Co-chairs say that next year, they plan to take event, message to a more mainstream area
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| Shown from the balcony of J.R.’s at Cedar Springs Road and Throckmorton Street, police say the march drew between 1,200 and 1,400 people. JOHN WRIGHT/Dallas Voice |
Now that they’ve proven they can rally the troops in Oak Lawn, the two co-chairs of the Million Gay March said this week they plan to move the event outside Dallas’ gayborhood in 2010.
Daniel Cates and Latisha McDaniel also both said they intend to remain co-chairs of the event, which they hope will become a yearly commemoration of the anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.
This year’s inaugural March, on Sunday, June 28, marked the 40th anniversary of the rebellion and drew more than 1,000 people despite 100-degree heat.
Cates and McDaniel have said organizers initially considered holding the March outside Oak Lawn. However, with only three months to plan the event, they opted early on for the same route as September’s Pride parade to facilitate approval from the city.
"It’s a logistical thing, but we would really like to find a more mainstream area," Cates said this week. "We got a lot of flack for quote-unquote ‘preaching to the choir,’ and I said, ‘I wish you would have been in our planning meetings, because we actually wanted to go outside of the gay neighborhood.’"
Cates and McDaniel added that they also viewed this year’s March as something of an experiment to determine whether it would be possible to stage such an event in Dallas. The answer, they said, was a resounding yes.
"We definitely want to move it out of the gayborhood," McDaniel said. "I don’t think we need to constantly keep our marches in Oak Lawn, [but] it makes no sense to be marching down the street with 100 people on Greenville Avenue. This was a test run to see if we could mobilize people in our own neighborhood. Twelve hundred people was a good start."
March organizers, who planned a debriefing this week before taking a break for a few months, likely will also consider moving the event to a later time of day to avoid the mid-afternoon heat, Cates said.
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| Local gay historian Phil Johnson, 84, speaks at Lee Park. JOHN WRIGHT/Dallas Voice |
Despite the success of the march, which began at 2 p.m., they acknowledged that the heat prevented it from being even larger and prompted some participants to leave Lee Park early.
"We knew it was hot in June," Cates said. "I don’t think any of us were really thinking how hot."
But the fact that so many people turned out in the heat also underscored the community’s enthusiasm, the co-chairs added.
After all, the march was never intended as a celebration, and the somberness of the occasion was only intensified by news of what had happened only a few hours before in Fort Worth.
At 1:30 p.m., organizer Elizabeth Pax stood in the parking lot of Kroger and announced through a megaphone that participants were asked to attend a protest after the March outside the Rainbow Lounge.
Details were still sketchy about the incident involving a police raid of the gay bar in the wee hours. But as the afternoon wore on, the bitter irony came into focus. On a day when the LGBT community gathered in Dallas to commemorate the anniversary of Stonewall, a frighteningly similar scene had unfolded just a few short miles away.
"It was a horrible thing that happened, but it was almost a blessing, because it was more fuel to our fire," said McDaniel, one of dozens of people from Dallas who attended the protest after the march. "It’s helping with that bridge between Dallas and Fort Worth. I’m glad that by being able to announce what happened we were able to increase the numbers over there. We were already hot and sweaty. We might as well drive to Fort Worth and scream a little more."
Moments before the March began, McDaniel stood in the back of a pickup truck in the Kroger parking lot and implored participants not to smile during the trek to Lee Park. "I want you pissed off," she said.
"Hopefully everybody got the point that this was not a Pride, this was a March commemorating Stonewall," McDaniel said later. "And I think the fact that we went on to Fort Worth shows that we were serious about people getting involved and participating. We are serious about when something occurs in our Metroplex, we need to be on top of it. If it happens in Carrollton, if it happens in Frisco, if any incident happens, we need to be there."
After arriving at Lee Park for the post-March rally, participants were repeatedly reminded by speakers about the Fort Worth protest.
The rally was scheduled to extend until 5 p.m., but by 4:30 people like March organizer Erin Moore, president of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas, were in their cars headed to Fort Worth.
"I think it fed our march and reminded people of why we do things like that," Moore said later of the Rainbow Lounge raid.
"It was a long day, but we’ll do it day and night if we have to."
Moore added that she believes the March was "extremely successful," but she suggested that in future years the LGBT community should consider a different type of event on the Stonewall anniversary.
"I don’t think there should be a march every year per se, but I think there should be something commemorating that day every year. Hopefully, it will be in air-conditioning next year," Moore said.
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| Marchers chant slogans as they head east down Cedar Springs Road near Oak Lawn Avenue. JOHN WRIGHT/Dallas Voice |
"We sort of ignore Pride in June, and I think the Stonewall anniversary shows us that we shouldn’t," Moore said, noting that the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Lawrence v. Texas decision is also in June. "I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be a march every year. I’m not sure we’ll get that kind of turnout or enthusiasm in 100-degree weather every year."
Moore also said she doesn’t think Dallas’ Stonewall anniversary event should necessarily be held outside the gayborhood. She said she was angered by people who chose to watch the March from bars along the Cedar Springs strip.
"Judging from the number
of people who stayed in J.R.’s and didn’t join us, I think the choir needs preaching to," Moore said. "I don’t think it’s segregation, I think our community needs reminders of the struggle that’s to be fought and won."
While Moore called the turnout for the Million Gay March "tremendous," she said its true effectiveness will be judged by the number of LGBT people who remain involved in the coming weeks.
"You can riot and protest and march and get angry all you want, but then what? What do you do to change it?" she said.
"Marching doesn’t change anything. Marches call attention to something."
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 3, 2009.
Heaven Forbid that any LGBT event ever be held away from the bars on Cedar Springs.
RAZZLE DAZZLE DALLAS was a great pride filled event until the Bar Owners turned it into a Street Party on Cedar Springs. I have great memories of The Dallas Convention Center and Fair Park parties in years past.
A million person march that attracts 1000 people is a success?
How bad ARE Texas schools?
1000 is NOT equal to or greater than 1 million.
To Tom In Dallas – Dallas was only one of 50 cities to make up the Million so 1400 or so would be a success in my book, especially considering the extreme heat of the day and the fact that Dallas Pride Events are traditionally in December…
Correction from previous post – Dallas Pride is traditionally in September…not December
TA, Million Gay March was a nationwide event, people marched in every state and the goal was 1 million nationally. So considering all elements, 1400 was a huge success.
For a first year event it was great! It’s high time we reclaimed the reason for the whole “gay pride” movement, it came from the “gay power” movement and the power part was somehow lost when things got commercialized.
1400 people who marched or 1400 who viewed?
I wish I had been able to make it – it sounds like it was awesome! And apparently ALL my friends were there!
To Tom in Dallas:
I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY!!!
I stopped going to Razzle Dazzle after the first time I went when it was a street party. Twice a year – TX-OU & Halloween – is MORE than enough of having rowdy drunks wandering around the street.
Before that, I had attended three times (it usually conflicted with a family reunion out of town.) Once at Market Hall, when the ‘big thunderstorm’ came and knocked the power out for a while; once at the Renaissance Hotel (or whatever it was called then – the one shaped like a Bic lighter!); and once at the Sheraton – no, make that Southland Center Hotel (or was it AdamsMark???)
Anyway, had a blast at each of those!
BRING BACK RAZZLE DAZZLE DALLAS!!!
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Brucifer
Mr. Williams, I realize that you won’t be checking back for my response, however I thought it only fair to answer your questions posed to me in the order in which they were presented.
“why not post your real name?”
Well let’s see, it doesn’t really matter what name I or anyone else uses for that matter does it ?? Especially since both you and Mr. Cates have appeared to have already made up your minds concerning the quality of my integrity. So I see the name business as irrelevant to the issue.
“where are you when it comes to making decisions and promoting change?”
Simple, I am at the same place that many are who rock the boat and offend the Dallas GLBT leadership /activist clique, excluded and uninvited to the table for change (or as Mr. Cates so eloquently put it, throwing “a public pity party”) Besides, if decisions are already going to be made in the cliques before the meetings even take place, then what’s the use of participating. The leaders are going to do what they want anyway regardless of outside input……..
Are you marching for equality?
One doesn’t necessarily have to “march” to fight for equality these days. Actually, marching is a very old model for activism. I prefer to utilize the same resources where these corporate executives, politicians and non-profit leaders do most of their underground dirty work. Tap into the powerful resources that they use and your voice will be heard a lot more powerful than a march down Cedar Springs.
“are you out there letting your voice be heard?”
I used to be, but face to face interaction or internet interaction, the response is always the same. “Leaders” with closed minds, groupthink attitudes and in-the-box thinking all eager to gang together and attack and belittle anyone with a dissenting opinion. So my voice has never been heard, only tuned out…….. Besides, apparently my voice has sparked some discomfort in your
mind, otherwise you wouldn’t have commented to my remarks.
I’m not sure if you are aware of this important concept, but most “activism” is now accomplished on the internet via comment sections such as this, blogs, social network sites and such. A cunning group of IT “activists” figured out somehow that there was no better way to get secret little factions of people organized than to create a system of underground crony grapevines, clandestine discussions, corrupt business relationships, conspiratorial agenda factions and a “members only” network that many on the outside wouldn’t otherwise know about unless they were internet savvy……..
The right wing religious conservatives are not the only group which seeks to “continually hold us down” Mr Williams. Do some research into GLBT discrimination by corporations and by our very own A-list GLBT community. The facts might surprise you……
And Lastly Mr. Cates, concerning your statement of:
“……we all ultimately have the same goals in mind in regards to our 100 percent equality……”
I’m quite surprised that you haven’t followed the GLBT status quo of consulting both HRC’s “Corporate Equality Index” and Out and Equal’s “Best Practices” results for 100% equality standards…. After all, these two models seem to be otherwise known around the GLBT activist and leadership circles as The HOLY BIBLE of 100% equality, regardless of how corrupt and apparently fraudulent they may be. So why march when obviously these two models tell the rest of the world how “equal” we are as GLBT folks………
I would encourage you Mr. Cates to stick with bar tending, because when it comes to political debate, you appear to fail miserably. As one wise political journalist once told me:
“If a person is unable to accept political commentary or sharp criticism of people without taking it personally or exhibiting retaliation, then he or she is in the wrong business !!!
Just a thought….
Dennis, since you put it that way I guess there were about 2800 then. 1400 marching and another 1400 too busy with their cocktails to even bother joining but watched anyway. Thanx for the correction.
“We are serious about when something occurs in our Metroplex, we need to be on top of it. If it happens in Carrollton, if it happens in Frisco, if any incident happens, we need to be there.â€
Well Ms. McDaniel, what we “need” to do and what actually happens in the Dallas GLBT “leadership” are two different things……..
How “serious” are you, the Dallas GLBT corporate folks and the political activists when there are discrimination issues to be raised in our workplaces and organizations ?? Are you all “on top of it” then ?? Are you planning to organize a thousand person march in front of local Dallas based corporations for those issues…… The answer is a clear NO !!
And why should you all really ?? After all, organizing and protesting against discriminatory corporations and corrupt non-profits would hinder the “status quo” process of selling out the community via being bought off by corporate “sponsorship” dollars.
So Ms. McDaniel, one can protest and march all day long about equality and Stonewall, but until someone looks deeper into the core issues of socioeconomic oppression and discrimination by both employers and those GLBT “Leaders” who sell out the rest of us to them, rather than addressing the symptoms of it, then perhaps we can actually “be on top of it”.
“If it happens in Carrollton, if it happens in Frisco, if any incident happens, we need to be there.â€
Yes, but when it happened in Lewisville some time ago, the Dallas GLBT “Leaders” turned their backs on the issue and were more interested in political agendas and greasing palms with local corporations to receive sponsorship dollars………… The only people whose issues are on “top of it” are those who own a bar, serve on some steering committee, are a non-profit or corporate executive, are political “activists” or who are in the Nash/Wright media clique………
I’m surprised that this march didn’t include banners from corporations advertising how WONDERFUL they treat their GLBT employees (what they want you to believe). After all, that’s all the pride parade is now, so why should your march be any different ??…………
Thank you for your time.
Guinea Pig,
From day one, we said NO to any kind of corporate sponsorship. That is not what this was about, nor did it have any place in what we were doing. This was NOT the annual pride parade, this was a march for equality.
I completely agree with you about branching out and fighting this fight on the doorsteps of discrimination everywhere! You must understand however, that it is that same hundred or so people doing the work of thousands- long story short, if you see something that needs to happen, please make it happen! Instead of sitting behind a computer screen complaining about what others should be doing, why not do it yourself? I offer my support and resources to you… and would be delighted to see someone take on that task.
Mr. Cates, I have tried numerous times to become involved in the fight for change both in the Dallas GLBT non-profits and at the Resource Center, but since my views tend to upset the corporate apple cart (since most of them receive large sponsorship dollars from corporations), I am snubbed, excluded and have even been slandered when trying to become involved. Change the “elitist” GLBT corporate / non-profit mafia system which treats willing volunteers this way and I would be more than happy to get involved……
Why not start your own organization? If you feel the current organizations do not meet the needs of our community then create one that does, I highly encourage it! However do know, that you are more than welcome in QL also- we love to hear new ideas
I totally agree guinea pig. I am not a member of what you call an “elitist” organization. This is a grassroots movement and I cater to no one. We had several corportate groups that wanted booths at the rally in order to cash in on our event. We had to pass b/c it did not fit with the intention of the march/rally. All we wanted to do is empower our community. If some of the well to do peeps marched with us, then that was awesome. I don’t discriminate based on financial status. That includes the upper middle class.
“some people want to be miserable Tisha.. let them be.”
Yes, but I’m not the one posting retaliatory responses at 3 am in the morning, am I ??
Your response is not surprising in the least, given the list of Dallas GLBT “notables” who are on your Facebook “friends” list. You know, the ones who lead the very organizations I criticized above……
It just goes to show that when you rock the boat at the Dallas “leadership” (business) clique, you are quick to be labeled as “miserable” and “part of the problem” and as you so clearly put it Mr. Cates, “let them be” or perhaps in other words, let’s all snub and exclude that person……….
How many other “leaders” from the Resource Center, YFT, The Dallas City Council, The Tavern Guild and most importantly the Dallas Voice, do you “social” network with ???
Sort of explains how you guys always get articles written about you all in the Voice…………..
“Why not start your own organization?”
Come on Mr. Cates, isn’t this the standard textbook cop out question that people use who don’t want to face the core problem ?? The solution here isn’t starting new organizations, but rather fixing the existing ones !! Quite frankly, I am amazed at all of the “new” organizations being formed in the Dallas GLBT community from people who have that same exact mindset…..
But to satisfy the sake of argument, let’s say myself or anyone else with similar views does start a new organization to tackle on these issues. First, you have to gather members who are not afraid to challenge the Dallas GLBT “status quo” or hold these elitist GLBT corporate “executives” and non-profit big shots accountable for corruption and selling us out…….Most people I meet would rather stay silent, continue to be kicked to the curb and live in poverty and mediocrity while these folks live it up at Black Tie and HRC galas every year.
Secondly, do you actually think that the power and influence from these folks would allow for such an organization to form in the first place ?? Past events have shown that this little clandestine group of elitists will conspire together and ruin any attempt to form such an organization which threatens their chance for moving up the corporate ladder or which will tarnish their media glory…… Have a look at the history of this little elitist group:
https://www.dmagazine.com/Home/1996/11/01/THE_PINK_MAFIA.aspx
Again, acknowledge and address the REAL problem and rally to have our GLBT organizations start doing what they are supposed to be doing for the community and there wouldn’t be a need for any new organizations.
Ms. McDaniel, its commendable that you turned the corporate sales folks away for your march, however did you stop there or did you go further as to condemn these folks who wanted to “cash in” on the opportunity to set up shop there so that they could look good at their corporations by increasing their quarterly bench mark, courtesy of the GLBT community ?? (aka exploitation)……
THIS is the kind of “activism” I’m talking about. Change starts with US as a community. How on earth are we ever going to secure our equal rights in the eyes of mainstream America if all we show them is that we don’t have our own act together or that we sell each other out and stab each other in the back, all to obtain that next rung of the corporate/non-profit/political elitist ladder or to bask in a moments worth of media fame and glory.
I guarantee, not too many upper class corporate GLBT folks were too inclined to march after they found out that their organizations and corporations weren’t going to get a chance to market (lobby) there………..
some people want to be miserable Tisha.. let them be.
I bar tend (does this qualify me for the coveted “business clique”?) .. so at 3am I am most always awake.. thanks..
True, the words you have provided here do not make me wish to work with you in the least.. my Facebook friends list is extensive, and includes many folks.. folks who are at least out doing something and not sitting behind their computer screen spewing negativity into the world… and a little secret, there are many LGBT Leaders (on my friend list) with whom I do not agree and butt heads with regularly, however I also know that we all ultimately have the same goals in mind in regards to our 100 percent equality, and so I gladly find a way to work with them anyway.
I know that this will not quell your lust for “leadership” blood on the Dallas pavement, however I have said my piece and still welcome you to become involved.. no one can keep you out of the action but yourself, and right now it looks like you are more content to throw a public pity party than to put aside differences and get to work. I will say no more, Good Luck.
Guinea Pig:
First off, unless you are into pig play, why not post your real name? just a thought..
Second: you complain and criticize, but like Daniel has said, where are you when it comes to making decisions and promoting change? Are you marching for equality? Other than sitting behind your computer commenting on here, are you out there letting your voice be heard? Not through the internet, but through actual human interaction? You cannot inaugurate change through a monitor. I urge you to come out and see what a D/FW activist group is all about and the decisions that are made from issues brought up in our commnity.
I must say, I do not intend to check back and see if you have responded because frankly I don’t care, but I hope that you do take your anger and frustrations out not on the people who are trying to promote change and advancement in our community, but with those who continually hold us down and throw homophobia in our face in efforts to protect their “moral values.”
Good Luck
I have been involved in a GLBT Affirming church here in Dallas now for nearly 8 years. In that time, The Dallas Voice has not ever seen fit to do any kind of story on our wonderful pastor and his unique and powerful work. This man ministers to the GLBT communities, without financial compensation, and suffers unimaginable taunts and torments from the mainstream “Christian” world. he is constantly receiving hate mail and condemnatory emails from people within his branch of the mainstream church. His views are too conservative to be accepted by many, if not most, in the GLBT community; although far too liberal to find any support in the mainstream society/church either. Funny how we scream to be included, and yet we cannot allow room within our own community for people of various positions and opinions. So long as you walk lock-step with those who frequent the bars and promote the party lifestyle, you can find support. Try and represent the more conservative element within the GLBT communities, and there are actually MANY of us, and you stand alone. For the record, our church is called, The ONE Church (Garland). Pastor Charles has written extensively on behalf of and spoken at various public events in support of Gay marriage and other important issues, and yet again, interestingly, his name is never even mentioned in the press. Let something negative happen to our church and pastor, and The Voice is all over it! Let COH break wind and it’s all over the front page. Money talks. And the Dallas GLBT community is all about money, not progress.
Guinea Pig,
Great posts! You’re spot on. Every point you made can also be paralled to the leadership of both democrat and republican parties. Both agree on one thing only; keep third party and critics of staus quo OUT.
Then the “vote early and often” crowd parrots what the leadership says and continues to vote these power mongers in.
Nothing accomplished except glad handing..
Sad, really.
Travis out.
Williams says, ” Not through the internet, but through actual human interaction? You cannot inaugurate change through a monitor.”
I strongly disagree with this statement and I do agree with Guinea Pig that you do not need a March to fight for equality. The Internet has the potential to reach millions of people. It is one of the best tools we have and we are lucky to have it. I don’t think President Obama would have won without it. He had an aggressive Internet grassroots campaign. The LGBT community can most certainly have a grassroots campaign too, via the internet.
And yes, Dallas is all about Power and Money. That is the mentality of this city, not just the LGBT leaders.