“Outside of the gay activist-related accusations, I’ve read nothing that professionally disqualifies either of them from their appointments” — which means you have not availed yourself of what I have written.

“Then again, why should I be surprised by the distortions and lies that are routinely asserted when it comes to gay people. I mean, just look at the Prop 8 campaign. Your kids will be taught about gay marriage against your will.”

Actually, this one is not necessarily a distortion. Why would we not expect the NEA-driven public schools to refrain from reflecting in curriculum the increasing gay-marriage bent? California is an educational bellwether state, especially in all things gay-related. Jennings and GLSEN have been anything but secretive in pursuing this very thing. It’s a legitimate concern of parents, and is separate and distinct from what should be the concern of all of us over unfair discrimination against gays.

This a very large topic which ought not be hijacking this particular discussion, but certainly is related, given it is focused on activism.

Then again, why should I be surprised by the distortions and lies that are routinely asserted when it comes to gay people. I mean, just look at the Prop 8 campaign. Your kids will be taught about gay marriage against your will. Your church will be forced to perform gay weddings and preach only good things about gay people if marriage equality is legal or else you will be shut down and your pastor imprisoned. Scare, scare, scare and we’ll use those same lies over in Maine and in Iowa and anywhere else gay couples can marry and we’ll use those same lies in Washington and New Jersey and anywhere else gay couples can enter into civil unions or domestic partnerships despite the fact that Massachusettes has had marriage equality for half a decade without any of these lies actually materializing.

Actually, folks don’t have to try very hard as both these individuals have taken an ax to their own trees. The public record is rife with some very damaging things both have said and written, and I have a good store of it from my own personal research. So I know of what I speak. Throw out the right-wing kooks, just as Andrew said we must do with the fringe gay-rights protesters. Focus on the substance and you will find much that is troubling.

Andrew said, “Jon brings up a great point when he says “I continue to ask people why they seem shocked that gay people were/are upset that their marital rights were literally stripped from them (narrowly) via a popular vote.” It is something that is a key part of my new paradigm to be the next blog post.”

Shocked? Isn’t that a bit of a non sequitur? It ought to have been entirely anticipated that gays would angrily protest the Prop 8 vote, given all we know was happening going into it. I wasn’t shocked at all. California may have, in fact, inadvertently touched off the string of pro-gay-marriage moves in New England and in Iowa. Don’t forget the California Supreme Court changed the state’s constitution unconstitutionally and the voters put it back. We can not like that all we want to, but it is democracy in action, as is the whole protest genre.

Jon brings up a great point when he says “I continue to ask people why they seem shocked that gay people were/are upset that their marital rights were literally stripped from them (narrowly) via a popular vote.” It is something that is a key part of my new paradigm to be the next blog post.

Is is possible that many folks from across the spectrum (straight-to-gay) still have a sour taste in their mouths from some of the ugly images of that episode from recent history? Could that have impacted the most recent march in D.C.?

Andrew has pointed out the embarrassing elements from Christendom that show up at gay venues to protest with stupid signs and unChristian words. But there is little or nothing in society today that compares with the fringe, anarchist elements plying their messages at anything gay-themed. (And I know of no Christians who insist on protesting in the nude.) That imagery is a problem serious GLBT activists need to address, the same as the Church needs to deal with its hate and ignorance.

Looking forward to what you have to suggest, Andrew.

I mentioned it somewhere before that there are always wackos at these events. Including the tea-baggery/birther events. If someone had a problem with a particular protester, I'm sure there was a cop nearby to intervene.

For another view of this problem, look at what's going on right now with the Kevin Jennings -Harry Hay controversy.

As with anything, the message can get lost when you're dealing with thousands of participants. I mean the tea bag protests have gotten repeatedly slogged down by nonsense like the whole birther thing. Why would we expect that gay people or marches would be any different?

Some forms of current activism can indeed be productive, but I don't see it very often.

From where I sit, there are a number of disconnects in gaydom. Men and women are at odds with one another (why do we see some saying GLBT and others saying LGBT?), and there is discord over whether to tout gays' differences or sameness, conformity or rebellion. The poster children are not all on the same page. It is confusing to the media, I think. Just my 2 cents.

I read the lcoal 'gay press.' There was plenty of coverage before this march. Some felt the timing was bad, but since it was already planned, it was to go on & folks were encouraged to participate. ….and they did!!

Ask Cleve Jones what he thinks, rather check his web sites, which I haven't yet. He was one of the main folks in planning this….

If I were gay, I would think this march was somewhat successful. One never knows right away. Making changes is not contingent on one or a few events. It represents lots of hard work.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's entry! So many of us love your work & appreciate you!!!!