October 1 2003 »
news
E lephant S tampede
Portland Gay Men's Chorus
presents
Gays begin planning for GOP convention
by Rex Wockner
he so-called “backlash" to the
so-called “Summer of Gay”
might not reach its zenith
until next August at the
-Jk
Republican National C o n
vention in New York City.
A stunning sequence of gay issues burst
to the forefront of public attention in June,
July and August— the U.S. Supreme Court’s
legalization of gay sex; Ontario and British
Columbia’s legal
ization of same-
sex marriage; the
proposed consti
tutional amend
ment to ban
same-sex mar
riage; President
Bush’s denuncia
tion of same-sex
marriage;
the
Vatican’s
de
nunciation of all
gay relationships;
the Democratic
presidential can
didates’
near-
unanimous sup
port for civil uniiins and gays in the military; Wal-
Mart’s embrace of gay employees; the Episcopal
Church’s election of an openly gay bishop;
Michael Savage’s firing; the smash success of tele
vision’s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; the contro
versy of television’s Boy Meets Boy ; and Madonna,
Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera’s French-
kissing at the MTV Video Music Awards.
Then there is the lcxmfrng earthquake from
the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court,
which could legalize same-sex marriage any day
now. Given that conservative reaction to this
year’s huge gay successes might come to a head
at the G O P conclave, how are activists prepar
ing for the possible homophobic hurricane?
“There are direct actions being formulated
locally by various lefty
groups, peace groups, envi
ronmental
groups...and
certainly there are gay peo
ple involved in that stuff,”
said longtime New York
City lesbian activist Ann
Northrop. “If the constitu
tional amendment against
same-sex marriage is hot, Ann Northrop
that will increase the partic
ipation of gay groups. I would like to see gay groups
heavily involved (regardless] because 1 think Bush
and the Republicans are such evil monsters that
we have to go after them no matter what."
The head of the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, Matt Foreman, said it’s not clear
what approach to the convention would best
serve the gay cause. Historically, NGLTF has
helped execute direct-action protests at the
Democratic and Republican conventions.
"We’ve discussed this for hours on end,”
Foreman said. “Part of the goal is to make the
investment of the resources worthwhile in terms
of a message that you get out via the media....
The point is to think creatively in a way that
will get some attention."
But inarching and chanting just for its own
sake might not accomplish much these days,
Foreman said. “Demonstrations are effective
only when you can make a point to a broader
audience. If all we re doing is providing an out
Adults Only Cabaret
"Last o f the Bathhouse Beauties "
let for people to vent, to show their rage and
anger, that is not what is going to produce a
gcxxl election result. The real work is going
to be getting people out to vote, and voting
those bastards out of office."
He added: “The reason we keep losing so
many battles is because our side— the peo
ple who believe in equal rights, choice, affirma
tive action— we don’t get together.... We need
to set aside petty issues, fix;us on issues we agree
on and get people to vote. Fundamentally, the
people of America support the core values that
all of us on the center-to-the-left believe in."
The Human Rights Campaign also has been
involved in organizing convention protests, in
addition to press conferences, receptions and
other events.
“In 1996, we rented an old theater near the
convention site, and various gay organizations
came and scheduled events and engaged in activ
ities that were consistent with their message,”
communications director David Smith said. “In
2003, it’s largely going to depend on how this issue
unfolds. The right wing is organizing like never
before. I’ve never seen them behave like they’re
behaving right now. Many of them are openly say
ing the issue of gay marriage is better than alx>r-
tion. It’s galvanizing their grass roots.... If a
vicious, mean-spirited campaign emerges, there
will be increased gay organizing.”
A C T UP-type groups were active during the
2000 G O P convention in Philadelphia.
According to Julie Davids, executive director of
New York’s Community HIV/A1DS Mobiliza
tion for Power, queers and AIDS activists plan
more of the same next year.
“It's important that people recognize that
protest is important and possible in New York City,
and it’s going to be extremely prevalent at the
Republican National Convention,” she said. “We
believe it’s important to link HIV organizing with
queer organizing and with other s<xzial and eco
nomic justice areas—housing, prison issues, crimi
nal justice issues, welfare, health care, Medicaid,
Medicare, immigration, attacks on civil liberties.”
A preliminary R N C planning meeting of
groups working on these issues tix>k place
Sept. 18 in New York, Davids said. “This is also
an opportunity to bring our communities
together to forge stronger working relationships
that will last beyond the convention. We want
to rebuild a strong, grassroots base in this coun
try’ that includes people who support queer
rights and understand the importance of contin
uing to stniggle against HIV/AIDS.” J H
With special g u e st:
M arc A cito
o f Ju st Out Newspaper
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