Today’s news of the demise of The Washington Blade made me think of how the paper evolved over the years. I recalled that it was sort of like a non-mainstream radical newspaper when I first came across it. That in turn reminded me of the Washington Blade’s coverage of a Queer Nation protest against sodomy laws in DC years ago.
Back in 1991, sodomy was still illegal in DC and Councilperson Wilhelmina Rolark was standing in the way of the repeal. A group called Queer Nation protested outside of her Southeast DC home singing vulgar Christmas carols. Her husband came out of the house and allegedly assaulted some protesters. I remember Channel 9 news showing censored footage of the protest. The only words I would make out of this parody of “12 days of Christmas” was “4 sweaty dicks”. I have to get the lyrics to this song.
Activist Franklin E. Kameny supported this Christmas protest with a letter to the now defunct Washington Blade. Here is just an excerpt from this letter.
Rolark has declared war upon Gays. It has been well said that “All’ s fair in love and war.” Once that war declaration has occurred, all countermeasures of every possible description are justified. Excluding only acts which are violent to persons or destructive to personal property, absolutely any tactics whatever are justified and we should stop at nothing.
The whole action was absolutely appropriate! There is no way to paraphrase “The Twelve Days of Christmas” which will rationally give religious offense. And Rolark is offending and trashing all D.C. Gays, and therefore everything about her, including her religion, should be trashed to the best of our ability to do so, and should continue to be trashed until she realizes that 9-79 will move to enactment!
I urge that the harassment and torment of Rolark be stepped up. We have put up with her shenanigans for far too long. Years ago, from time to time, on other issues, I informed certain federal government officials that whatever business they accomplished in their offices, none of it would be by telephone, because I would be on their telephone, nonstop, all day every day. It usually worked, and quite quickly. Use your own ingenuity to render Rolark’s official and personal life such a nightmare that she will recognize that it is her duty to move this bill and will decide to do so promptly, and then, 9-79 will move to enactment!
Back then activists had the passion to fight a culture war. Today activists are just part of the internet fringe who sit at their computers in pajamas whining about how Obama didn’t use his magical powers to force people to vote for gay marriage. Very few of the corporate blogs urge action against the bigots who are working against gay equality. Vague marches with no leaders are not action. Targeted protests against specific people and institutions are. It says something when a 10-year-old boy does more for gay rights than a horde of bloggers.
It is time to dust off the Queer Nation Christmas Songbook and sing the modified “12 Days of Christmas” in front of the following homes: Bishop Harry Jackson Jr. (4 voter registrations), NOM’s Maggie Gallagher (12 Carrie Prejean Sex Tapes), NOM’s Brian Brown (5 golden rings) , and Joel Osteen (3 French Dicks).
As the letter says, all’s fair in love and culture wars.
Related posts:
- A Warm Day to Protest
- Why does Anti-Gay Bigot Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church share an one bedroom apartment with another man
- The Gay and Lesbian Protest of Avatar 3D Movie
- Anti-Gay Biogot Bishop Harry Jackson in hot water with D.C. Board of Elections
- The Christmas War
- Anti-Gay Arizona-Based Alliance Defense Fund seeks Anti-Gay Marriage referendum in DC
- Christmas Warrior Bill O’Reilly Saved Christmas Last Year
- Merry Christmas
- Anti-Gay Maggie Gallagher ripped by blogger
- The truth about the anti-gay blog Gay Christian Movement Watch