Tellin' Our Stories

One of the things that is desperately needed in the wake of the repeated attempts by the HRC-Frank neo-Mattachine cabal to cut transpeople out of ENDA is African-American transpeople willing to tell our stories to not only our community, but our legislative representatives as well.

Thanks to the Democrats regaining control of congress in the 2006 midterm elections and the addition of members, the Congressional Black caucus is not only larger than its ever been in its history, it is now wielding historic levels of power with several members chairing committees, Rep. Clyburn being majority whip and a certain senator from Illinois running for president.

That fact hasn't been lost on our white fundamentalist enemies in the Traditional Values Coalition and the Religious Reich. They have sent their faith-based flunkies in the Hi Impact Leadership Coalition to do their browbeating for them. They know from historical trends that any progressive legislation doesn't pass the House without the support of 'The Conscience of the Congress'.

While I don't mind telling our stories to our congressmembers, I can't be the only one. Our enemies are damnded sure firing up the buses full of faith-based sheeple to spread lies about us and rolling them to Washington. The Lo Impact 'ministers' are using their TVC provided talking points to convince them NOT to include us. But all their talking points with their carefully selected negative scriptures can't compare to a transgender constituent telling their story of how a lack of employment protections led to them losing a job.

Yes, now is not the time to burrow deeper into the closet, but to take bold, decisive action like our brothers and sisters did back in 1965. If you want an inclusive ENDA and Hhte crimes law passed and signed next year, then we're gonna have to fight tooth and nail for it.

Hey, we come from people who are used to fighting against long odds with the deck and the power structure stacked against them and prevailing. This battle is nothing different. The HRC-Frank 'incremental progress' cabal that opposes our inclusion or hollers 'wait your turn' is similar to Rev J.H. Jackson and his supporters.

We have the moral high ground on our side. For all the bluster coming from the sacreligious right, they are the ideological and spiritual heirs of the same anti-progressive forces of Intolerance that Dr. King an his contemporaries faced 40 years ago.

But we can't sit idly by and twiddle our thumbs, then gripe that our concerns aren't being addressed. We have to speak truth to power, talk to our legislators and tell them our stories.