to participate in the National Equality March (NEM) in Washington on Sunday. The event, although smaller than in past years, achieved the desired goal of drawing the nation’s attention to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues. Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration were also put on notice that an anxiety-filled GLBT community demanded action, not just flowery words.

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While this was my third march, it was inspiring to see this event through the fresh eyes of Jamie, my partner. He is thirty years old and grew up in a small town in rural Nebraska (population 700). From his vantage point, the march was an extraordinarily life-affirming event. He shared the same look of awe and empowerment that was on the faces of the energetic youth in DC, who will one day become our leaders.

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The NEM occurred over the objections of Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), who said that the spectacle was a “waste of time.” If I were Frank, I’d be more concerned about not delivering on GLBT issues while the Democrats control Washington. This may cause disillusionment, leading some people to believe that voting is a “waste of time.”

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[W]e sometimes must supplement traditional politics with demonstrations, marches and moral persuasion in the media – anything to get America to listen to what we have to say. The march did achieve spotlighting our issues in a way that postcards to the White House never could.

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As expected, President Barack Obama’s soaring oratory delighted the sold out crowd at the Human Rights Campaign’s national dinner. . . . Unfortunately, when I woke up, as I told MSNBC, I was still a second-class citizen. We must continue to hold Obama accountable, but also, as the Washington Post editorial board says, pressure Congress to take action.

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Those preaching infinite patience must remember that 15 years have passed since the Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell debacle. Despite the raucous protests of bigots, most Americans are now mature enough to handle GLBT rights. My own activist philosophy is simple: Never pass up an opportunity to complement the Obama administration or Congress when they earn it. But, never give a pass to politicians who do not embrace full-equality.

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Wayne makes great points and I wish the boyfriend and I had been able to connect with Jamie and him. We truly cannot let up the pressure on Obama and the Congressional Democrats. For too long, HRC and similar groups have been to hesitant to demand real action.