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Will "Season of Hate" help Bush?

by Save Freedom @ yahoogroups .com (sfbarea [at] yahoogroups.com)
"Winter of Love" leads to "Season of Hate".
04marriage.jpg
Recent U.S. marry-ins, including SF's "Winter of Love", have provoked a fascist backlash -- a "Season of Hate".

In Seattle, around twenty thousand bigots, mobilized by reactionary "Christian" churches, rallied on May Day against equal marriage rights for queers. How clever of the right wing, to promote fascism on a left-wing holiday!

San Francisco recently saw two anti-freedom marches -- the first by Roman Catholic bigots, the second by fundi Protestant bigots. And later, on May Day, gallons of red paint were splashed on The City's LGBT Center, by persons unknown.

Nationwide, state legislatures scramble to put anti-queer constitutional amendments on their November 2 ballots.
Voters will face these choices in at least five states, probably in ten or more. In these states, bigots may be attracted to the polls, thus helping Republicans.

[For an objective analysis, please see:
"Pivotal day for gay marriage in U.S. nears/
Massachusetts move to legalize weddings may intensify backlash in other states,"
by Carolyn Lochhead, S.F. Chronicle, 2 May 2004 ( http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2004/05/02/MNG\
M26EHU81.DTL ) ]

Hate amendments to state constitutions may pass in several states; since most state constitutions are easy to amend.
But to smash same-sex marriage decisively, the fascists would need to change the U.S. Constitution, which is much harder.

At the grass-roots level, most bigots believe they are defending their religion, rather than merely engaging in partisan politics. At a higher level, most corporate executives and professional Republican politicians try to exploit the naive bigots; while secretly hoping that the U.S. Constitution won't actually be amended. Sophisticated Republicans understand that European respect for the U.S. would further decline if a hate amendment were added to our federal Constitution.

Can bigots postpone queer progress toward equal marriage rights, for a decade or two? Maybe. But they can't ban freedom forever, since most younger citizens accept queers as equals. Gradually, as older voters die off, and as younger citizens begin voting, the balance will shift toward freedom and equality. If young Americans began voting at 18, this demographic change would be much faster; but, unfortunately, most won't bother until later in their lives.

This historical crisis, as of May 2004, offers reasons to be optimistic and reasons to be pessimistic --
but it offers no excuse, none at all, for being apathetic.


Tortuga Bi LIBERTY
San Francisco
SaveFreedom [at] yahoogroups.com
3 May 2004, around 11:30PM

P.S. Meanwhile, our struggles continue--



MARRY-IN
and related events
to watch out for:
............
CAL: SF: from now thru 30 June 2004: photo exhibit, "Just Married": San Francisco Exposure Gallery
( http://www.ExposureGallery.org ).
CAL: SF: 2004: book projects, collecting stories from married same-sex couples.
There are at least two competing efforts, so far:
(A) ( http://KarenAndMelody.com/spousesforlife.html ).
(B) (info [at] intelligentobserver.com)
.............

MAY 2004:

USA: May 16, Sunday night: Hold a "house party" to show support for the Massachusetts Marry-In.

USA: May 17, Monday: "National Day of Solidarity Actions" for equal marriage rights,
and against discrimination, bigotry, and racism. Details at EMS (http://www.equalMarriageSolidarity.org).

NEW YORK, upstate: circa May 17: New Paltz, Ulster County (in the Hudson Valley): Defense lawyer for two
Unitarian ministers may file motion to dismiss misdemeanor charges of solemnizing marriages without licenses.

MASS.: circa May 17-18: Massachusetts MARRY-IN begins?

CAL: SF: 16 May, Sunday: Bay to Breakers:
Same-sex couples could wear wedding costumes?
Nudes could have equality and peace symbols painted on their skin?

OREGON: May 18, Tuesday: primary election: including Bruce Broussard, anti-marriage bigot.

OREGON: Seattle (Multnomah County): May 20: Judge Bearden's April 20 order could go into effect today;
unless blocked by a higher court.

CAL: circa May 25: California Supreme Court may hear oral arguments on whether San Francisco
Mayor Gavin Newsom acted illegally when he ordered clerks to issue same-sex marriage licenses
(in "the Winter of Love", February-March). If so, court may rule within 90 days (circa Aug. 23?)

........................

JUNE 2004:

CAL: 6 June: SF, Cable 29: "Outlook" [queer news], first Sunday, 5pm.

OREGON: ___ June: State legislature, in special session on tax reform; might take up same-sex marriage issue.
Fascists want legislature to do their work for them (see July 2).

CAL, northern: June 21: signature deadline for Oakland Cannabis Initiative.

CAL: SF: June 26: Dyke March: Women (past, present, future) can demonstrate for equal marriage rights.
[Men (except transmen) should just watch and applaud the Dyke March.
But all genders can party afterwards, at clothing-optional Pink Saturday, outdoors on Castro Street.
Please donate generously when you enter the party zone, because proceeds benefit charities. ]

CAL: SF: June 27, Sunday: Honor Del & Phyllis in the big queer parade.

USA: circa June 30: Will Bush/Cheney give pseudo-sovereignty to Iraq?
.........................

JULY 2004:

OREGON: July 2: Deadline for fascists to submit signatures for anti-marriage amendment to OR state constitution.

USA (except SF): July 4, Sunday: Dress up in red. white, & blue to show support for the U.S. Marry-In.
Also please wear brown ribbons to protest Bush's BS.

CAL: July 4: San Francisco: Bodypaint for peace & equal rights, at Baker Beach.[http://pages.prodigy.net/seniornude]

CAL: July 4: SF, Cable 29: "Outlook" [queer news], first Sunday, 5pm.

MASS: Boston: July 25, Sunday, starting around 12 noon at Boston Commons: demonstration(s) concerning Democratic Party national convention. Make and bring your own equal-rights signs! Wear brown ribbons? Wear wedding costumes?
For frequent updates, please visit Boston Indymedia
( http://boston.indymedia.org )
.........................
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