thomascwaters.com

Yesterday, I wrote:

how are we going to position our needs so that always and through out his entire presidency, we are demanding attention for actions that will be good for us, and thereby good for everyone

And since then, I’ve been feeling like I need to go further with that statement. As I sat down this morning to write, and read over all that I wrote yesterday, I think I need to elaborate for 2 reasons, so here goes.

The first is easy, I hope. My point of the blog post was to point out that action within our government system will not come because one person, like the President will make it all happen, but rather because we all demand that change, and seek it by full participation in the democratic process. “Full participation” to me means getting involved at all times and in ways, and not just silently casting a vote.  If every GLBTQ person was calling, writing, and meeting with their elected official and asking those officials to do the right thing, we would see change. So few people actually follow through and the elected officials get tons and tones of angry hateful communications from those who are anti-gay, and do not hear from us.

This needed communication is not about firing off a quick email. That will merely be lost in the thousands of emails the elected officials already receive.  But an actual snail-mail letter or better yet, a visit/meeting with the elected official- that will be the right way to go.

The second point may or may not be a harder one to make, and I’m framing it as “equal rights or special rights.” Those things that GLBTQ’s are seeking, must be demanded in a way where it is clear how they are about Equality, and not just about gay rights. By this I do not mean that we need to hide or downplay how they impact gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender people, but rather, how laws that protect us, strengthen us, our families, our communities, in ways that are good for everyone, all families and all communities.

For example protection from discrimination for transgender persons. This is important not just for transfolk, but because transfolk are everywhere, in every community, the community is stronger with these protections. The missing piece is often visibility, and the radical right works to demonize and capitalize by fear mongering. Framing the issue in the ways that these laws benefit the whole and relate to our key values f equality help battle the demonization of some.

The flip side to this is to articulate the ways in which change impacts real people and real lives. In the marriage equality battle, the issue needs to be framed in terms of real lives. How will allowing two men and two women to marry- how will that  impact your marriage and your life? It is easy for most anyone to get caught up in some distant generalized rhetoric about redefining marriage.  But when you come down to it and ask, how will my (same-sex) marriage to my partner really change your marriage to your (opposite sex) partner,  or your everyday life? answers change. The fear mongering appeals for what will happen can then be shown for what they are- empty fear tactics. I don’t mean to suggest that it will all be easy, but a change in the way things are framed can make a difference.