What next? Is it time to protest AGAIN?

When I look back on those crazy days in November when this blog (and its writers) joined forces with the people that would become IMPACT CINCINNATI, all I can remember were the approximate one hour a day of sleep I was getting and the constant state of panic we existed in... and I wonder: jesus, do we have to do this again? :-)

But, since then, a lot has changed.

At the time, we were just protesting the passage of Proposition 8. In the last six months, a shitton of stuff has gone on -- Vermont, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York, Maine, Don't Ask Don't Tell, and now the reconfirmation of Proposition 8... and I think we have seen a lot of true grassroots energy arise out of those November 11th protests. I'm not saying it wouldn't be there had JoinTheImpact not happened; I'm just saying that, at least from a local experience, we are definitely seeing new leaders and new energy arise that just wasn't there before.

And the question leaves us: what next? What do we do now? We've made huge strides in six months in small-ish states, lost a big battle in the biggest state, and gotten almost no where federally (except to pass the Matthew Shepard Act but... when is the Senate going to take that one up?). Is it time to press? Is it time to move? Is it time to scream, again?

Apparently people think so. Two new protests movements have popped up on the web, and they are starting to grow thanks to the California Supreme Court ruling this week:

• March For Equality -- June 28th. Styled after the November rallies, the Grassroots Equality Network is asking local activists to take up the cause again and rally for equality across the country. Why June 28th? Why, duh... it's the 40th anniversary of Stonewall -- OF COURSE! :-)
• March on Washington -- October 10/11. Cleve Jones, founder of the NAMES Project (think: AIDS Quilt) is calling for a weekend long protest in Washington, DC. The central message: “Full Equality Now - full and equal protection under the law for LGBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states.” Let's stop settling for fractions of equality. Every compromise undermines our humanity. We must declare our equality.

I'm always down for a good protest. There's a lot of work happening right now, whether it's written about or not -- there is some local interests getting piqued and we certainly are throwing our time, energy, and available resources behind EHEA right now -- and I think the stronger we seem and the more we come together as one, the more people will listen. It will be fun... as I think, this time, we have a list of demands ... we have specifics ... now all we need is some sort of manifesto and one great, glorious, fabulous moment where we can scream "EQUALITY NOW."

Let's hope the cameras are rolling... other wise the revolution won't be televised, it'll be blogged. Here. And that's an unfortunate revolution :-).

I know there are rumblings about Cincinnati getting involved... but I'll keep you up to date as decisions are made.