Maybe it is just my advanced age but I am having a hard time summoning up any enthusiasm for another March on Washington ( MoW ) . As someone intimately involved with orchestrating Chicago's participation in the 1987 and 1993 MoWs, I don't know how in God's name anything—on the scale I am sure Cleve Jones ( a wonderful man ) hopes to achieve—could be organized and paid for in such a short time frame. Yes, today we have the Internet at our disposal, but that is not quite the be-all and end-all it is made out to be. It takes real people with real money and a shitload of time to organize a national march. If we are going to attempt another one we would do well to: A ) postpone having it as long as is needed to pull off something extraordinarily successful, and B ) not hold it—again—on a weekend when 90% of our elected officials are out of town. The last thing we need is a feeble D.C. turn-out that can—nay, will—be used to characterize the LGBT communities as no longer politically viable, weakened and marginalized. ( Close your eyes and think about the headlines. )
Right now—in spite of Prop 8—there is at least the appearance that history is turning our way ( it is ) and that same-sex marriage is an inevitability ( it is ) . Because there is a lot more going on in this country than just that which happens in California. To pull the resources ( that would be required to organize a national march ) out of the states ( including California, I might add ) where incredibly important work is going on—would be a misuse of scarce dollars. Especially in today's economy. All across this country state and local groups are in the fight of their lives trying to pass anti-discrimination laws, domestic partnership legislation, hate-crimes bills—their own marriage bills—or fighting to retain, restore or increase dwindling funds for AIDSCare. They cannot afford the distraction a national march would become.
It is not 1987, nor 1993. Back then we were scattered, weakened, terrified, angry, mourning, burying our dead and we needed the sense of community the marches inspired. Once we got home our experiences triggered the explosion of gay activism that has propelled us to where we are now. But that was then. In the 20-plus years since those marches we have made tremendous inroads politically—the landscape and our culture are simply not the same. And, even though those marches could be considered "successful," I cannot think of a single piece of legislation that got passed as a result of having gone to Washington. The same will apply here—especially if we go before we are truly organized and fully prepared to blow the pantyhose off the rest of the nation.
I would, by far, rather that those who are so jazzed by the thought of marching on Washington turn their attention to what is happening in their own backyards. There is ample work to do right here. Countless people to reach out to and educate. Plenty of things to protest, certainly. I'll take a dozen explosive demonstrations across the country, week after week, month after month over a single money-sucking march any day. Don't get me wrong—I love the drama and passion, the spectacle and the sense of awesome power that comes from descending on Washington—there's nothing like it. And Lord knows we have a hell of a lot to be extremely pissed-off about. But we have got to face reality. There are only two things that are certain: a spectacularly grand march will come at the expense of everything else on our plate and gain us very little; a poorly organized, ill-attended one will cost us far, far more.
Victor Salvo was the male co-chair of the 1987 Chicago/March on Washington committee and the special events/PR chair for the 1993 Chicago/March on Washington committee.
Part II at www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php
