As thousands rallied in Washington,DC, the capital of the US, on Sunday in the National Equality March demanding "full federal equality" pertaining to marriage, adoption, military service and the workplace for LGBT people in the US, the country’s highest-ranking openly gay political figure Barney Frank criticised the effort a second time in less than a week.
The march is believed to be one of the largest gay rights rally in the capital in the last decade. While mainstream media reports pegged the turnout at "tens of thousands," lead organiser and veteran gay activist Cleve Jones has estimated the turnout at 200,000 to 250,000. The first gay rights rally in the capital was held in 1979 and others in 1987, 1993 and 2000 that included celebrity performances and drew as many as 500,000 people, said CBS news.
Last Tuesday, the Massachusetts Representative said on the Michelangelo Signorile radio show: “I literally don't understand how this will do anything. People are kidding themselves. I don't want people patting themselves on the back for doing something that is useless. Barack Obama does not need the pressure.”
On Friday, he told The Associated Press in an interview that he thought the demonstration to be "a waste of time at best” and urged protesters to lobby their elected officials in place of marching as most lawmakers have returned home for the holiday weekend would not hear their protests.
“The only thing they're going to be putting pressure on is the grass,” said the 69-year-old who is known for his sharp tongue.
His comments attracted a sharp rebuke from pop singer Lady Gaga, who has been termed as a “new-gay-icon-in-training” by the media. “And to Barney Frank, we are putting more than pressure on this grass. And today this grass is ours," she told a cheering audience.
"The younger generation, my generation, we are the ones coming up in the world. We must continue to push this movement forward and close the gap. We must demand full equality for all. They say that this country is free and they say that this country is equal, but it is not equal if it’s (only) sometimes (equal). Obama, I know that you’re listening. ARE YOU LISTENING?! We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality. We need change now. We demand action now." Said the 23-year-old self-described bisexual singer.
Co-organiser Robin McGehee told the rally: “You may say that marches don't matter. I say that you are out of touch in the seat of power you are clearly enjoying… This march is not useless by the people that we know are suffering. Our brothers and sisters who are dying from the self-hate, the self-violence, and hate crimes that come from the community and government that will not honor our right to live free and equal in this country. And we are here to use our First Amendment right, Congressman Frank, to speak out against the prejudice that we so want you to speak out against as well."
Barney said the real problem is gathering enough votes in the House and Senate to win passage of anti-discrimination legislation. He urged gay rights advocates should borrow from the playbooks of the two most effective interest groups, the National Rifle Association and the American Association of Retired Persons, said Frank. The two are considered as two of the most powerful lobbying groups in the US.
The demonstration took place a day after President Barack Obama addressed about 3,000 gays, lesbians and their supporters on Saturday at the annual fundraiser for the gay-activist Human Rights Campaign. He reiterated his commitment to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but gave no timeline for doing so. He also pledged to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and to pass hate-crimes legislation.
Many gay rights activists were however not impressed with his promises that were not accompanied by a timeline.
"I was totally disappointed," said McGehee, the co-organiser of the march.
"Our community let him off and we did not force him by coming to that dinner to (announce) substantial change. All we got was another 'Please wait.' He got an A-plus on the Cliff Notes version of our rights that we’re denied, but a C-minus on what he’s actually doing to take care of it."
Jones, co-chairman of the march was quoted as saying in the gay Bay Windows newspapers: "I could not discern anything new. It felt like a reiteration of the pledges he made during the campaign, it felt like a campaign speech. It was well-written, it was beautifully delivered -- the man has the gift… We’ve got to keep doing the work to push him to do the right thing."
The creator of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and close associate of slain openly gay politician Harvey Milk told the crowd at the rally that there’s much more work to done. "You heard our president give a beautiful speech and he delivered it well. But he did not say when." He told attendees that the march is just a launching pad: "When you go home you must promise us that you will go home and do the work that is necessary."
Update: Oct 15, 2009
Congressman Barney Frank explained his comments on HLN's The Joy Behar Show about calling the National Equality March a waste of time:
“Most people have other things to do,” Frank said to Behar. “It’s just human nature. People only do a certain amount of effort.”
He continued: "I am afraid that some people will come to Washington and they will march and think they've done it. That's why I said what I did. Marching isn't a negative thing, but to the extent that people think that having marched they've done something effective, they wouldn't do something that is effective."
“I didn’t say it’s a terrible thing,” he said. “I said it wasn’t in and of itself useful. If people march and then in addition do those other things, then that’s fine.”