Queer DNC Call to Action

Calling all Radical Queers!!!

This is an invitation to organize, to strategize, to create a space where we can be the ones who make real change happen, on our terms.

The Democrats are coming together for a meeting in Boston, July 26-July 29, 2004, to discuss their plan to rid the United States of the powers of Bush. The Democrats keep their power by appeasing the centrists and liberals who are not at all committed to destroying structures of domination and working for liberation. They launch their own attacks on poor people, people of color, women, people with disabilities, and queers, thinly veiled as liberalism and necessary concessions. The Democrats will not be coming together to discuss the need to end the systemic oppression that is rampant throughout US culture. They will also not be coming together to discuss how they can better meet our needs through legislative action or executive order. Rather, they will be coming to Boston for a week of celebrating their own power, having meetings and speeches and dinners where they can stroke their egos and know that they will get votes simply because they are "anyone but Bush." This isn't about who you're going to vote for or if you're going to vote. This is about the lack of choices in a racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-poor, ablist, anti-queer culture and what we are going to do about it.

The DNC will happen because the Democrats want it to, not because there is a commitment to listening to anyone who is not already a part of the convention. We need to have a space where we can talk for real about what sort of change we actually want to see, and how we can make it happen.

This is a love letter to radical queers: we want you here. There is already so much going on here during the DNC, forums and protests and conversations, and we want to tap into that. But we also want to make more, to figure out together what we want and then to make it happen. We are a few committed, excited, radical kids who are going to be in Boston and we want you to come join us. So if there are workshops that you want to attend or want to give, discussions you think need to happen, actions you want to organize--do it! Or let us know so we can try to help make it happen by using the resources already in Boston. Tell us what you want to see, or what you want to give, and we will try to pull it all together.

So we are putting this call out not because we want a bunch of queers in the street trying to shut down the convention, although people can definitely do that (and it would definitely be hot). We are doing this because we want radical / anarchist queers, trannies, dykes, fags, genderqueers, and anyone else who is committed to ending systems of oppression to come to Boston at the same time as the democratic demigods and figure out what *we* want to do next. There are so many ways to show dissent--makeout parties in the streets & wheelchair blockades & late-night conspiracies & organizing our own communities & being in real solidarity & taking care of each other & raising radical kids & trusting each other & honestly talking about what happens now. We want to live this resistance, and we want to do it with you.

Contact us at queersatthednc [at] riseup.net with workshop proposals, housing needs, communiques,ideas or questions. Email queersatthednc-subscribe [at] lists.riseup.net to join the email list.