Newsletter

Where There Is More

OUR JOURNEY/DEC/O4 NEWSLETTER

There is much to be said about 2004, as we get ready to enter a new year, with so many new challenges for the GLBT community. As we move forward, we must remember that the learning process can be painful, we may have lost the vote on Nov. 2, but we gained new knowledge about that process. I consider it a victory to have won 768.000 plus NO VOTES in the state of Georgia, in favor of protecting our human and civil rights; and it was a victory defeating the FMA, nationally. Most importantly we must not point fingers, or cast blame. Our most important job...and the work to be done...is building the relationships that will strengthen our community. We must arm ourselves with the information that is needed, to make the informed decisions that will be so crucial to our survival. We must not be blinded by the obvious and look further for the answers needed.

I can only speak for myself, but on November 3rd, it was like the flames of hate, and deception had won, for a moment leaving me helpless, standing in the rubble of hope and fairness..leaving me confused and dissolutioned. It has been a struggle for the last 2 months, trying to understand, and still I find myself deep in thought, searching for the words to express the disappointment, but at the same time the willingness to continue. We will all find ways to do this, each in our own way, but the most important thing that we must do is unite in a common cause...and take actions that will lead us all to that place we all know, IS OUR RIGHT.

As we move into 2005, we must keep the passion, the desire and the willingness to sacrifice alive. We must be smarter and form alliances with those that have the knowledge, the clout and the experience, and we must recognize our weaknesses. The struggle is not about any one individual, or any single agenda, it is about a community, and our families, our children, and our humanity, and our future, and those that will follow. To bash one another will only give victory to the opposition. We must sit at the table of community, and speak on all that needs to be said, alone we will not achieve the goals, but together with clarity, honesty, and direction we can succeed...and the flames, the fire of hate, deception and discrimination that singed us in 2004...can be the light that will guide us to the truth, and victory. With new knowledge, and new willingness to learn we can build an arsenal of hope, love, involvement, commitment, support and understanding. I continue to say that, Our Diversity is our Army, Inclusion our Weapon..and Community our Victory...there is no other community on the face of the earth that brings the colors, religions, cultures, regions, economics, genders, ages, sexual orientations, and political affiliations together in one common cause. We must take advantage of that, and build the bridges that will take us to where we want to be. We must not allow the I, they, them, us, get in our way...separated by individual ideas, money, and even color or religion...we need to learn from one another...recognize our sameness and at the same time honor our individuality and listen to one another.

There is so much we must be watchful about, without healthcare, jobs, a living wage, social security that we can count on, without a good education for our children, what will we have to protect and provide our families, if we gain marriage, without the tools to make it meaningful. We must be vigilant, in that gaining one, we don't loose all else. It is a mean scheme that has unfolded, for the purpose of power at home and abroad. To subject the many to the whim of the few. Let us not be blinded by the anger that we feel, but use that energy, physically, mentally and spiritually to gain control of our lives, by educating ourselves and passing it along

Newsletter 2007...

So here we are...2006 is behind us...mid-term elections are over and we are anxiously awaiting the takeover of the newly elected Democratic Congress. They certainly do have there work cut out for them. Undoing lies, and sifting thru the corruption, trying to decide what to do.

Our country, is literally in shambles, with the Katrina debacle, the war in Iraq based on lies, the threats of attacking Iran, at home Immigration, lack of jobs, and a economy that is going to hell for the average american, 50% of the world' wealth in the hands of 2% of the population, Churches splitting over Gay Rights, and the heads of state still in denial.

Happy New Year to All;
As we move gayly forward in 2007...I give thanks to all of you who have joined in the journey of Diversity, teaching and learning from one another.

Woman's World Online has evolved to Alternative Perspectives on WRFG 89.3fm, and I want to thank all who have joined me from the GLBTQ community and our Allies, telling our stories, sharing our talents, and speaking to the necessity of joining together, setting goals,and learning the processes that will continue the work.

We have celebrated, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, in Churches, and Temples, in Synagogues, and Mosques. We have prayed to our Gods, in whatever form and have celebrated who we are. We have built relationships in our activist work and in our creative worlds.

2006 in Review:
Politically we have changed the face of the U.S. Congress. We actually defeated a Ban on Same Sex Marriage in Arizona, and we came close in other states. For a complete summary clik here then clik on Elections 2006. We defeated Rick Santorum in PA., and Senator Allen in Virginia.

In the Human Rights and Civil Rights arena, locally Fulton County approved DP (domestic partnership) benefits, as well as in the City of Atlanta, and Doraville. The City ordinace that prohibited
HIV positive individuals from acquiring a city license to practice there trade as Massage Therapist, was overturned. In White County, the courts ruled after 2 years, that GSA must be allowed (Gay/Straight Alliances).

From New York to California and around the world, there have been victories for the GLBTQ community, with the help of our straight allies, and churches that have courageously stepped up to do the right thing, and support their GLBTQ congregants.

The year in review from the Dallas Voice

The year in review from Southern Voice

The year in review from the WashingtonBlade

With highs and lows..we moved thru 2006, with determination and a renewed sense of who we are, the value of what we do, and how we live our lives.

As we enter 2007, we stand on the threshold of change. What will we do with it?

We have an opportunity to make a difference. Together anything is possible. Will we demand the reversal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and allow our GLBT soldiers to die with dignity...will we join with others and demand that there be a just Immigration Law enacted...will we demand a Hates Crime Bill to be passed, will we stop Workplace Discrimination and demand that protection laws be put in place, all of this and more are on the table, what will you do? Will the 110th Congress do what we spoke up for so loudly on November 7th...we changed Congress....will they STOP THE WAR...or will politics be the same old same old...only you can make that difference.

HOW? you ask..

Know your elected official...find out here

Then communicate with them...tell them what you think, what you want from them, and how they can support legislation that will benefit all. Remember you are the employer...they are the employee...they work for you.

Next support those organizations that are working for you, whatever your niche there is an organization that is doing the work.

Woman'Health

Radio

And you have a voice at WRFG 89.3fm, your station for Progressive Information. Use it...join Alternative Perspectives, the voice of the GLBTQ community and our allies. Support the program, it is a community supported radio station. Listen and share the information. Visit WRFG' website and donate...in support of the only weekly/hour long program 'Alternative Perspectives', for the GLBTQ community in Atlanta and in Georgia. Remember that we stream at the website.

So as we start a new year, my vision and my dreams for my community are of justice, equality and fairness. That we can set our goals, and create the processes that will meet the goals and go beyond, unifying our community, with what we have in common and moving forward, meeting the challenges with our courage, and with one voice.

December/2006 two years later...and we have marked a victory for humanity, but is it all we have to do? I say NO, there is much more to do, and now more than ever, when we are on the brink, the fringes, on the threshold of crossing into that promised land, we must be vigilant, we must be careful not to fall short of our goals because we become complacent, with this partial victory.

We spoke loud, on November 7th, across the nation. We have insisted on change...but that change does not come by itself. As in 2004 when the realization, that we must be a community became evident...we must continue to build, we must continue to move, and we must above all do it together with the many ideas, and challenges, in one direction that will serve the many.

We have a unique opportunity in 2007/08 to achieve what till now has eluded us. I believe that if we sit at a common table, we can do all that we need to do.

Recently....Loretta Ross,

at the Creating Change Forum/2006 addressed the forum;
Ross chastised both the right and the left for moving conversations about sex off the radar screen and espoused the need to "talk about the human right to sexual pleasure," saying, "What does this whole concept of sexual rights mean? I'm not sure we've had that conversation yet in this country." Noting that the first rape crisis center formed in 1972, she said that, in a very short period of time, we've changed the whole world: "Now we've got to do it again, but bigger."

Ross expressed concern that we are "indulging in the excesses of identity politics" and engaging in separate and parallel social justice movements.

She said, "When people think many different ideas and move in one direction, that's a movement. When people think the same idea and move in the same direction, that's a cult. So we are building a movement or are we building cults?"

Continuing, Ross said, "While we're fighting each other in our own Oppression Olympics, the neofascists and neoliberals are kicking our asses. They're killing us. And only a united movement for all of our human rights will save us."

She said when we fail to embrace a human rights framework, we ultimately cannot succeed.

Ross listed the eight categories of guaranteed human rights and pointed out how political developments such as the war in Iraq and the English-only movement directly violate them, saying that widespread ignorance of our human rights serves only those who already have power over us: "As long as [the government] can treat us as the undeserving people claiming things that aren't ours, they can defang us our struggle."

Ross insisted that we share one struggle despite our individual causes and said, "To the extent that you allow other people's human rights to be violated, yours will be diminished too," elaborating that we cannot do work against homophobia in a racist way, we cannot do antiracist work in a homophobic way, and so on.

Challenging us to "do what hasn't been done before," Ross urged everyone to "create change by building a new movement and calling it the human rights movement of America."

Loretta will be the special guest on JAN 2, 7pm to 8pm on Alternative Perspectives, WRFG 89.3..to learn more about Loretta clik on her pic above.