The Role of Civil Disobedience For Marriage Equality
Posted on 10 June 2009 by Ján Montoya
In San Francisco on the Day of Decision we saw 175 protesters arrested for sitting down and blocking an intersection near the court building. My feelings were mixed about their display of civil disobedience. On one hand I felt emboldened and proud of the courage my community demonstrated and on the other I wondered if such displays were useful, if not harmful.
Early in March when Long Beach Equality, a LGBT grassroots civil rights organization I’m part of, was planning our D-Day march and rally we discussed the use of civil disobedience. We had received emails from people involved in the movement encouraging it and giving examples. They ranged from picketing the City Hall to closing off streets and off-ramps to freeways. Ultimately we decided that our problem was with the legislation and not our city politicians nor law enforcement. Putting them in the position to defend us to a possible angry public wouldn’t serve any purpose.
In April I went to an Equality Network Teach-In and talked with Professor Walter Williams. He teaches history and gender studies at USC and we discussed the different types of strategies and philosophies that were used to advance the gay civil rights movement. I asked him which did he feel were important. “All of them” he replied. They each addressed a specific voice and purpose in the community. Activism of all kinds including civil disobedience has its place but what role does civil disobedience have in today’s struggle?
Back in the 80′s when AIDS was devastating the gay community it is easy to understand the use of civil disobedience. Organizations such as ACT UP closed down the Golden Gate Bridge and temporarily interrupted the broadcast of the CBS Evening News (Dan Rather wasn’t amused). Hunger strikes and various forms of sit-ins were also not uncommon with them.
Today in California we deal with a different situation. The inequality we face, though extremely important, doesn’t have the life and death urgency AIDS did in the 80′s and 90′s. Back then thousands were dying. We also didn’t have the Governor and legislature on our side. Even Obama, who isn’t supportive of gay marriage, came out against Prop 8 and the courts, though deciding to uphold Prop 8, initially struck down California’s same-sex marriage ban paving the way for New Hampshire, Main and Iowa.
In spite of these advancements the supporters and non-supporters of Prop 8 are split evenly down the middle with 5% on the electorate undecided. Eric Nakano, a fellow activist who has worked in Washington DC and on presidential campaigns warned, “with margins of undecided voters somewhere around 5%, angering a small group enough to shift against us decisively is not out of the question.”
If we as a community decide to go back to the ballot in the next four years, especially in 2010, then we are going to need every vote we can get. The use of civil disobedience, though never off the table, will need to be carefully scrutinized if we are to gain the support needed for long-term social change.
Tags | 2010, civil disobedience, Gay Marriage, Prop 8
About the Author
Ján Montoya
 |
Long Beach native Ján Montoya has been involved with social justice and activism since 1991 when he began volunteering for the Legal Aid Fo |
Personally, I think however a person wants to react, he or she will do, no matter what. We can guide and persuade as much as we want to, but in the end…the human conscience decides.
Is Civil Disobedience in order? Who knows? Are sit-ins and hunger strikes valuable? You bet. It not only means it’s on the minds of thousands of people, but it means they’re needing a way to deal with it. We’ve worked so hard as organizers trying to get the communities involved, and for anyone to say what is right and what is wrong, is a pure mistake. You cannot steer a person’s actions without some ramifications of resentment.
As thousands of us became active after Proposition 8 passed, we’ve been deemed the “reactionary army,” which in fact is true. As the tempers and fiery mindsets cool, perhaps it will be time to encourage people to get involved. Taking ownership in one’s community, and doing something that is perceived as a positive “action” such as talking to your peers and letter writing, may not be for all, but for some it works just fine.
As an reluctant activist, I’ve learned quite quickly, that if you feel passionate about something, you need to act upon it. There were THOUSANDS in the streets and lighting up the web 5-6 months ago…where is that passion today? Are we climbing back into the driver’s seats of our own lives, that we no longer have time to spend fighting? It doesn’t take but a second to send an email to friends. Hell, you can go out at night to the bars and strike up a conversation.
If Civil Disobedience is so wrong, and we do it peacefully… why is it that when a play-off game leading to people tipping cars is not as appalling as 7,500 homos marching down the streets? Why is that? Why is it that there is an uproar over a gay pride parade with plenty of T&A here in Long Beach, but when others come to our city during Grand Prix and show “their stuff,” not a soul blinks an eye?
I fully support a person’s form of expression as long as they can consciously think of a good reason to their actions.