Hey Y'all from North Carolina

[Rick336]

I'm Rick from North Carolina. I been reading a lot lately about SoulForce in internet news articles and in the Advocate. Wow! It sounds like y'all have been busy.

I was born and raised in North Carolina living here all but nine years of my life when I lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1973 to 1982.

I've been active in the gay rights movement since the summer of 1977 when Anita Bryant first began her crusade against a gay rights ordinance in Dade County, Florida. I attended my first protest when Anita came to Minneapolis that summer to preform at the opening of a fruit company. One thousand of us shouted and protested in the rain outside the entrance of the business. It's hard to believe that was nearly 30 years ago. I was just 25 then.

In 1978 I worked with the St. Paul Citizens for Human Rights in St. Paul, Minnesota to help keep the city's gay rights ordinance from being rescinded by the voters. A group called Citizens Concerned for Morality forced it to a vote. The ordinance was repealed by 3 to 1 on April 25, 1978.

In 1979 I was a marshall at the very first National March for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Washington DC on October 14. That same year I helped lobby lawmakers in St. Paul to do away with the states sodomy laws.

In 1982 I moved back to my home in North Carolina to work in my family's business.

At the second national march in 1987 I was part of a group of 60 gays and lesbians that were arrested in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington. The protest was against the court's refusal to rule against sodomy laws.

In 1993 I was part of the third March on Washington where nearly one million attended. But since then I have become involved in other personal projects un-related to GLBT rights. I did not attend the 2000 march in DC.

However, lately I have become alarmed at the recent vicious anti-gay attackes by right-wing religious organizations. Groups like the American Family Association and the Family Research Council are relentless in their blantant lies and misinformation about the GLBT community. The ugly hatred from so many so called "Christian" organizations is truely unbelievable. It borders on mass paranoia.

I was very impressed with the Equality Riders tour across America. This action by 33 brave young Americans to help change the hearts and minds of college students and administrators across the country demonstrated a great sense of responsibility and self-respect. I was moved by their determination and courage.

And, an article by Editor Bruce C. Steele in the May 9th issue of the Advocate has also persuaded me to get more involved. He says, "This issue's cover story on the Equality Riders offers an unequivocal wake-up call: Get out there or get out of the way."

So now at age 54 I'm back in the fight. And SoulFroce feels like a great place to start.

I'm glad to be here.

Rick

[awediot]

hey ya Rick,

only other member on line so glad to be the first to say welcome... Sounds like you're the trailblazer whose been busy... Feel I ought to thank you for alot of the rights and extended comfort zone I take for granted... You'll enjoy this site. it is very supportive, active and infuriating at the same time... just as it should be. look forward to new incites and instigators...

awediot (Dean)

Anita Bryant like Anita hole in the head...

[Rick336]

Thanks for the warm welcome and your kind words Dean.

[schoolboi]

Rick! So glad you are here. We need your drive and passion! Let's get er done!

[dewdrop_world]

Hey! I lived in Durham 1993-2003 for grad school + a couple of years in the work force. I have a lot of fond memories there.

Welcome!
James

[Zerbie]

Hiya Rick!

You are one of my heros!!!!

When I was a little girl I was in awe of activists like you and couldn't wait to be old enough to join ya. (But by the time I was old enough I was partially brainwashed and too scared to jump into activism, tho I tried out a few meetings and lectures, I didn't participate in any way til after college.)

Like you, I spent some years living my life, involved in other pursuits. Would have continued, but the whole election cycle of 2004 (amendments, "moral values" spin) happened, and I was online the next morning researching my statewide gay rights group, signing up with them, so on, so forth.

Just went on my first march in January - had desperately wanted to go on the march on Washington in 1993 (several friends were going and all I had to do was say "Could you take one more person with you?") but I was too afraid - not of the march itself, but of being openly and politically associated with gay rights. It was too scary back then. Regretted it immediately and ever since. So when a local organization organized a small scale march to our state Capitol building this January, I cancelled all other plans and jumped to the front of the line.

Soulforce sounds like a perfect fit for you. I hope you will come back often and lend your voice to our discussions. I for one am very happy to have you here!

Welcome!!!

Zerbie

[Lydia]

Welcome, Rick.

[Rick336]

Thanks for the welcome, y'all.

Zerbie,

I'm glad you finally got to march to your state capital. There's talk of a march on Washington for GLBT rights in 2008. If it happens, you definitely need to go. It's an incredible experience.

Rick336

[Jennifer5]

Welcome! Glad to have you here! We need more people like you around here!

[Mia14]

It's always good to see someone who's had a bit of experience with what we're trying to do. I'm glad to see you join our site and I hope to see more from you on the forums!