GAY RIGHTS ACTIVISM: ¨When an oppressed people have their minds on freedom, you can tell. There is a seriousness and a determination about them...¨

Serious Activism

“Our movement will never be taken seriously by the greater society unless we act like we want to be taken seriously . . .we should not be cavorting in the streets like fools when thousands of LGBT folk around the world are being so viciously persecuted, imprisoned and murdered. It's inexcusably self-indulgent.”

Predictably, "Free Speech" types popped out of the woodwork to defend Pride parade excesses. “Listen, no matter what, we're not going to stop Pride celebrations from happening, " stated someone who identified herself as JamieMcG. "And we're not going to stop people from wanting to celebrate who they are, nor should we, ever. But we can do our best to make sure that we are taking responsibility in whatever way we can to get our message out there.”

Pride Parade Excess

That’s the point, though: Getting the message out “whatever way” just ain’t gonna cut it! We've got to do it the right way. We’ve got to make a credible statement. This is what far too many Gay people fail to grasp. I elaborated:

“When an oppressed people have their minds on freedom, you can tell. There is a seriousness and a determination about them. That's what you saw in the demeanor of the '60s desegregation marchers. That's not what you see in the demeanor of most Pride parade participants! Tell me, how does suggestive posing, outrageous costumes, and public intoxication communicate the gravity of our struggle? There's a difference between a community showing the world its diversity and a community showing the world its ass!“ HERE

LGBTI Activist, Don Charles

Ignorance is Plentiful It treats the LGBT rights struggle with the seriousness that it deserves, and gives no quarter to those who, seemingly unwittingly, seek to undermine that struggle from within.I like to rip the bedclothes off retrograde thinking and expose idiocy in all its shameful nakedness! Saying things nobody wants to hear or think about will make you unpopular, no doubt about that! However, the alternative is to STFU, go along to get along, and be just another dishonest pundit, pretending that the Emperor parading down the avenue isn't as naked as a jaybird. I find myself temperamentally incapable of being that kind of pundit. My mission is to root saboteurs out of the Gay Rights movement so that its HERE


THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA/TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GAY RIGHTS ACTIVISM ACCORDING TO DON CHARLES

1. Thou shalt not address thyself or thy kind with INACCURATE, DISRESPECTFUL or DEHUMANIZING LABELS, nor shalt thou do or say anything to MARGINALIZE thyself or ENABLE thy own OPPRESSION.

2. Thou shalt not treat thy MORAL CRUSADE like a POLITICAL CAMPAIGN. Thou shalt not value the welfare of POLITICAL PARTIES over the welfare of LGBT folk, nor shalt thou BIND the equality movement to any political party.

3. Thou shalt not disrespect TRANSGENDER IDENTITY, and thou shalt not kick thy transsexual brethren to the CURB for political advantage. Thou shalt endeavor to rid thy movement of TRANSPHOBIA as well as BIPHOBIA, SEXISM, HETEROSEXISM, RACISM, SEXUAL RACISM, AGEISM and CLASS BIAS.

4. Thou shalt not DEFEND, ATTEND or FUND any religious institution which preaches GENOCIDE against LGBT folk, and thou shalt pursue SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE with all thy mind, heart and soul. Thou shalt directly CONFRONT religious institutions that preach LGBT genocide, and thou shalt use authentic, INCLUSIVE theology as a weapon against hateful religious doctrine.

5. Thou shalt not use the equality movement as thy vehicle for EXHIBITIONISM, HEDONISM, POLITICAL AMBITION or SELF-PROMOTION.

6. Thou shalt not EXCUSE any form of inequality (such as exclusion from marriage or military service) on IDEOLOGICAL grounds, and thou shalt not give LGBT equality LESS importance than other social issues.

7. Thou shalt vigilantly POLICE media representations of LGBT folk for DEMEANING, RIDICULOUS and VILIFYING portrayals, and thou shalt not fail to include GAY MEDIA in thy policings.

8. Thou shalt preach the gospel of COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION. Thou shalt promote INTELLIGENT CONVERSATION about human sexuality, express thy own sexuality WITHOUT SHAME, be CONSIDERATE of thy sexual partners, and shun sex practices that are UNHEALTHY, IRRESPONSIBLE or ILLEGAL.

9. Thou shalt access public and private EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS and use them as tools to diminish FEAR and IGNORANCE about LGBT people. Thou shalt not be turned aside from this goal by SCURRILOUS ACCUSATIONS of "recruitment".

10. Thou shalt PROTECT, NURTURE and serve as ROLE MODELS for LGBT youth, and thou shalt PROTECT, HONOR and PROVIDE FOR LGBT elders.

· Thanks to Ignorance is Plentiful, sidebar
· Thanks to Christian and Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender Rights, sidebar
· Thanks to Don Charles
· Thanks to The Reverend Jerry Maneker
· Thanks to Flickr Photo Sharing