ACTION: STOP THE STATE’S ANTI-GAY AGENDA!
When: Wednesday, March 2, @ 4:00-6:00pm
Location: Downtown Nashville, @ the Capitol
(Charlotte Avenue facing Legislative Plaza)
Organizer: Tennessee Guerilla Women
Contact: guerillawomentn@yahoo.com
Tennessee legislators are scheming to outlaw adoption by gays, foster parenting by gays, gay civil unions, and gay marriage. What’s next? A bill to outlaw the gay vote?
As many as twelve separate bills have been filed by our elected 'representatives' – all aimed at depriving one minority group of rights that most American citizens take for granted.
On what planet is this viewed as something other than blatant discrimination?
I hope to see many of you at the Capitol today to protest the legislature's blatant agenda of discrimination against the GLBT community. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Some of our legislators would be right at home in the days of Jim Crow.
Our Governor is no better. He has consistently failed to speak up even though it’s generally known that he is better than this. Apparently, politics turns good men into shameful men.
Today’s demonstration is our chance to remind some of our so-called Democratic Representatives that Davidson County is a BLUE county (you'd never know it by most of their votes). It's also our chance to tell the nation that Tennessee is NOT really a state full of bigoted yahoos. Again, you’d never know it by the actions of many of our elected 'representatives.'
I am especially disheartened by the failure of our Democratic Governor to stand up and condemn the actions of our out-of-control legislature. People say he has gay/lesbian friends, some who have even adopted children, yet he refuses to do the morally right thing and speak out against the legislature’s agenda of blatant discrimination.
Studies find that when lawmakers act to deny rights to gays and lesbians, the result is stress, anxiety, depression and alienation in the GLBT community. Studies might also find an increase in prejudice among the public and an increase in hate crimes.
Regardless of whether all or some of the legislature’s anti-gay agenda becomes law, the fear and distrust provoked by the actions of our elected ‘representatives’ will have consequences.
As a young lesbian friend reports, even in the best of times, she has to hide her identity in the workplace and is forced to listen in silence as her fellow workers express hatred for lesbian and gay citizens. We are now in the worst of times, and thanks are largely due to our ‘leaders.’
Senator Black says her anti-gay agenda is what the people want. When did legislators decide that it was their job to follow the worst among us, rather than lead? There was a time when the people wanted racial segregation. Then, as now, precious few lawmakers had the courage to lead rather than follow the misguided and bigoted will of some of the people.
The justification for the legislature’s anti-gay agenda is perhaps best summed up by Republican Senator Jeff Miller. “They could come to Tennessee and claim rights. That’s what I’m afraid of."
Imagine that, American citizens coming to Tennessee and thinking they might have rights.
Then, there is the statement by Democratic Rep. Nathan Vaughn: ''Scripturally, civil unions are an abomination under the sight of God.'' I wouldn’t let either of these men pet-sit my dog, yet, here they are making the laws of the land.
Shame on the Tennessee General Assembly, and shame on Governor Phil Bredesen. I voted for the Governor. I thought his mother taught him better. Did any of our elected ‘representatives’ have mothers?
Out & About has a story about today’s demonstration, and Channel 2 has mentioned it. They got the day wrong, but hey, at least THEY are trying. I'll have a story up here on the TN Guerilla Women blog about how the demonstration goes, and I'll include a look at the media coverage, or lack thereof.
My sincere thanks to all of you for your help in getting the word out. None of us can do this alone. We, who care about justice and equality for all, are being hit from all directions in these perilous times, but I am encouraged (and less depressed) by the good and honorable work of the ever-growing progressive community here in Tennessee. I continue to believe that the people of Tennessee are not as backward and bigoted as are their 'leaders.'
Progressives are not really out-numbered in Tennessee, we are merely out-organized. That’s something we can and will change.