June 2008 39th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion.

PRIDE IS MORE THAN A TRINKET TRIBE

PRIDE IS ABOUT A REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT AND PEOPLE

June 2008 marks the 39th year after the rebellion at the Stonewall Inn in NYC. This marked the start of the massive LGBT movement in the United states. It was on those nights in June and early July that our people in New York’s Greenwich Village fought back against police harassment, injustice and opperssion that we faced daily. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of this rebellion. It is never too early to reflect on where we as a people have been, where we are now, and where we are going.

Radical left Queer folks need to ask of their “straight” homonormative LGBT sisters and brothers a few questions. We must put these ideas out on the table for all of us to explore. We in QWB believe that what is needed is fundamental change not reformation of the state. If anyone does not believe in the need for such revolutionary change then we must ask ~ Do all people of this country have the following? Universal Health Care, Real Wages that people can live on, Unconditional and Affordable Housing, Equal sharing at the tables of power, Freedom in gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, Right to full immigration across all borders, Full Equality under law, Right to equitable and social distribution of taxes, Freedom from all forms of Religious and political persecution. If we can not answer yes to these very basic ideas then we have a lot of work to do.

We are fully aware that the LGBTI/Queer community does not live in isolation from other communities. We know that war, racism, sexism, poverty, health concerns, youth violence, environmental justice, religious intolerance, racial and ethnic profiling, tax cuts for the wealthy, the slashing of critical programs for the people, attacks on civil liberties and immigrant rights are our issues, our everyday issues. For indeed we are here there and everywhere!

While the assimilationist, mainstream LGBT organizations continue to try to convince the straight majority that “we’re just like them, more and more of our people are left behind. We are not just like the straight majority and are proud of our unique and diverse ways of life. We are not all straight acting/looking, white picket fence, 2 kids, a cat and a dog, SUV driving, Caucasian Lesbian and Gay people. We are not all rich or even a member of the comfortable class.

L & G mainstream organizations try to convince us all that the fight for marriage rights is the only real battle that our people are facing. We look around and answer, that is bull. The more creative amongst us have formed a group called Beyond Marriage and they can be found at www.beyondmarriage.com. Check them out. We find that they are far more in tune with all our people and are one of the legitimate heirs of our early freedom fighters and our struggle.

One doesn’t need to get married in order to get rights. When one fights in that battle as one’s only battle that is really not changing the system–but adapting yourself to the system. Let us work for a just society when the things we need never depend on who we are married to. QWB believes that we must change the system. We try to work towards that goal everyday.

It is in the people’s power to change this Captialist system. People have the power as Patti Smith sings. This is not just a pipe dream but must become a reality when one looks around at what is happening in this country. Capitalism has failed miserabley to meet the needs of many many people. There is a whole world out there struggling right outside our windows and doors and many in the LGBT movement remain blinded to these struggles. We turn our backs on our own stories, on our own people of history past who lead many social movements seeking justice and freedom for all. We must return to the soul of our movement.

As Queers/LGBT people we are a very foolish lot to think that we can stand alone with a one issue platform. We must stand in solidarity with others or we will be picked off one by one. As Queers we must remember and know full well what it is like to be victim’s of witch-hunting and of stereotyping. We know what it is like to be attacked. We must never allow the neo-fascists to terrorize us all into compliance by their filling us full of fear. We must form a broad  base coalition with other fighting oppression and seeking liberation not assimilation. As the old saying goes, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.”

Note: QWB PRIDE statement June, 28, 2008

*Queers Without Borders would like suggestions for events for the coming year to present some of these ideas and others that people come up with out to the general public and to our community.