About 75 people gathered outside the Galleria Dallas on Saturday evening at a candlelight vigil for marriage equality organized by JoinTheImpact.com. Partcipants lined the north side of Alpha Road east of the Dallas North Tollway. There were no signs with the exception of two large JoinTheImpact.com banners. A few people wore T-shirts saying, “2nd-class citizen” or had patches embroidered to their chests saying, “When do I get to vote on your marriage?” Here are a few more photos:
Just as I thought. People driving by would have absolutely no idea why those poor freezing people are all lined up holding candles, because there are no signs, other than a website address. Did Etta think heterosexuals in Dallas would have any idea what “Jointheimpact.com” was?? Hahaha. What an utterly ridiculous waste of time. When I told Etta I was going to make a couple signs for the event, to let people know why we were standing there, she freaked out in front of several people on Cedar Springs, told everyone she was going to cancel the whole event, then later claimed to have called off the press (how do you do that, exactly?) because she was worried Blake and I would bring signs. And this was even after I agreed (Michael is my witness) not to bring any signs. I didn’t show up at all. I wasn’t going to stand around in the cold with a candle in one hand and my thumb up my ass, while passersby wondered why the hell all those people are holding candles by the street. Stupid.
I’m proud of everyone who showed up to that event, and I think it’s wonderful that they were all willing to stand out in the cold to get a message out, but Etta’s thoughtless “leadership” wasted everyone’s time. Well I suppose we can hope one or two heterosexuals went home and looked up http://www.jointheimpact.com, (since that was the only sign) but I’m not holding my breath. Etta wouldn’t even listen to common sense. I can’t wait for the new leader of JTI Dallas. Etta has admittedly never lead any protests before the City Hall event, yet she refused to listen to seasoned, experienced activists who have led and been involved in countless candlelight vigils and protests for years. She “allowed” people to decorate a t-shirt, but besides the fact that drivers can’t read t-shirts from the street, who the hell is going to wear a t-shirt in the freezing cold? One might think it was a simple oversight on Etta’s part, but it wasn’t! Blake and I told her these things, and she still refused to listen to “a couple of twenty-something-year-olds.” (She loves to mention our age when dismissing our ideas and reasoning.) Obviously, the t-shirt in the cold idea was as ridiculous as the no-sign idea. I have never been to a candlelight vigil where the leader refused to allow any signs.
The circumstances for which Etta is stepping down are very tragic, (You are loved, Etta. I’m prayin’ for you, gurl) but her departure will not be a bad thing for JTI Dallas. Etta would have likely ruined the Dallas chapter altogether with her horrible, horrible leadership. God bless ya, Etta. Don’t let that door hit ya, gurl.
Gabe, I think you make a good point. Kudos to the 75 or so people that went out to the Galleria. They were individuals who felt frustrated with the current state of things and felt that getting out into the streets would be a way to improve matters. Unfortunately the organizers of this event only added to these people’s frustration by silencing their voice once again. I wonder how many of those at this no-sign silent vigil thought that it was productive. My guess would be that after a couple hours in the cold without spreading a pro-Gay message to anyone outside of the event itself a good number of people began to wonder what they were doing there.
Fortunately, Queer Liberaction is organizing events where people can be as loud and as visible as possible. At the National Day of Protest against DOMA, QL will send the message that Obama has got to repeal DOMA. This will take place on Saturday, January 10 at 11:30 am behind the Records Building located at 501 Main St. Having strong messages is important and people generally recognize this. Unfortunately, many current “leaders” in the Queer community would like us to get together with a message not unlike “DOMA is bad”. That is obviously understood but politically accomplishes little. This is what happened at the national demonstration against Prop 8 here in Dallas on Nov 15, no real message. Apparently the message was “to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in California”. Again, obvious, but with no political message. We might actually be more prepared to confront similar issues in the future if the reasons for our failures are talked about and not brushed under the carpet.
In advance, I apologize for anyone having to read either of these posts on this page and regret Mr. Coppinger’s poor choice to attack me here and the need for my reply.
Gabe, why are you taking away from something that was done in an effort to keep the conversations alive in our community, and to introduce ourselves into a new section of town with the spirit of the holidays? Your time in attacking me would be better suited as directed towards gaining signatures for legisation that we need to change the laws in Texas and nationally. Your time would be better spent educating communities outside our own in the issues and gaining supporters.
But Gabe, is this an example of how *you* would build support outside our community?
I am seriously tired of defending myself against you and Blake. My comments in my exit letter were clarifications in direct response to internet posts by you and Blake, and conversations held on December 18th. The statements were not an attack as above… So now, with gloves removed…
Your “promise” while you were drunk held no weight with me after I repeatedly told you this was per the instructions of the event– NO PROTEST SIGNS. Please remember that this event was not my design– I did not personally come up with the idea nor did I issue directives for the entire country to come together again. Your attacks (and yes, the above is yet just another example) of what you claim is my personal bad taste in selection is more properly directed at the people who actually wrote out the event to begin with. Again, I will say it was not me–but I was willing to carry out the request as designed!
I would like to add, my “horrible” leadership has still gained more attendance than either of your events to date combined. Also of note, 2 of your 3 next events also coattail JTI’s events that have been posted now for almost 2 months.
Since you yourself have repeatedly told me that media is the most important reason for having an event — that too leaves your events trailing. So pony-up all this ‘big bad talk’ and get to actually doing something constructive for our community instead of sitting behind a computer screen and bashing someone who DID do something while you warmed your ass by the fire.
For the record, while it is true I was not an LGBT activist prior to November, I have been very involved in political events, their organization and an active board member of several national groups for almost 20 years now. So please stop trying to discredit my involvement just because you are counting spending endless time and energy in attacking me as “activism” in the name of the LGBT community. C’mon now. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
I will say this to you as well– Now, in light of this consistent barrage of crap you enjoy flinging in my direction like a monkey in a zoo when someone passes by because otherwise no one would pay attention to you, can you please put a diaper on and keep the shit to yourself and get back to what we ALL want accomplished— winning our rights?