March at home: Saturday

by Matt | November 12th, 2008 |

On Monday I wrote about my opposition to any renewed movement to organize a national March on Washington. I said then:

Our American-style Democracy isn’t easy. Things will get worse before they get better. A feel-good, resource-draining, ineffective March on Washington will do nothing to push us forward. Now isn’t the time for circuit parties and Pride parades. If you want to take to the streets, tap into that righteous indignation and march at home. There you’ll change hearts and minds. That’s where you’ll make a difference. Do it in D.C. and no one will care.

Other folks get that message. Protests around the country have spontaneously sprung up through the efforts of JoinTheImpact.com. In North Carolina alone there are six planned protests: Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Greenville, Raleigh and Wilmington.

There is more power in hundreds (maybe thousands) of people gathered in their local communities (where decisions that impact our equality are being made right now) than any gathering in D.C., no matter how large.

As I said Monday, no piece of anti-gay legislation has passed at the federal level in the past 12 years. I doubt any ever will, especially with a Democratic Congress and president. It’s at the state level — in 30 of the 50 — where constitutional amendments have made us second-class citizens. Changing hearts and mind at home is best achieved by grassroots organizing at home.

I’ll be at the N.C. Equality Conference and Gala in Durham on Saturday, but Q-Notes has (or will have) arranged to have reports and photos filed from each of North Carolina’s protest events. I hope you’ll join in on the one closest to your home:

N.C. Prop. 8 protests…

Asheville, NC 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Organizer: UNC-Asheville Students for a Democratic Society, uncasds@gmail.com
Location: Pritchard Park (triangle made by Patton Ave., Haywood St. and College St.)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44403390814

Charlotte, NC 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Organizer: Braxton Midgett
Location: Charlotte City Hall, 600 E. Trade St., Charlotte, NC
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34961921844

Greensboro, NC 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Organizer: Mike Gilbert
Location: Melvin Municpal Building, 300 W. Washington St., Greensboro, NC
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34500069010

Greenville, NC 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Organizers:
Nykole & Angie
sn_hotaling@yahoo.com, girlmarine21@aol.com
252-814-0161, 252-414-0731
Location: Pitt County Court House, 100 W. 3rd St. Greenville, NC

Raleigh, NC 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Organizer: Will Elliott, ncagainsth8@gmail.com
Location: Pending permitting
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=46087994571

Wilmington, NC 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Organizer: Mary Eller, meller3@ec.rr.com
Location: City Hall/Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St. (corner of 3rd and Chestnut).

Posted in LGBT, Politics, United States |
Tags: Civil Rights, Marriage Equality