Martin Luther King Jr. has communicated to millions in his “Letter from Birmingham Jail” that, “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” Those who hear “Wait!” are promised that, given sufficient time, justice will be done, wrongs will be corrected, and equality will abound to everyone everywhere just the same. Yet, present dire circumstances are oft-neglected in the process of “Wait!” It may be said that the call to patience in the political sphere is a tool by the ruling majority to pacify the minority who are demoralized by inequality. Though some will call advocates for immediate change rebels or rabble-rousers who see no need for civilized political processes, these “voices that cry in wilderness” are seeking real solutions to real injustices not someday but today. To retard the march of justice, for whatever political advantage, is to halt it in its tracks. However, to throw an issue down the gauntlet without calculation, technique, and well-timed maneuvering may be impractical and ineffective in attaining ultimate ends. Truly, the tension between the immediacy of justice-doing on the one hand and the patience required for optimum political stratagem on the other is perennial.

Given that “freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed,” waiting is a ruse by those reluctant to advance equality. Justice cannot too speedily be delivered. Yet, the demands cannot be sloppily presented, and the timing must be finessed. How, then, do we reconcile the need to be skillful in timing and persuasion in order to achieve equality with the immediacy of the need for equality?

On Wednesday we met with a legislator who defended his vote in the negative for Assemblyman O’Donnell’s marriage equality bill citing political inopportunity as his justification. Although he personally supports marriage equality, he did not vote for the legislation because he saw his vote as inconsequential, and he was biding his time to make such a controversial stand, in a district where 80% oppose, when it would have the greatest impact. The members of the Right to Marry Campaign, South Bus, expressed the need for immediate change in NY on the issue, indicating in no uncertain terms that the needs of same-gender families require an instantaneous invitation to the institution of marriage. The American Pediatrics Society has come out publicly in support of marriage equality, asserting that children need the protections and benefits of civil marriage. These families exist, and need these federal and state entitlements immediately; waiting for a politically opportune time to protect them is absurd. The legislator maintained that he supports bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender (BGLT) rights (including marriage rights), yet believes that he is in no position to “come out” with this position at the present time. However, he declared, that at some future time the climate will be ripe for his decision to favor marriage equality, and at that time he will make good on his promise.

How can we, who have waited for so many years to have the equal treatment under the law that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees, sit in the office of an ally of marriage equality and accept its deferment? Is this truly an ally of marriage equality, or someone who has invented a creative argument to appease the dissenting and wronged minority into silence? Granted, how the case is made is important, but the timing is never better to extend rights to a suspect classification of people than the present. Therefore, when speaking in terms of redressing the injustice perpetuated on a minority, in this case extending marriage to include all couples who have been so excluded, political strategy can never be used as an excuse for failing to vote according to what is known is right.

When speaking about direct-action campaigns against discrimination, Dr. King asserts that no decision to advance civil rights is “well timed.” How easy it is for those who have all of the joys of marriage to beseech the minority to wait with patience for the prime moment when, usually when it is convenient for the lawmaker and the opportunity costs are at their lowest, to vote for justice to prevail. The BGLT community must rise up together, with eloquence, intelligence, grace, and earnestness and immediately demand nothing less than civil marriage. This is a matter of conscience and morality. The legislative branch of the government did not wait for the majority of Americans to affirm racial equality when it passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – this decision was an ethical imperative. Likewise, the legislative branch of NY must not balk at their duty to vote in favor of marriage equality. We shall not wait for a “more convenient season.” We consider this assemblyman’s “Lukewarm acceptance… [as] much more bewildering than outright rejection,” (in Dr. King’s words) and ask him to stand with resolute moral posture for marriage equality. Time can never be used as “an ally of the forces of social stagnation,” rather, “…time is always ripe to do right.” May the lawmakers of New York make haste to do right and vote for marriage equality.

Go to:

http://www.rocklandworldradio.com/program/johnshields/

Then click on the link underneath:

07/23/07 ‘Guest Matthew Nelson, discussing civil rights’

I have been looking forward to New Paltz and Poughkeepsie since the formation of the Central Route because there is a long history of activism for marriage equality. Back in 2004 then-mayor Jason West presided over and affirmed dozens of marriages, joined by some strong pastors in the area.  The state took action against all of them for taking the stand that all couples deserve legal and social recognition.

So this was weekend to step into a long history and be humbled and learn from local advocates.  We stayed at Christ Episcopal Church, a glorious old building from the 1800’s where Reverend Blake Ryder welcomed us whole-heartedly.  One element of this campaign that I like is the community engagement from the intimate level of sharing meals to the sleeping arrangements on church floors to the coffee shop conversations.  We are not isolated from those who live here in New York every day and have been and will continue to be advocates.  We open ourselves up to new and deeper relationships when we walk down the street from the church to take a shower at Harvey and Mary’s century-old home.

We hosted a picnic in a park in New Paltz for anyone and everyone who cares about this issue to come be a part of the conversation.  I had hoped that someone opposed or undecided on the issue would bring their questions to Hasbrouck Park, but we were joined mostly by LGBT families, some pastors (gay and straight), coupled priests, college students, and Mayor Terry Dungan.  Speaking of history, Frank and Nino, the upstarts of the first college-based LGBT support group, the Student Homophile Leauge at Columbia University, also joined us.

I enjoyed meeting the mayor, as we did in Binghamton, because there is a level of frankness and personal conviction that is allowed into the conversation.  Dungan was as supportive of this cause as Mayor Matthew Ryan in Binghamton, and was interested to learn about what we are learning about ourselves as people and as advocates on this campaign.

Later in the afternoon, we borrowed some space from the New Paltz Cultural Collective to show the documentary “Freedom to Marry,” and have a Q&A.  The conversation took an interesting turn as we zoomed the lens outward from the specific issue of marriage equality to speak of institutions and how close one must become to that institution in order to change it. This came out of a conversation about assimilation versus affirmation and what it means to be “queer.”

I came down on the side of joining.  If one maintains integrity, I think becoming a part of a system in order to change it by living one’s truth within it can be very powerful.  For example, do you work on ending Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell if you do not like what the military is doing at any particular moment?  At the end of the day, I think it comes down to whether you are an optimist or a pessimist.  Do you commit to loving something enough to change it, or do you write it off and insulate yourself from it?

At the age of 25, still and idealist, still full of energy, I come down on the side of remaining committed to change.  I do not want to start dividing up society, building boundaries between myself and certain institutions….there is not enough fencing in the world to build enough separation.  I still dream of all the institutions and systems and people who create them fashioning a community.  Expansive thinking is essential to my ability to continue as an activist because it is my source of hope.

Sunday morning began as many Sundays do, in a church. Our Canton hosts graciously took us to their local United Methodist church. After our daily ritual of Dunkin Donuts coffee, we went back to Dan’s to prepare for the afternoon pot luck. Local supporters came out to hear our stories, ask questions, and find their own ways to get involved. A PFLAG mom shared her concerns of whether her daughter’s union will be legally recognized. All of the residents seemed very energized by the Walk A Mile In My Shoes idea and I’m confident Senate Majority Leader Bruno can be expecting a few more pairs!

As we travel across the state, one thing continues to strike me: normalcy. As I walk into each new house that we stay in, I feel as if I’m walking into my own family’s home. Framed pictures line the walls, children’s artwork hangs on the refrigerator. I wonder what the marriage equality opponents would say while standing in these homes. Would they see the destruction of the institution of marriage or the enrichment of it? I have to imagine it would be the latter.

I am constantly inspired by the men and women of New York that I met along the way and grateful for the excellent model of commitment and marriage which they have modeled for me, even in the absence of legal recognition.

By Meg Sneed

This morning we packed up our belongings from our “home” in Plattsburgh and headed on a scenic drive to Lake Placid. When we arrived in town the streets where lined with people who were in town for the Ironman that was taking place that weekend in Lake Placid. We picked up a wedding cake and headed to main street in our “Do you believe in Marriage? I do.“ t-shirts and picked a spot near the water to start handing out wedding cake. With the cake we also handed out literature that explained the importance of Gay Marriage and how for us Marriage is not “A piece of cake”. Because it was iron man weekend giving away cake turned out to be a little more difficult than we first imagined, but even when people where unwilling to take a piece of cake they often took literature and were open to dialog with us.

We found that there were a lot of Canadians in town many of whom where shocked that in the U.S. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Americans do not have equal marriage rights. There was a man who walked by and said that he would take a piece of cake because he had voted yes on the bill, and it turned out to be an Assemblyman of the 121st district Al Stirpe. There was a mother and a daughter who stated that because of the Bible they could not be for Marriage Equality and they had an at length discussion with Brian and Matt about the Bible and homosexuality. We also spoke to many New Yorkers including two straight couples with young children who stated that they saw Marriage Equality as a Civil Rights Issue.

At the end of our day in Lake Placid we gave away 100 pieces of cake and handed out literature and started the conversation about Marriage Equality with New Yorkers, Canadians, and Americans from across the United States. From here we will be headed to Canton, New York.

Originally written by Cat Forrester

We left Albany and headed to Fort Edward to meet with Assemblyman Roy McDonald. However, he was not available to speak with us, so we spoke with his chief of staff, Mark Luciano. It was a fairly frustrating meeting, as Mark assured us that he understood and respected our cause, but still suggested that we should take a different tactic, faulting “touchy-feely” reasons, such as the relationship component of marriage, for the failure of the bill to be heard in the Senate or strongly supported in the Assembly. He also urged us to understand that while our struggle was totally valid, the political process and “the system” were working against us and offered to help advise us on how to improve our campaign.

We tried to convey to Mr. Luciano that the mission of Soulforce Q and of the Right to Marry Campaign is not solely to encourage the passage of this bill, but rather to talk to New Yorkers about marriage equality, and to change the hearts and minds of those opposed to equality in New York State.

Meeting with Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward in Glens Falls was a welcome follow-up to our meeting at Assemblyman McDonald’s office. Sayward was one of only four Republicans to vote yes on the marriage equality bill, and the only Republican co-sponsor. We brought her a vase of flowers in shades of purple and pink to show our appreciation of her support. She spoke to us about her gay son and shared her conviction that once you accept the premise that being GLBT is not a choice, it becomes clear that marriage equality is a civil rights issue and not a moral or religious issue. Meeting with her was both encouraging and inspiring.

After leaving Assemblywoman Sayward’s office, we piled in the van and headed to Plattsburgh, where we would be staying at the house of Jen and Staci and their daughter Amelia, who were offering up their home to us although they were out of town. Their friend Amanda let us into the house, pointing out the vegetable garden and the cat, O’Malley. Their house is beautiful and charming, and we have been infused with a new passion to help people like Staci, Jen and Amelia to be able to protect their family.

By Rob Fojtik

We met with Republican Assemblywoman Janet Duprey in Plattsburgh today, who had voted against marriage equality when Gov. Spitzer’s bill was up for a vote. She’s a good friend of Assemblywoman Sayward, and at the time of the vote, she was extremely torn on the issue. After the bill passed the lower house, she was quoted in a local newspaper as being completely for some legal recognition of same-sex relationships, such as civil unions, but said she would need more education on the issue of marriage per se.
Since that vote, she has been called, written to, and visited by many on the side of equality, and it seems she may be more educated if the bill is reintroduced in 2009 (it can still be voted on in the Senate in 2008 before it has to be reintroduced in the Assembly). She cited the American Academy of Pediatrics report on same-sex child rearing, in which the importance of marriage is extolled, as a major influence in her reconsideration of marriage equality. She wouldn’t promise a vote “yes” if there is a next time, but I think it is safe to say she will make a better-informed decision.
After meeting with Ms. Duprey, the Unitarian Universalists of Plattsburgh hosted us for a potluck barbeque and a showing of the documentary “I Can’t Marry You.” There was a pretty good turn out, and plenty of discussion. We left them with some buttons and some literature to pass out to their friends, and with any luck, people will keep this important discussion about equality going.

By now we are a few days into the New York Right to Marry campaign. With grassroots activism comes limited resources and internet isn’t a top priority. Luckily we’ve been blessed with houses and churches who have internet to share and here in Plattsburg, we found a great coffee shop–Koffee Kat–to sit in and work while talking with locals and of course, drinking some coffee!

I sat down with a few RtM participants before we departed Albany to talk about why marriage matters. Here’s what they have to say:

Today was the first day we met with legislators. It was a very busy day. For the past two days, a very generous man named Andy opened his home, heart, and spirit to us, as we stayed there in Rochester with him. We left early this morning because we had a 9:15 breakfast in Albion. We met with a few constituents for breakfast before our meeting with Assemblyman Stephen Hawley. One of the constituents help me set up an interview with a local newspaper about our visit. The more GLBT visibility in that area, the better. A lot of the constituents were straight allies, and it was really interesting to see the issue from a different angle.

Assemblyman Stephen Hawley was our first official meeting so far. Though he voted NO in the NY Assembly, he says he personally supports marriage equality for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Hawley says he only votes based on what his constituents want him to do, though he has never done a poll of Albion residents on this issue, like he has on others. Assemblyman Crystal Peoples was next and she supports marriage equality and voted YES. She says that her job is to interpret “man’s law”, and not “God’s law”. She is very strong in her faith, and believes it is not for anyone to decide what basic rights a person can or cannot have, even if she doesn’t agree with it personally. Finally, we met with Senator Antoine Thompson. This meeting was one of the best. He doesn’t understand why equal marriage rights is such a big deal because it’s just common sense; he voted YES and has our support 100%. We are currently at an empty apartment in Buffalo preparing for our actions in Buffalo and Niagara Falls. A local pastor was extremely generous in letting us use her property for these four nights.

We spent our last day in Albany at the Saratoga County Fair, where we were met with a variety of reactions to our presence there. I spoke with several people who were entirely behind civil unions but took issue with the word “marriage.” Others refused entirely to talk with me because they were religious, while a few were totally behind the fight for marriage equality. I think we got a pretty good idea of what we should expect in the next week and a half in the North Country, and I am very excited by the challenge of changing people’s hearts and minds about my right to marry.
We also had the privilege of talking to a very nice computer engineer in the U.S. Marines who was there at the recruitment booth. I was reading a brochure on enlisting, and when she asked if I was interested in joining, I told her about my attempt to enlist in the Army Reserve last summer with Soulforce’s Right to Serve campaign. She personally had no objection to serving alongside an otherwise able college graduate, but unfortunately, the military is not a democracy; despite the overwhelming willingness of a majority of service members to work with openly gay and lesbian soldiers, the federal government continues to jeopardize the safety of our troops by overworking them and perpetuates the myth that gays and lesbians are inferior in combat (N.B. an estimated 65,000 servicemembers live in silence but fight with the best of our country’s best, according to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network).
We’ve compiled a list of some of our experiences below, some very positive and validating of our trip, others more challenging. Regardless, our stop at the fair definitely got people talking, and we did manage to get out some information to an area generally uninformed on LGBT issues.
-Rob Fojtik

Where Soulforce Q goes, questions follow. Maybe we bring them on ourselves. It’s as if we wear shirts that read, “Do you believe in marriage? I do.” on purpose to draw attention to ourselves.
We wore these shirts to the Saratoga County Fair to see what kinds of conversations we could stir up amongst the oxen and tractors and found that not all are ready to shake our hands but many are willing to wink on the sly or send a thumbs-up from across the ferris wheel.
This is Soulforce Q’s first civil disobedience-free campaign. As a co-director of the 2007 Equality Ride, I became used to my phone ring as an alarm call for Riders in jail or distress; this is not what I expected to hear on our first day out and about in the North Country.
By the time Alexey and I arrived on the ’scene’ our Riders had been asked to stop handing out literature to people who ask for it. We were also told that we could not pursue conversation. Cat asked if we were allowed to wear our shirts and as the security chief contemplated his response, I provided a ‘yes’ and asked that we leave the station. Soon after, Rob said that he was going to stash his literature in his pocket and the security chief suggested that we throw it away. Rest assured that no literature was thrown away today! Like our rights, I try to keep educational resources OUT of the trash.
-Katie Higgins

Today we met a woman who has been married for 43 years, and is a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She told us a story about a family friend who is with her partner, and together they had raised an adopted child, as well as a biological child. She was unsure how their relationship was affected by New York not allowing them the right to marry. She was unaware of the costs of a second parent adoption and the long legal process through which a same-gender couple must go. She was also unaware of the inability to visit a sick partner in a time of crisis. After speaking with her, she wished us well on our journey and fight for marriage equality.
-Meg Sneed

One of the most rewarding parts of today was the affirming people we met, especially the ones who took us by surprise. A woman running one of the games at the Saratoga County Fair told us about her gay brother and took a button. On our way out, the sheriffs at their booth asked us to take a survey, but instead ended up asking us about our t-shirts. We were asked to tell all of the sheriffs about the Right to Marry campaign.
On our way out after enlisting a young woman to take our picture outside of the fairgrounds, another young woman approached us to ask for a button for herself and her mother. Despite the rain and some frustration at the earlier attempts by the county fair officials to prevent us from talking to people, the fair was a rewarding experience for me because it showed me that people were really genuinely interested and that our visibility here is important.
-Cat Forrester

A woman working at a concessions stand handed us our chips, winked and said, “By the way, I really appreciate your matching shirts”…
The high school students working as parking attendants at the fair came up to us and asked about our T-shirts. They were excited about our presence there and asked if there was anything they could do. It was great to see them directing traffic with Right to Marry buttons on their rain ponchos!
-Alexey Bulokhov

At the Saratoga County Fair, I was pleasantly surprised with the mostly positive response regarding marriage equality from people in attendance. I mostly talked to older people, parents and grandparents, with mixed results. As a person who works with children, however, my real interest is in the youth. So, as rewarding as those conversations were, it was at the end of the fair that I felt the most fulfilled, when a teenage girl approached me and wanted Soulforce Q Right to Marry pins for herself and her mother. Knowing that she and her family appreciated that we were there and the work we were doing gave me a sense of the impact of our presence at their country fair. Later in the evening I found out that other teenagers at the fair had noticed our presence and called a local LGBT youth leader to explain how excited they had been to see us and that they wanted to get involved with our campaign. As a result of our presence at the fair, a couple of 18 year-olds who saw us there will be accompanying us tomorrow to talk to their representatives!
-Kalil Cohen