Leaders of direct action organization say their tactics have already gotten results, are necessary to get all questions fully answered
On June 28, GLBT Texans marched through the streets of Oak Lawn to remember the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellions. Since that time, we’ve stayed active in the streets to protest the harassment, intimidation and violence against GLBT people.
After the June 28 march, as we listened to speakers in Lee Park talk on holding politicians’ feet to the fire and staying active and involved, the North Texas GLBT community began to hear the grim stories coming out about the raid at the Rainbow Lounge.
Those of us with Queer LiberAction had done a lot of the organizing for the march and as we sat listening to speakers talk on the lessons of Stonewall, we knew we had to continue with the fight.
From the march in Dallas, many of us traveled out to the Tarrant County Courthouse to join a rally against the raid at the Rainbow Lounge. We called for another rally in the following days to send the message that we are still active, we are still watching, and we still have demands.
QL members met and did what we do best; we hammered out a direct action plan addressing the violence used against our community at the Rainbow Lounge.
We knew it was going to be a big challenge to organize three events in the next couple weeks, but we also knew that if this wasn’t done that these events could easily be forgotten about and ignored.
Hundreds of us showed up at the candlelight vigil in front of the Rainbow Lounge on July 1 to stand in solidarity with Chad Gibson, the young gay man hospitalized after the Rainbow Lounge raid, possibly due to violence used against him by the Forth Worth Police Department and the TABC. We were in grief and shock, but we were resolute that we were not going to allow our North Texas community to return to 1969.
We soon got angry, and knew we had to share that with our neighbors. Queer LiberAction set up its public speaking Milk Box event on July 5 to give North Texans, and particularly witnesses to the raid, an opportunity to share their stories of police harassment and intimidation.
With some 15 speakers from varied backgrounds, approximately 200 in attendance and many media outlets present, we got the attention of our neighbors, the city of Fort Worth, the police department and the TABC.
Our rally and march held on July 12 at the Tarrant County Courthouse was designed to be an event where we would either congratulate the city and TABC on their fine job in righting the wrong of the raid at the Rainbow Lounge, or we would be there just the same, ready to hold our elected officials’ feet to the fire and demand justice.
At our rally we posted our demands on the door of the Tarrant County Courthouse. At the end of the rally, hundreds of us took to the streets of downtown Fort Worth and marched thirteen blocks to post the same demands on the doors of the Fort Worth City Hall.
At the largest GLBT march in Fort Worth history, our voice was the loudest and clearest it had been to date.
We were united; we had demands, and we had to speak out knowing justice was on our side.
Given ongoing developments, our current list of demands is below:
• We demand full transparency regarding all independent investigations of both the TABC and the Fort Worth Police Department regarding their conduct during the Rainbow Lounge Raid, early on June 28, 2009.
• We demand a public apology from Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead to all of the patrons present at the Rainbow Lounge Raid, and to the GLBT community of North Texas, for the assault on our human rights and for his disrespectful and homophobic language and posturing.
• We demand Police Chief Halstead provide full and immediate transparency to the public by waiving the delaying requirement for news media to file open records requests to review police reports.
• We demand that the TABC promptly release all of their officers’ reports from the Rainbow Lounge raid to the news media and public.
• We demand that in future operations of this kind, law enforcement officials operate under a presumption of innocence, fully respecting the human rights of all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• We demand that Mayor Mike Moncrief reinstate his apology to our community which he subsequently backed away from after the July 12 City Council meeting.
• We demand Mayor Moncrief seriously begin considering and addressing the legitimate needs and issues of the GLBT community of Fort Worth, including a full-time publicly funded liaison officer to our community.
• We demand full accountability and justice for the excessive and illegal actions of law enforcement officers during the Rainbow Lounge raid.
• We demand all official agencies found responsible for the injuries inflicted on Chad Gibson during the Rainbow Lounge raid stand good for all the medical expenses he has accrued to date, and may in the future, due to their actions.
At the Fort Worth City Council meeting on July 14, one of our demands was met. However begrudgingly, two weeks and two days after the raid the mayor finally apologized for what happened in Fort Worth — but only after Queer LiberAction members called on him to do so.
Queer LiberAction was disappointed that the raid at the Rainbow Lounge was placed dead last on the council agenda.
Given the length of the agenda, the GLBT community was scheduled to wait until the early hours of the morning to address this assault on us.
After 40 years, two weeks and two days of violence and intimidation used by the police against the queer community, we were running out of patience.
Mayor Moncrief and other city officials know very well that stall tactics drive away interest. Ultimately, all that is left of important stories such as the harassment and intimidation used at the Rainbow Lounge become whispers in the middle of the night.
Moncrief et al. knew the city of Fort Worth and his police department were wrong and operated under the assumption that GLBT North Texans were going to sit by passively and accept direction from our political betters. Queer LiberAction members stood up and proudly said that violence against our people will never again become whispers in the middle of the night.
The past several weeks have proven once again that direct action gets results. Though we are glad several of our demands have been met, we know now is not the time to rest.
On Sunday, July 27, QL will set up its Milk box at Houston and Third streets in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square beginning at 7 p.m. We will host a public teach-in on Friday, July 31 in order to educate the public on the consequences of homophobia and heterosexism.
Our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights movement comes after a long history of social agitation to advance the rights of oppressed groups. As diverse as we are as GLBT people, we are all unified by the burden of the closet.
In order for us to overcome our oppression and win our full civil rights we must proudly stand up in the tradition of the greats like Martin Luther King Jr., Mohandas Gandhi and heroes within our own movement like Harry Hay and Harvey Milk.
Unlike other oppressed groups, the closet forces us to come out to survive. If we are to survive and prosper in society, we have to stand up and proudly show who we are for a
ll to see.
Find out more about the direct action politics of Queer LiberAction on our Web site, www.queerliberaction.org.
Blake Wilkinson is the founder of Queer LiberAction. Rick Vanderslice is co-creator of The Rick and RJ Collaborative at www.rickandrj.com and member of Queer LiberAction Board of Advisors.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 24, 2009.
“QL members met and did what we do best; we hammered out a direct action plan addressing the violence used against our community at the Rainbow Lounge.”
Yes, and look what that got you…. kicked out of the City Council chambers….
“As diverse as we are as GLBT people, we are all unified by the burden of the closet.”
Perhaps you need to look again as we tend to be the most UNunified community around. Isn’t that why all these “unity” (oops sorry…political activist) groups are now forming to address the issue of DISunity ???
“We will host a public teach-in on Friday, July 31 in order to educate the public on the consequences of homophobia and heterosexism.”
While you are at it, why don’t you bring in a communication and debate expert to teach you all how to go about professional persuasive argument and diplomacy rather than bullying one-sided discourse.
Any by the way, Martin Luther King’s philosophy centered on PEACEFUL protests and marches accompanied by very well planned and educated oratory. Read your history books and educate yourself as to what really went on then, rather than giving your own interpretation of it.
Blake states “After 40 years, two weeks and two days of violence and intimidation used by the police against the queer community, we were running out of patience.” What gay people have only faced these things for 40 years, two weeks and and two days? Sorry, but we have been facing these things as long as there have been gay people. After your little titty tantrum at the Ft. Worth city council meeting last week, it will be interesting to see how many support you on your milkbox on July 27th.
Gonna set up in Suncance Square huh? Be careful, the Bass family gestapo might have a few things to say/do to you and there is no guarantee you’ll have the help of the FWPD. Keep stirring the pot, Blake, It’ll might boil over and burn you.
@Brian
Are you suggesting that Blake should just be shut up and take it?
“Keep stirring the pot, Blake, It’ll might boil over and burn you.”
That sounds like you’re saying that if he gets hurt he deserves it.
Blake states “After 40 years, two weeks and two days of violence and intimidation used by the police against the queer community, we were running out of patience.” What? Gay people have only facing these things for 40 years, two weeks and and two days? Sorry, but we have been facing these things as long as there have been gay people. After your little titty tantrum at the Ft. Worth city council meeting last week, it will be interesting to see how many support you on your milkbox on July 27th.
@Lauren
No, I am sincerely hoping nothing happens to him. I wish no harm on anybody. FWPD does not patrol Sundance Square. Bass Security (as in Sid & Nancy Bass) does and they are NOT under the scrutiny that FWPD is. Anyone that has ever had anything happen to them in Sundance will tell you that really quick. Don’t be surprised that, unless you are set up in the middle of the street, they are given public trespass citations even on the sidewalk. Bass gestapo has power and they use it relentlessly…. MedStar Ambulances are not allowed to post downtown in BassVille (aka Sundance) because of a years old spat with the Bass family, FWPD steers clear unless there is a major incident…. I’m just telling Blake and the rest of QL they better be careful because those people are ruthless.
“QL members met and did what we do best; we hammered out a direct action plan addressing the violence used against our community at the Rainbow Lounge.”
ARE YOU KIDDING?
Thankfully, the gay community got over the embarrassment of your “demands” and acted quickly and responsibly in the Rainbow Lounge incident.
Carl is correct – The struggle for “civil rights” for gays has been going on for +2,000 years – when Christianity made homosexuals “wrong.”
Nothing about the Rainbow Lounge is like Stonewall – it is simply based on the hatred created by Religion. Violence against gays, in this case, perhaps demonstrated by a few of the officers, is the result of their “beliefs” about homosexulaity. Beliefs they got in Church.
It is a shame that Queer Libations continues to try to make themselves important, when some very thoughtful members of the gay community acted very professionally and responsibly – which lead to swift and I believe sincere action by Fort Worth.
The big stunt of “moving the Rainbow Lounge hearing up earlier on the Council Agenda,” was an effort to finish before the bars closed – not some act of “fairness.”
I suspect that when one views the entire incident, including the response by both the gay community and the City of Fort Worth, QL’s action will be simply seen as an embarrassing footnote.
Therefore, I “demand” that Queer Liberaction simply “shut-up.”
You do not represent me.
You do not represent me.
The many pages that Tammye Nash and John Wright have published in DFWs ONLY GAY NEWSPAPER have been elevating this group to a status unwarranted given a thin list of accomplishments, and an unmitigated failure in FW. They’ve focused too much of their reporting on a peripheral event and a failed tactic.
The “article” is really only several pages from the website of the organization. That being the case it takes the place of several pages from the websites and statements from;
– the organizations which achieved the results we enjoy today in FW.
– the people actually involved in the incident.
Any competent typist could have compiled those just as easily, but they would have at least served to educate the public on how to achieve results in a political struggle.
The VOICE and its editors have failed to meet the level of satisfactorily high journalism at almost every turn on this event. They’ve lacked perspective and an understanding of the issues that they were required to cover.
Gratefully, the VOICE is worth what one pays for it.
I hope the Publisher will look for a better staff to run the sole gay outlet left in DFW.
“QL members met and did what we do best; we hammered out a direct action plan addressing the violence used against our community at the Rainbow Lounge.”
ARE YOU KIDDING?
Thankfully, the gay community got over the embarrassment of your “demands” and acted quickly and responsibly in the Rainbow Lounge incident.
Carl is correct – The struggle for “civil rights” for gays has been going on for +2,000 years – when Christianity made homosexuals “wrong.”
Nothing about the Rainbow Lounge is like Stonewall – it is simply based on the hatred created by Religion. Violence against gays, in this case, perhaps demonstrated by a few of the officers, is the result of their “beliefs” about homosexulaity. Beliefs they got in Church.
It is a shame that Queer Libations continues to try to make themselves important, when some very thoughtful members of the gay community acted very professionally and responsibly – which lead to swift and I believe sincere action by Fort Worth.
The big stunt of “moving the Rainbow Lounge hearing up earlier on the Council Agenda,” was an effort to finish before the bars closed – not some act of “fairness.”
I suspect that when one views the entire incident, including the response by both the gay community and the City of Fort Worth, QL’s action will be simply seen as an embarrassing footnote.
Therefore, I “demand” that Queer Liberaction simply “shut-up.”
Tell me again why the Voice is allowing QL to masturbate all over its opinion page?
Doesn’t the Dallas Voice have anyone else in DFW Gay Community willing to express an Opinion – except for Queer Liberaction and other tired, old protesters?
The last 4 weeks of “Viewpoint” have been the same little group with “big” demands and nobody – except maybe the Voice, takes them serious.
In other gay newspapers across the Country readers engage in thoughtful discussion and debate. Cutting and pasting QL website content isn’t a viewpoint – it’s an advertisement.
What’s next? Protesters modeling underwear from Outlines? If so, I would like to register my “demand” that you use attractive models and not QLers.
If this demand in not met I will have no recourse but to interrupt one of your Editorial Meetings. If that happens, I better be first or second on the Agenda.
I mean it! Take me serious!
Doesn’t the Dallas Voice have anyone else in the DFW Gay Community willing to express an Opinion – except for Queer Liberaction and other tired, old protesters?
The last 4 weeks of “Viewpoint” have been the same little group with “big” demands and nobody – except maybe the Voice, takes them serious.
In other gay newspapers across the Country readers engage in thoughtful discussion and debate. Cutting and pasting QL website content isn’t a viewpoint – it’s an advertisement.
What’s next? Protesters modeling underwear from Outlines? If so, I would like to register my “demand” that you use attractive models and not QLers.
If this demand in not met I will have no recourse but to interrupt one of your Editorial Meetings. If that happens, I better be first or second on the Agenda.
I mean it! Take me serious!
Tell me again why the Voice is allowing QL to masturbate all over its opinions page?
Andrew and Chance, GREAT perspectives !! I have been beating a dead horse in addressing this very same issue to The Voice only to continually fall on deaf ears…..
As I had mentioned in previous posts (before the editors started censoring me and removing my comments…..so much for “viewpoints” right ???) the ONLY people who get heard or mentioned in the Dallas Voice are those who are political “activists”, non-profit “leaders”, corporate “executives”, owners of a bar or are one of the editor’s cronys on their Face book friends list !!! Everyone else, well we just don’t seem to be thought of as the “community” by the corporate/ political/media elitists in Dallas GLBT “society”. And watch out if someone challenges the status quo and ruffles a few feathers, they are conveniently cut out of the loop……
I guarantee that if the community got together and recruited a new GLBT publication for Dallas to add some competition to these “journalists” perhaps the Dallas Voice would start whistling a different tune and fostering fair and unbiased journalism with diverse viewpoints….. Perhaps people need to start protesting in front of the Dallas Voice on Travis St. Perhaps they will listen then…….
I wonder how long this comment will stay up before it is censored by the “powers” that be to protect the status quo……
Grow up folks. Instead of using this venue to have a pissing party all over queer liberaction, I suggest you do something. Make a difference. What bothers me about Chance and Brian’s comments is that they piss on QL, but do not offer any suggestions. My strong suspision is that QL will advocate for them as well, since they are too cowardly to do anything except whine.
Does the Voice really have nothing better to write about?
I honestly wish the Voice would start reporting about the actual incident, investigations and victims of the Rainbow Lounge. I doubt fifty people in DFW care about QL.
I know that crazy people make for easy to write stories, but can the Voice please get back to informing our community about real events. Nobody takes QL seriously.
Brandon, stop acting like a child. Nobody takes you seriously.