Cleve Jones to Anderson Cooper: Why We're Marching
Anderson Cooper talks to Richard Socarides, Pam Spaulding, and Cleve Jones about Obama's unfulfilled promises, the reasons for the National Equality March, and Barney Frank's statements about the March.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted Oct. 9,2009 at 6:44 AM EST by Andy Towle in Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama, Cleve Jones, National Equality March, News | Permalink
Obama just won nobel peace prize. Clearly he has been busy with more important stuff. Its not all about the gays.
Posted by: fred | Oct 9, 2009 7:24:35 AM
It is too soon to be complaining about what his administration hasn't done.
Posted by: fred | Oct 9, 2009 7:30:48 AM
It is never too soon to demand equal protection under the law everywhere in America, and it is never too soon to apply pressure to those in power to enact equal protection, for "a right delayed is a right denied" (Martin Luther King Jr.).
There is a difference between complaints and demands.
Posted by: SFNative | Oct 9, 2009 8:00:49 AM
@FRED -- Apparently you consider corporate cronyism more important than equality, because that is all Obama has busied himself with thus far.
Posted by: Jonathan | Oct 9, 2009 9:06:21 AM
Yeah, because corporate cronyism wins you Nobel Peace Prizes.
Posted by: Billy | Oct 9, 2009 10:26:34 AM
I see it as letting Obama and congress know with our feet we mean business. If there's no movement on our issues DOMA, DADT and ENDA the money/votes aren't going to come into Democratic coffers. I haven't given a single penny to any dem since they sent that legal opinion on DOMA and won't until I see some legitimate action.
Posted by: Jersey | Oct 9, 2009 11:03:51 AM
Marching now is a bit like a child screaming I want what I want NOW! I think if President Obama starts to run for re-election and significant progress has not yet been shown on making all American's more equal (including those in the LGBT community), we should be very angry as a nation. However, give the man a break he has not even been in office 10 months yet. Keeping promises is a virtue, so is Patience.
Posted by: Ted | Oct 9, 2009 1:59:24 PM
Queer Liberaction from Dallas is heading to Washington to protest the President. No fancy dinner or cocktail parties. Just results.
When history looks back on this weekend - I hope you give the real fighters - direct action activists - the credit we deserve.
We are not "marching," we are protesting. That's what the March should have been, not a Birthday Party for an old socialist.
Posted by: QL Dallas | Oct 9, 2009 5:21:58 PM
Just because you finally get a democratic president doesnt mean you sit on your ass and wait for progress to come. The same should be said for having a republican in power. This march is not a march against the president. To make this about him insults the GLBT struggle and everything people have worked for. Its about making a collective statement that we arent faceless and that we care about our rights. No one can predict the future and what strides we will or will not make with this administration or society in general. The best we can do is everything in our power today and the day after and so on.
As Cleve Jones said to think that change will come with a single march is naive but it is the sum of all things. I dont understand how jaded and bitter you can be to discourage any positive type of action towards our cause.
Posted by: Toto | Oct 10, 2009 12:20:07 AM
Harry Reid himself told us that marching this weekend was a good thing as was protesting. Barney Frank is an idiot who has spent too much time feeding at the Beltway trough and should be replaced by a real Democrat. Straight or Gay.
Posted by: Derek Washington | Oct 10, 2009 3:35:09 AM
Too many people, Barney Frank and Ted above included, are making this march about Obama. It's not. It's about getting equal rights in this country as soon as possible, in any and every state, raising awareness, and letting people know how many of us there are. It's both a response to California and a prelude to Maine. I'd be marching even if we had a 100% gay-friendly president.
Posted by: rafi | Oct 10, 2009 12:34:46 PM