Greetings!
After a great pilgrimage in the UK, I'm back to catch up on the LGBTQ parenting news front. Here's my essay from Q Notes about the rallies in Raleigh against the policies of the NC General Assembly.
“Freedom, freedom, freedom in the morning, freedom in the evening,”
sang the impromptu chorus of women and men outside of the golden doors
of the North Carolina House of Representatives in Raleigh’s Legislative
Building for three Mondays in a row. “Forward, Together, Not One Step
Back!” we shouted between those who would be arrested and the many who
supported them. Seventeen people placed themselves in front of the
golden doors, holding banners and posters like “Expand Medicaid!”
“Freedom!” “Justice!” on April 29. The next week 27 people obstructed
entry into the N.C. House of Representatives room. On May 13, 49 people
were booked for violating the law. To date, almost 100 people were
arrested, with more Mondays of protest coming. All those who practiced
civil disobedience, e.g., to get arrested, went to a 3:30 p.m. training
event at Davie St. Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, to learn what to do in
terms of being arrested. Doctors, lawyers, professors, clergy, seminary
leaders, Raging Grannies; able-bodied and those with disabilities;
black, white and Hispanic; old and young; gay, lesbian and straight;
rich and poor; grandparents and young parents; and college and high
school educated. All held their heads high as they were cuffed and led
off the premises by the authorities. Each group of people proudly stood
their ground. I was part of the chorus of support. I came to witness
this proud American tradition of civil disobedience that goes back to
the writings of none other than Henry David Thoreau of “Walden Pond”
fame. I also witnessed the massive show of force of State Troopers and
Capitol Police. The police took pictures of us as we witnessed our
sisters and brothers soon being arrested, taken one by one by large
State Troopers and Capitol Police to a waiting bus outside. Plastic
handcuffs were placed upon all of those who would not move out of the
doorway. “But this is the people’s house!” objected Rev. Vernon Tyson in
his 80s.
What is behind all this? The General Assembly has awakened the silent
majority concerned about the legislative agenda of the Republicans who
are now in power of all branches of government for the first time since
the Civil War. There have been cuts in Medicaid, affecting 500,000
people and their families; cuts in unemployment compensation; cuts in
educational programs from pre-K to universities; and laws loosening gun
control and smoking policies on college campuses. One legislator wanted
to make N.C. a “Christian state.” These changes in policy affect all of
us regardless of race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic background; sex,
gender, sexual orientation; individuals, couples or families. Why
Mondays? This is the first day and hours of the opening of the General
Assembly for the week. The Rev. William Barber and the N.C. NAACP calls
these planned acts of civil disobedience “Moral Mondays,” in which those
of us who object, on moral grounds, the actions of this General
Assembly, are making it clear that we are not consenting to their
draconian laws silently. We are voicing and practicing our
constitutional right to say “No. We disagree and demand to be heard and
have our opinion taken seriously.” What Rev. Barber did was take a
moribund and dispirited, alienated group of Democrats, progressive
voices and independents, and give a sense of urgency that was previously
missing. As an out gay parent, standing alongside, witnessing and
chanting support for justice with the broad spectrum of Carolinians, I
am buoyed at the new sense of esprit de corps. The day before, as I was
driving to Raleigh, a moment of hope in the future was sparked hearing
that Minnesota is now a state where marriage equality rules. As I
chanted later that evening, I believe that we North Carolinians will one
day soon be a state just like Minnesota, with the support of this
diverse, marvelous community gathered together in one voice: “Forward,
Together, Not One Step Back!” : :
Here's the link:
http://goqnotes.com/23296/forward-together-not-one-step-back-moral-mondays-and-north-carolinas-lgbtq-community/
