Since the passage of proposition 8 in California last week, the LGBT community has suddenly started protesting. In mostly peaceful protests, thousands of LGBT supporters around the country have held rallies protesting the mormon church and the laws against marriage.
I am gay, opposed proposition 8, and support these protesters; however, I have one question. Where were these protests 4 years ago, where were they 2 weeks ago?
Why did the LGBT community wait until after they lost the election to get angry? Why are we as a community so apathetic? We have terrible leadership within the LGBT community. Our leaders do not listen to our community, they do not listen to our priorities, and they do not know how to get the word out.
For most of the LGBT community marriage is fourth or fifth on our priorities. Right after employment discrimination, hate crimes, HIV, and police profiling. Why are we trying to fight the hard fight before winning the small victories and gaining momentum? Why are we unable to accept civil unions for the time being while we work on the bigger issues than marriage?
Also, why are we protesting the church. We are not going to change the opinion of the church, it is not worth our time, and it may even hurt our cause. Instead, let us focus on the lawmakers and civic centers whose mind we might actually change and allow us to win some of these small victories. We need to change the target of our anger and we need to change our focus. And we need to protest when we are trying to win, not after we have already lost.
Join the protests at your city hall this Saturday at 1:30 Eastern this Saturday 11/15. www.jointheimpact.com.