- This photo appears to show openly gay Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., talking to the activists — including Mark Reed of Dallas, far left — outside the committee hearing after the disruption. (Courtesy of Chastity Kirven)
Activists from GetEQUAL interrupted a House committee hearing this morning to demand a markup of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The activists approached Chairman George Miller, D-California, and attempted to hand him a magic marker.
“I don’t know if it’s because of the recession that you guys you can’t afford markers, or whatever the issue is, but in our community there are people being fired because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.”
Miller refused to take the marker but told the activists that the committee plans to consider ENDA soon.
“We’re working on it as expeditiously as we can,” Miller said.
Another unidentified committee member could be heard voicing opposition to ENDA.
“This is the problem with this. There’s no end to it. You’re never going to satisfy them all,” the unidentified lawmaker said.
The audio on a live stream of the committee hearing then cut out for a few seconds. When it returned, Miller explained to the audience that the disruption was related to ENDA.
“It’s not an easy piece of legislation,” Miller said. “It’s a really complicated piece of legislation. We want to get it right, but we expect to have it before this committee in the very near future.”
Mark Reed of Dallas, one of the activists who disrupted the committee hearing, sent me a text message saying he’d been detained but not arrested. Reed said openly gay committee member Jared Polis, D-Colorado, came out to talk to the activists following the disruption.
Openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., has said previously that he expected a markup of ENDA “this week or next.”
You can watch video of the disruption by going here and rewinding to the start of the meeting. After the jump, a full press release from GetEQUAL.
- Dallas’ Mark Reed, far right, is shown along with the other five activists who disrupted the committee hearing this morning. Reed said he was detained for an hour afterward but not arrested.
GetEQUAL disrupts Congressional hearing to demand action on Employment Non-Discrimination Act
WASHINGTON – Carrying markers for each member of the House Education and Labor Committee, GetEQUAL, a new lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights and activist organization, co-founder Robin McGehee, Mark Reed, Kelsey Phipps, Natasha Dillon, Alan Bounville, Sergio Llanos and Ali Lozano interrupted the beginning of the Committee hearing today on Capitol Hill to demand that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) be marked up and sent to the House floor for a vote immediately. The GetEQUAL activists held up signs reading “GetEqual Pass ENDA” in the middle of the hearing, effectively stopping the proceedings for several minutes. Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) escorted the activists out of the committee hearing room and then the Capitol Hill Police immediately detained all seven activists.
“Every day that ENDA is not passed is another day when someone in our community will be fired, especially transgender individuals and those living in states that have struck down employment protections,” said Mark Reed, a member of GetEQUAL and one of the activists involved in today’s protest. “We are determined to continue fighting for this bill and intend to use non-violent civil disobedience and people powered actions to bring attention to the injustice.”
In reaction to the protest, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Rep. George Miller (D-CA) responded, “It’s not an easy piece of legislation,” Rep. George Miller (D-CA) said. “It’s a really complicated piece of legislation. We want to get it right, but we expect to have it before this committee in the very near future.” “We’re working on it as expeditiously as we can,” Rep. Miller said.
“We have been chasing Representative Miller since the end of last year,” said Robin McGehee, co-founder of GetEQUAL. “Today we finally had the opportunity to confront him and tell him we are tired of the delays and the empty promises.”
According to the Dallas Voice, an unidentified committee member could be heard voicing opposition to ENDA. “This is the problem with this. There’s no end to it. You’re never going to satisfy them all,” the lawmaker said.
“The unidentified lawmaker is correct,” McGehee continued, “we’re not going to be satisfied until the Democratic Congress keeps its promises to the LGBT community. And we’re going to keep coming back until they do.”
ENDA has been stuck in the House Committee on Education and Labor, chaired by Rep. Miller, since last year even though Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) promised it would come to a vote by the end of 2009. In December, the Committee postponed a mark-up of the bill. More recently Frank, Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) and Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) all claim it is a high priority and they have the votes to pass it.
On March 18 of this year, GetEQUAL activists staged simultaneous sit-ins in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco and Washington, D.C. offices demanding she show leadership in bringing ENDA to the House floor for a vote. Ten activists were arrested and four were later arraigned in the District of Columbia Superior Court.
GetEQUAL was also responsible for yesterday’s and last month’s protests at the White House, where Lt. Dan Choi and other LGBT vets handcuffed themselves to the White House gates to protest the President’s inaction on his promise to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) this year.
The remark by the unnamed lawmaker, “This is the problem with this. There’s no end to it. You’re never going to satisfy them all.”
THEM? So we are not American Citizens just another THEM to that guy?
We don’t need attention, we need support.
This publicity stunt (and the others) don’t create any support for our effort to obtain equality. They only damage our collective efforts.
GetEqual believes irritation gets rewarded, it does not.
Romanticizing the idea of being an “Activist” might create attention for a few misfits, but it doesn’t add any support for our movement. It is, at best, self serving.
Andrew, history quite plainly says you’re wrong. There’s a place for lobbying, and disruption, in the fight for civil rights, as evidenced by past victories going all the way back to the 50s.
I am curious Andrew what are you doing to add support to the movement?
Hardy,
I’m imagining a nice article from you in the next edition of the Voice! 😉
Everyone please disregard AndrewW…he is a regular on the anti-direct action circuit. He makes the rounds to every blog and finally made it back to Instant Tea. WE’VE MISSED YOU!!!!
These idiots brought the Committee Chairman a “marker because he couldn’t afford one.” ENDA was ALREADY scheduled for mark-up. They have markers, they need VOTES. ENDA has been languishing for 36 years in the US Congress. We need SUPPORT, not ATTENTION.
These stunts are intended to raise money (donations) so that “activism” can be a profession. by the same people who object to HRC and others “making a living off of our struggle.”
It’s easy to complain and engage in childish publicity stunts. It takes some work to actually figure out how to win or at least be effective.
GetEqual isn’t changing any minds or creating any support for our community. Their goal is to tell everyone we’re unhappy. Everyone already knows.
Tisha,
You can do better than asking your activist-wannabees to avoid THINKING.
If embarrassing our friends and allies is EFFECTIVE, please provide some evidence.
This was another completely unnecessary STUNT intended to raise money for GetEqual. Thankfully, people are smart enough to see how silly these actions are.
Here we go again, the same old argument about what works better, “direct action” or lobbying. Let’s just suppose for a minute that groups like HRC and Lambda Legal did not exist. Do you think we would have full equality by now if we relied solely on “direct action”? My guess would be no. Gay, Inc, as the major players have been dubbed, have advanced equality by leaps and bounds compared to what publicity stunts and countless rallies would have accomplished.
Neither pure direct action activism nor pure behind the scenes lobbying alone will win us equality. Neither form of activism can be effective without the other. Direct action won’t get anything but attention, without lobbying coming along behind to take advantage of the fact that people have started hearing about an issue. And lobbying won’t work without the direct action people in the streets, making people pay attention.
By default we pursue two tired and ineffective strategies: Lobbying and complaining.
We can do better.
When we elected “Hope” that was what we got. I know of no examples of threatening “Hope” in order to guarantee progress.
Politics is what it is. In order to succeed we need to garner support from friends, neighbors, co-workers and even strangers. We need to take our case for full equality to the PEOPLE.
Our Movement has defaulted into lobbying or complaining – neither of those activities encourage or inspire support.
If we are to rely on politics we need to enroll constituents. We need to put our time, money and energy into convincing people that equality is a basic human principle. Research indicates that if we frame the conversation in that manner – without bitching or demanding, but instead asking for help, two-thirds of our fellow citizens will support us.
We’re not doing that. Until we do, we’ll keep repeating history. We’ll keep being disappointed with politicians. We’ll keep making demands that are increasingly unpopular. We’ll keep losing.
Our movement needs to be based on winning instead of fighting.
Tammy, I totally agree and that’s why I work both ends. I believe the combo can be extremely effective.
AndrewW, we’ve done this dance before so I’m gonna bow out this time. I’ll continue bitching and complaining and you can continue pleading and whining for equality.
Tisha,
I am not pleading and whining, but you have accurately defined GetEqual – “bitching and complaining.”
Besides a 3-year old getting their way – please tell me how your self-described “bitching and whining” helps us?
The treatment of Chairman Miller and Rep. Jared Polis (both friends) by these GetEqual clowns was pathetic. Watch the video. It’s beyond embarrassing – it is disgusting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuZMlViCA_M&feature=player_embedded
Andrew, you still have not answered my question. What have you down to support the movement besides sitting at your desk and pointing out what everyone else is doing.
Look@us:
I’ve spent a lot of money and i have conducted more than 50 meetings across the country (including 7 in Dallas) seeking ANSWERS. I am not going to seek publicity as a self-proclaimed “activist” and I’m not going to start another ineffective LGBT non-profit.
I am going to figure out to actually WIN and get this struggle over with and I am going to finance it.
What about you?
The people in Dallas should explore Mark Reed’s association with GetEqual. I met Mark once and his biggest concern about the LGBT Movement were the “salaries.” I’m not sure why he made a fool of himself at the Committee Hearing, but maybe he does. Perhaps he could tell us.
GetEqual is another bunch of self-proclaimed “activists” that cannot and will not provide any evidence or rationale for their childish antics. The LGBT Community is now embracing accountability for all tactics, methods, strategies and organizations. GetEqual needs to make some sense of their childish publicity stunts or go away. Pissing on our friends is NOT an effective strategy. Although they are free to try to convince or persuade us.
Tell us GetEqual, what’s your strategy?
Andrew, you’ve conducted meetings? Tell us about them. Private meetings between two people can be as valuable as meetings between small or large groups as big demonstrations or small acts of civil disobedience.
Mark’s role in GetEQUAL is very clear. He’s one of the organizers and funders of the group. He has participated at every level. Their strategy is also clear. Hold Congress’ feet to the fire. They’re tired of lip service. Keep ENDA and DADT in the news until ENDA is passed and DADT is repealed.
“Hold Congress feet to the fire?”
A few misfits interrupting a meeting doesn’t inspire congress to do anything.
Our situation has gotten WORSE since they launched these childish publicity stunts. Maybe you or Mark Reed can explain how pissing on the President, Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Miller and Rep. Polis is HELPFUL in any way. They are our friends.
Just like Barney Frank said “these stunts are immature, tacky and stupid.” They don’t do anything to further our movement. We don’t need attention, we need support.
I suppose GetEqual is now planning on pissing on Barney Frank. Or will it be even worse because of his honest comments at your antics.
Andrew: You asked me who he was and what their strategy is. I answered. I did not comment on whether it is effective or not, other than to say it was part of the entire spectrum.
I asked you to talk about the meetings you claim to have held. No answer?