A billion emails today about the Jenna Six, a group of six Louisiana teenagers charged with beating a white teenager. So, there's a lot of charges of racism and now everyone's mobilizing in defense of these kids (though, most of them are 17). Gay bloggers and activists, spurred on by the
Human Rights Campaign (HRC) are saying, "Your plight is my plight too-- Let's organize!"
An example: "
Black America to Queer America: Jenna Six, This is How It's Done!"
And thanks to the ever-awesome, Jamie Kirchick, I get to have the night off. In an
Advocate article titled "
What's in the Jena 6 Case for "Us"? Nothing", he explains why this is not the cause for us to rally around. As he says, "In American law you are not entitled to beat a defenseless and innocent person because someone with the same skin color as that person offended you months earlier."
I understand the desire to create a link between black civil rights and gay civil rights (and I genuinely think there is a continuity there) and of course all Americans should stand up against racism, but why is it that prominent gay org's like HRC and that other one (rhymes with "bad") seem to jump at every opportunity they get to send out a strongly worded press release condemning the latest water cooler issue? Of course, they can do whatever they want, but considering their prominence, to many, they speak for the gay community.
What are your thoughts? Where's the
MoveOn for the gay movement? Actually, we need more than that. We're in desperate need of a transparent organization that encourages direct involvement, but also is a self-reflective and proactive agenda setter. We need not just gay activists, but gay leaders.
Labels: gay, politics
