Gay Activists Arrested at Capitol Rotunda in ENDA Protest
Activists from GetEQUAL staged a protest in the Capitol rotunda today over inaction on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
"The group of about 20 LGBT activists entered the Capitol as part of a routine tour through the Capitol. Upon reaching the rotunda, they sat down and pulled out signs reading, 'Pass ENDA Now!' and 'This Is Your Reminder.' Meanwhile, they began their signature chant, 'I am ... somebody ... I deserve ... full equality.' Eight to nine people were risking arrest in the action, according to Cronk, with the other half present to provide support including a couple legal observers. [Nancy] Pelosi told attendees of last weekend’s Netroots Nation conference for progressive bloggers that they should hold her accountable, though she stopped short of promising a vote on ENDA...Cronk said the group chose the rotunda because it symbolizes 'America’s commitment to justice, equality, and freedom.' At the beginning of the tour, she noted they had been shown a film with narration proclaiming, 'This is the core – the center – of our experiment with political freedom.'"
According to posts on Twitter, several activists were handcuffed and taken away in a police van.
More photos, AFTER THE JUMP...
(images via @chrisgeidner and GetEqual)
In related news, yesterday San Francisco Pride at Work, One Struggle, One Fight, GetEqual, Harvey Milk Democratic Club, Transgender Law Center, National Center for Lesbian Rights, El / La, and National Pride at Work released an open letter to Speaker Pelosi on ENDA. Read it here.
Posted Jul. 28,2010 at 12:42 PM EST by Andy Towle in Activism, ENDA, GetEQUAL, News | Permalink
I dunno ... if I was the usual tourist hoping to tour the Capitol, I'd be pissed at the selfishness of ANY group blocking my tour.
Other than pissing off some folks from elsewhere, though, I doubt this accomplishes much of anything.
Posted by: K in VA | Jul 28, 2010 12:51:33 PM
It doesn't look to me like any tours were blocked. I don't understand when you're talking about. The Rotunda is open for people and tours to walk freely. Besides, what's wrong a smell inconvenience in order to get a message across?
Posted by: KFLO | Jul 28, 2010 1:07:08 PM
You're fucking kidding me "K in VA." You can still be fired in 25+ states just for being gay, and you're worried that some fucking tourists have to go to the Washington Monument for a half an hour instead of walking through the Capital? You need to get your priorities cleared up.
Posted by: Jordan | Jul 28, 2010 1:16:12 PM
KFLO, what you're seeing is after the tours were stopped. Before then, there would have been lots of people in the rotunda.
And, KFLO and Jordan, tell me how you think we win friends or allies when we piss people off, even mindless tourists from Topeka or Azusa?
Besides, this soon before the election, the Democrats in the House would put out a contract on Pelosi before they'd vote for ENDA. That's a fact.
We all want rights. Being politically naive or even downright stupid and alienating our best friends in Congress (yes, Pelosi's among them) is not the way to get them.
Posted by: K in VA | Jul 28, 2010 1:23:03 PM
Great protest! Congrats to Get Equal!
@ K IN VA: it's attitudes like yours that lead to Cuccinelli. How's that working out for you?
Posted by: David R. | Jul 28, 2010 1:39:49 PM
"And, KFLO and Jordan, tell me how you think we win friends or allies when we piss people off, even mindless tourists from Topeka or Azusa?"
Pissing people off is the idea. Minor, non-violent civil disobedience will rarely turn away allies. There is the potential of bringing hostile opponents out of the woodwork and capturing a great deal of hateful/intolerance responses.
Most of all, it speaks very loudly to indifferent allies - those who aren't impacted and therefore don't really care about the whole thing. Make their lives a little bit more difficult (traffic delays, interrupted tours, etc.) and they'll be more likely to want this entire thing over. If given the opportunity to vote on something, they'll vote to have this over by voting for the minority.
That's how civil disobedience works. That is how CD has always worked in all previous civil rights movements.
Given the longevity of this fight, CD is going to occur more and more frequently and will be more widespread.
Posted by: RJ | Jul 28, 2010 1:43:58 PM
Great job GetEQUAL! Oh darn that little inconvenience! Don't let us inconvenience anyone, while we wait for our rights...@K IN VA, apathetic apologist attitudes get us nowhere.
Posted by: Justan | Jul 28, 2010 1:44:10 PM
@KnVA: Uh , I grew up next door to Azusa in West Covina and you can kiss my ass.
The problem I have here is the attitude that people from anywhere but a Gay Ghetto are mindless. That's the kind of Gay priviledged arrogance that lost Prop 8.
Posted by: DEREK WASHINGTON | Jul 28, 2010 1:58:17 PM
Kudos to GetEQUAL! And K in VA… If more folks had attitudes like yours in the mid 19th century, half of the states in this great union of ours would still be “slave states.”
Posted by: Dave | Jul 28, 2010 2:00:17 PM
@K in VA - We haven't exactly won any friends by being timid, patient, and quiet so why shouldn't the community try something new?
Silence is never the answer.
Posted by: Xtopher | Jul 28, 2010 2:25:11 PM
@K in VA: They are supposed to disrupt your experience. Would you have them pass out happy face stickers or lollipops asking for equal rights? Get real. I can't get married, but sorry about your tour. Oh brother.
Posted by: Tonic | Jul 28, 2010 2:27:46 PM