- Chaz Kirven, right, was among the eight protesters who staged a sit-in Thursday in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s D.C. office, calling for passage of ENDA. Four, including Kirven, were arrested. (Photo e-mailed to Dallas Voice by Chaz Kirven)
Dallas activist C.D. (Chaz) Kirven was among the four activists arrested Thursday in Washington, D.C., when they staged a sit-in in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to demand passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit discrimination in employment against LGBT people.
The action in D.C. was part of a bi-coastal protest: Eight people participated in the sit-in at Pelosi’s D.C. office, and 11 more staged a sit-in in Pelosi’s offices in her home district in San Francisco. A total of ten people were arrested between the two protests.
Chaz sent me e-mails early this morning, after she was released from jail. She said her court date is set for April 6, and she and the other protesters need our support. She was also rallying support for Lt. Dan Choi, who had been discharged under the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Choi was arrested yesterday after chaining himself to the fence around the White House as part of a protest calling for the repeal of DADT.
We’re trying to get in touch with Chaz now and will have a more complete story online as soon as we can. But for now, read Kerry Eleveld’s report at Advocate.com.
This is just another “new” non-profit engaging in “old” nonsense. GetEqual needs to GetReal.
These publicity stunts are intended to generate donations, not progress for the LGBT Community. They got attention, but, they won’t get donations.
Many, like David Mixner, are simply attempting to make themselves viable by endorsing this ineffective behavior.
Yesterday’s childish publicity stunts did NOTHING to change any minds or garner any support for our community. They likely did just the opposite.
Mixner and some in his generation continue to mislead young people by filling them with old, tired ideas from a bygone era. Mixner asked GetEqual and Dan Choi to MAKE BELIEVE it was 1970 yesterday. He convinced them to ignore the simple reality that the world has changed and convinced them that irritating and even harassing people was a good idea.
We have enough attention for our struggle – confirmed by the fact that a 10 year old boy from Arkansas (yeah, ARKANSAS) refused to pledge allegiance until the LGBT community had equality. WE DON’T NEED ATTENTION, WE NEED RESULTS.
If Mixner wants to continue promoting this behavior and dishonestly suggest that it is effective, WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? Tell us HOW these childish stunts furthered our objectives. Because here’s a news bulletin: NOBODY cares if you are ANGRY or the half a dozen self-described activists are angry or upset.
The LGBT Community needs accountability – from HRC to ill-conceived publicity stunts to political efforts – and that includes stuck-in-the-60s “old-school” David Mixner. If you want to promote these activities, provide some EVIDENCE that they are effective, otherwise shut up and let these tired old ideas fade into the past where they belong – with your 8-track tapes, VW Buses and tied-dyed t-shirts.
Actually, the tactics used by activists yesterday go back a little further than the 60’s. I believe the same tactics were used in that unsuccessful movement called the Black Civil Rights Movement of the 50’s. I agree, making noise and holding our government accountable did nothing for the advancement of African Americans. Silly activists!
… and you are doing something else to make change happen in our lifetime?
Tisha: Provide some EVIDENCE that these publicity stunts have furthered our cause. They are designed to create attention so that yet another non-profit GetEqual can raise money. Examples from 50-60 years ago are not relevant today. Different time, different issues. Tell us how yesterdays stunts made a positive impact.
Dante: Demonstrating that we’re angry, frustrated and upset doesn’t create change.
On a strictly personal level, I don’t always agree with the way in which some direct-action groups choose to protest. But I am so very glad to see so many young people — from Get Equal to North Texas’ own Queer Liberaction and Equality March Texas — who care enough to DO SOMETHING! Getting involved is the first step in making change happen. AndrewW, even if you don’t agree with their methods all the time, surely you give them credit for their passion, for caring enough to try.
And yes, protests like these are about getting attention. But until we get the attention of people in power, those people won’t be motivated to respond.
Tammye: We have EVERYONE’S attention. Who doesn’t know about our struggle? A 10-year old in Arkansas (of all places) refused to pledge allegiance to the flag until “gays and lesbians had their rights.” A 10 year old! The people KNOW.
I agree that it is wonderful to see young people getting involved. But, it’s unfortunate to give them “old” tools. We want everyone to “try” and participate, but we keep encouraging them to bang their heads against a brick wall, suggesting that “eventually” we will prevail. That isn’t true. They end up MORE discouraged and they stop participating.
Less than 10% of our community does anything to help achieve our equality. The primary reason is they see how ineffective our ideas and strategies are. Plus, many have been sent down a path of useless endeavors like “direct action” or “political action.”
Until we collectively decide to hold every idea, tactic, strategy and organization ACCOUNTABLE, we will continue to create our own defeat.
Finally, the people in “power” know all about us. They use us. They know our struggle. Yesterday we slapped one of them, a supporter, in the face – Nancy Pelosi. What could we possibly have expected would come form that? Did she really need to be slapped? She slapped us back by saying “we don’t have the votes.” She also said (correctly) it was OUR fault and even asked (nicely) what are you doing about THAT? We DON’T have the votes. Demonstrating how upset we are didn’t create even a single vote change. It only made us more controversial. It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t productive.
GetEqual is more of the same. “Get Smart” is what’s missing. We have the most talented, creative and gifted community in the World. WE can do better – much better.
I appreciate your comment and hope young people continue to participate. I’m just not willing to sacrifice them with old, tried-and-untrue ideas of a bygone era.
@Andrew…I would suggest that you join GetEqual’s facebook page and read the comments of people who have been keeping up with yesterday’s protests. These are not angry, misguided youth. These people had lost hope in ANYTHING being done in DC and felt that established LGBT organizations did not represent them. Yeah no legislation was amended. It looks like business as usual in Washington but there is now a new activist born and willing to now make the EFFORT to fight for equality. We need more soldiers not more critics.
Tisha: I’m sure everyone who participated believes or wants to believe it was effective. That isn’t evidence. If we are going to embrace accountability, we need to make honest assessments of every action.
If publicity stunts actually did advance our cause, we’d be able to enroll many people in that effort. But, we know they are not effective. We judge how effective something is by what it accomplishes. Tammye was correct in pointing out that these actions only produce attention. We need to determine if that attention actually accomplishes anything. For these events I do not believe it does. People know our plight. We need to focus on getting people to JOIN us, not simply NOTICE us. To that end, getting attention doesn’t add to our ranks of supporters.
In order for us to succeed we must create a majority that supports our full equality. We must outnumber those that believe we are less-than-equal. In order to accomplish that we need ideas to enroll people to stand with us. That is something that is absent in our movement.
Get these “soldiers” to figure out how to do that. My calls for accountability are not intended to criticize any individual efforts, but to encourage each of us to determine whether or not any tactic or strategy is actually working. Just because they are endorsed or make us feel good, doesn’t mean they are effective.
Andrew, please provide some specific ideas you have – if you have any. You’re long on criticism and short on solutions. “Create a majority” is even more vague than the old ideas you deride. HOW do we “create a majority”?
You obvioulsy care about the issue. Now let’s see some REAL IDEAS and not more of the same naysaying.
bckm, new ideas are coming. “Create a majority” means getting people to stand with us for equality. But, the first step for our community is to embrace accountability. Any and every idea. tactic, strategy and organization must be held accountable. If people really believe these publicity stunts were helpful – tell us how.
Until we have the honesty to objectively analyze our tactics we will continue to defeat ourselves. The community is split over the effectiveness of HRC and lobbying. At the same time (and after +$550 million to HRC) nobody has provided any evidence that is has worked. The same people who have lead these publicity stunts have repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of HRC.
They are fair and necessary questions. They need to be answered before we can create a real, sustainable and successful movement.
Wow Andrew. I have not read the full email chain. I stopped when you quoted Dante, after telling people to stop referring to things that happened 50-60 years ago as ineffective.
I beg you to go back and look at your argument, as you simply miss the point. You ask for the PROOF and you need to look around at the world and understand that the human spirit is immeasurable. It is a will of the people for equal rights. If I was to come into work on Monday and 8 people were sitting in my office asking to be heard about an issue….I have a multitude of options…from kick them out…to have them arrested to placate to listen. I can dismiss and belittle. But simply those people have brought my attention to the issue. I may hate them, but in front of me, for 10 minutes, until the building security removes them and I can get back to my “real” work…I have been told that someone strongly believes in something I don’t. Does it open the door or shut one…who really knows in that specific instance. But does it open a door for others…..YES!
You have to understand the amazing blending of all of these voices being heard. Activists who use harsh tactics, exploitive, etc…open the doors for well dressed, well-funded and well received people who push through a softer version that may give way to real change. (I.E look at ACT UP and the follow up organizations that allowed gay men dying from HIV to be acknowledged..)
The ability to create a full movement, a family means everyone is heard. And if your family is anything like my family, we are massively individual people but united around the common idea in family—brotherhood and sisterhood, and that is showing respect to each other no matter how we disagree. But ultimately, putting forth something that will move us ahead in the end.
P.S.===You should connect with Phil Attey, as you are certainly Hitting the Repetitive Common defensive argument in protecting other institutions who feel threatened, and are picking enemies.
Steven,
I have suggested accountability. That shouldn’t be something we rush to dismiss. It isn’t okay to simply believe that “enough of everything” will finally lead to our full equality. Every tactic or strategy should be analyzed and they should be able to prove their value.
Attey said: “Congress needs to be moved on this issue and that people across the country have the power to do that. And if they’re going to get them to yell and scream at the president, we’re going to fail, we’re going to lose.”
I agree with his simple observation that we need the Congress and “the people” need to accomplish that. That’s why we need people to join us. THAT should be the GOAL.
The problem with direct action – which has been summarized by GetEqual on their website as “demanding,” isn’t going to add support for our movement. People don’t respond to demands without a viable threat.
What THREAT does GetEqual have? Volume? What are the consequences when LGBT demands are not met? If we are ignored, as has been the case for decades, what’s next? Violence? When Blacks had “non-violent” marches in the 60s thousands of them carried baseball bats. The “picture” was threatening. Our country at the time was terrified about more riots and violence. That was a THREAT. What’s our threat?
That is the big problem with GetEqual and its predecessors, EqualityAcrossAmerica, JoinTheImpact, EqualityNetowrk and on and on and on. To simply have a strategy of “making demands” or irritating people isn’t really helpful. In fact, most of the country sees protest and public displays of anger and frustration as counterproductive.
Demands without threats are like opinions without solutions – they may garner some attention, but they don’t provide any results.
I appreciate you “family” analogy. But, I speak up when family members harm the family. We all hold each other accountable. Our movement deserve the same care.