Personal thoughts of Branden G. Mattox, Director of the Love Under Fire Campaign on matters of Marriage Equality, relationships, love, marriage, family and romance. The Love Under Fire Campaign is a grassroots movement to advance the matter of and ultimately win Marriage Equality in Georgia by uniting everyone under the banner of love.
Wedding Address for Jazzie and Sonny Jones-Smith, by Branden G. Mattox. Stockbridge, GA, August 22nd 2014.
When two lives become one, the wedding is its official first birthday, which we hope will have as many birthdays as GOD will allow you.
The love may have been conceived a long time ago, but today we are here to celebrate the merged life, the first fruits of that love. Anything conceived out of love is holy.
In a world where we are constantly inundated with news and images of war, poverty, sickness, civil unrest, the bickering of partisan politics and bigotry, it is both refreshing and inspirational to be reminded that love still lives in the land.
It will continue to live on and bless people’s lives no matter who says otherwise because LOVE is the will of GOD, for GOD is LOVE.
Somebody told a lie one day, which said the romantic love of a woman for another woman, or a man for a man is not real, that it is wrong, ugly, disgusting and perverted, because it had nothing to do with a man’s dominion over woman, because supposedly the world revolves around a man and his dominion over women.
With this event, we are demonstrating that the world revolves around love. That the love we hold for the special persons in our lives is indeed real. Because the love is real, it cannot help but be right. It is beautiful. It is holy and has real meaning and purpose in society today, which have taken marriage vows for granted with sky-rocketing divorce trends. Oh, if their love only had to fight for the right to be, perhaps they might not leave their vows by the wayside, a trivial novelty to be thrown away once the thrill is gone.
Though, here we are in the midst of: Disrespect, Dishonor, Discrimination, Disregard, Dismissal and sometimes just plain Dissed by those who say they love us. In the midst of it all, we are here with smiles on our faces and joy in our hearts. We are too filled with love to hate back. The more our love is oppressed and repressed, the more defiant it rears it beauty and its strength. That my dear, is Love Under Fire, no less defiant than the love which led Ashech, Meshech and Abednego dancing through the fire unscathed, no less passionate than what led Jesus to the cross, ravaged and scorned to then resurrect himself anew like the Phoenix, no less fierce than any mother or father, husband or wife would protect and defend the honor of those they love.
On this birthday of your merged lives, remember Frederick Douglas was denied the honor and dignity of a birth certificate. Though he was born indeed, to give him one would admit the humanity of a slave. As brilliant as he was, becoming more erudite than the men who had once owned him, he never truly knew his age. Denying him a certificate documenting and acknowledging his life, his existence, was society’s way of telling him from the very beginning that, “You do not matter, you have no rights, your humanity is not real nor the same as that of a white man and you have no value other than that which you can be sold for.”
Today, this special birthday of your merged lives is experiencing a Frederick Douglas style entry into the world. Though, like Frederick Douglas, it will be heard and will be recognized. Like Frederick Douglas, your love will liberate others from the mired depths of traditional hatred, ignorance and fear.
Your love will stand tall as the trees.
Your love will spread wide as the seas.
Your love will be for the whole world to see.
Your love will shine bright in the night like the stars above.
The fire of your love will melt rigid hearts of stone and change people’s wrongs to right.
Your love will soon teach our state of Georgia to redneckognize the moral error of its ways in making itself an enemy of love.
Today, the vindication of your love is already at hand, and so we celebrate that as well.
Love is indeed a spiritual fire which edifies and illuminates and never destroys. May the spark between you two ignite to blaze an inferno capable of engulfing the whole world. Amen!
Life is not about throwing yourself away. See, that's the kind of stuff we do with trash.
If you honor GOD, then nothing created by GOD and infused with the blood of GOD's spirit, which is the energy of life itself can ever be considered trash. Life is the highest capital there is in the world, more valuable than all the diamonds, gold and ores of oil than can ever be produced. And here you are vibrating with the stuff. In fact, you are the stuff and not its packaging, even though you may be beautifully packaged.
What we are then to do is to give that stuff away with gleeful abandon and with the highest quality we can offer. You can not do that if you consider yourself trash to be thrown away. And who wants trash anyway? Give your time, your most precious asset, for it can never be regained. Give your listening, nonjudgmental ear, and be that presence of awareness for someone needing to be acknowledged. We all have this need. With every breath, tone, and look, communicate, "I see you. I hear you. I understand you and you matter because you are here in matter." Give away your creativity. If you sing, are a musician, a poet, an orator, a writer, a painter, a teacher, a sculptor, an actor, a dancer, a comedian, or a cook, use your unique talents and passions to serve and build people up with as much value as you can put into it. This is both an expression of love and an expression of who you are and how you feel about yourself. If you have passion for what you do, you will do this with Platinum quality and be recognized that you were here on the face of the earth. Lastly, and most importantly, give away your love. Show appreciation for people. Commit random acts of kindness. Hug people. Affirm people. Help people however you can. It is not your duty to save the world or fix anybody or their broken lives. But, you can be that person who showed them some love. What they decide to do with that is between them and GOD.
Even when you give your best self away, you will find yourself with critics. These are like those who complain about free samples at the grocery store. If they don't like it then they shouldn't purchase it. But, they'll exaggerate the importance of their opinion and expect it to matter to you. Meanwhile, your free sample has been the only meal for that hungry person. If your best does not serve someone, it is simply not for them, but it is just what the doctor ordered for someone else. Jesus says, "Cast not your pearls before swine, nor give what is holy to dogs or they will turn on you and tear you to pieces." -Matthew 7:6. This is not to call your critics pigs or dogs. Simply, pearls mean absolutely nothing to pigs, they have no need for them, and dogs have absolutely no appreciation for things which are holy. They eat their own dung. When you understand that your best is not for them, you can relieve yourself of the duty of needing to be all things to all people and then there is no need to get your feelings hurt or hurt theirs. May they find who is serving slop and bones and relieve you of the duty, if slop and bones is not in you to give. We all know when we have given our best and when have not, if we are honest and truthful with ourselves. So just commit to giving your best, and then nothing else will matter.
When we commit to giving our best selves away, we find that nothing else in life matters. You will find happiness, because you are giving away what is in your heart. Jesus says in the Gospel of Thomas, "If you produce what is in you, what you have will save you. If you do not have what is in you, what you do not have will kill you." -Gospel of Thomas, Saying 70.
You will find meaning because you will find those who desperately need what is in your heart, and no one else can do it quite like you do it.
"But what about me? I have needs too. If I do not feed myself, house myself, clothe myself, who's gonna? And what will I have to give to anyone else?" When you give your best selves away, you will find all of your needs met and more.
When you give your best selves away, you increase your value in the market place, and thus may command a larger salary or get that promotion. You are only one person, so there is only but so much of what you are able to give and for a limited time while you are alive. You could not satisfy the whole world with your giving, even if you wanted to. Your life and your existence is a once-in-a-lifetime event, therefore when you give your best self away, the law of supply and demand will always be in your favor bringing you all the wealth you are needing. With increased wealth, you'll be able to give even more. Limited supply+increased demand=increased value. When you have faith in this, you can let go of the concern of serving yourself and only be concerned with giving.
Do not be afraid of money changing you. Money only makes you more of what you already are. With money, pure spirits become philanthropists and humanitarians. With money, selfish, egotistical spirits become capitalists who exploit and use the people more than they serve them to increase their own glory and namesake. There is nothing wrong with money. Money can be either a blessing or a demon. It is how it is used, and that depends on the user. Poverty actually steals and inhibits your gift by reducing you to the desperation of meeting your basic needs, making you selfish as a means of survival. For this reason, you can not give so long as you possess a poverty mindset, and a poverty mindset can only bring you more poverty. A person's highest happiness is in giving to those they love and expressing their truest identity. This happiness is often stolen by the spirit and psychosis of poverty, which is rooted in fear and a belief in the lie of lack and scarcity. People who have money work for them harder than they work for it, so that they can have more to give and the means to express themselves, are those who are masters of money. Those who slave themselves for money, enslave others and then hord it when they get it, are mastered by money and they will never find true happiness. In this present society, it is impossible to escape a relationship with money, therefore right now, you are a master of money or money is your master. There is no in between. This is how Jesus could say, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." -Matthew 6:24. True Masters of Money, are not mastered by it, they use it. They could lose it all and gain it right back because they understand how it works, and their lack of fear about money is what allows them to do this and take calculated risks which cowers many. As with many things in life, huge risks carry with them huge rewards. Jesus advises to place even your very lives at risk for the greater good, so what terror is there over loss money? "For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for me and for the gospel, you will save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"-Mark 8:35-36
Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matthew 6:25:34.
When you give your best self away, you unlock all the benefits of the Law of Attraction to ensure that you are not lacking in anything or desiring anything which is not available to you. You may then go on and live out your dreams. Jesus says, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” -Luke 6:38. When you give your best self away, you will attract those who are wanting to give their best selves away to you. When you resolve to give your best self away, it will be an honor for others to give their best selves dedicated to you in return for what you have meant to them. You will then have more than enough you will know what to do with other than continuing to give it away, which then returns more to you. You will then become a portal of abundance in the world, on the receiving end, and on the bestowing end. When you give your best self away, you will find that true happiness lies never in the getting, but in the act of giving and expressing who you truly are, and your lives will then be wealthy and abundant in all respects. This is GOD's will for you, never that you should be poor. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." With the proper spirit and attitude, there is nothing you could ask of GOD, that GOD can not and will not give to you at the proper time, if you ask in faith and wait in patience, while working in preparation to receive. No, GOD will not give you that Corvette when you are 8 at the time of asking. You will have to wait until you are old enough to operate it and wise enough to keep it. In the meantime, that 8 year old is going to have to learn how to make some money to purchase it and save his money. He is going to have take his driving lessons seriously and pass them. He will do all these things if he has faith that what he has requested is on its way. Then, by age 16 he has saved $5000, not enough to purchase a Corvette. His heart is then pulled to give the money instead to a charity for childhood diabetes amputees to get prosthetic legs. He altogether forgets about the Corvette and falls in love with seeing others regain their mobility. GOD has not forgotten, and on his 18th birthday, a philanthropist touched by the service of this young man rewards him with a Corvette, he asked for 10 years ago. The philanthropist contacted his parents and was let in on that this Corvette had been on his Christmas wish list every year since he was 8. This is how it works. There are many true life stories paralleled to this one.
If anyone tries to tell you that you are not to enjoy your life, do not listen to them. If you are not enjoying what you are giving, then please stop! If there is no joy in what you are giving, than it will be of low quality and you will be helping no one. In fact, you will be punishing yourself and others for no good cause. Again, stop it, please!
Today, search for what brings you to life, excites your imagination and wholly absorbs your attention into the present moment and then give it away. Give it away with honor, with respect and with quality, and let no one pass judgment over it because it may not be what is in their hearts to give or not what they are needing. Tell them to mind their business. If they did, they would have no time to be concerned about someone else giving something they are not even interested in. If they can not help you, then don't hinder you. No really, mind their own business, as in pay attention to what GOD has given them to give away and leave you alone. You can render to GOD and humanity, and yourself, no greater service, no higher form of worship, than to offer your best self. No one can show you what this is, but you. Your feelings will confirm it for you. Like love, you'll just know when it shows up. ;-)
Every time I hear of violence and brutality being leveled against our trans brothers and sisters, it stings my heart and stirs me to fiery rage. Am I to now break something, beat somebody or roar my wrath from the peak of Stone Mountain? What good would that do? What change would that bring? When it happens agains, which it will, am I to contort my face into the ugly sadness and disappointment of righteous indignation or have a conniption so intense as to snap blood vessels and die a stroke victim? I will not. In the words of one strong Transwoman I knew in Baltimore, "I will not run my mascara or put hard lines on my beautiful face over this." Do what you will with your own anger, but I choose do something else with mine. My silence has been the pause I need to choose another way, and not that of indifference or apathy.
So what now? Do we pretend as if the latest assault never happened, because of our inability to deal with the problem? Or are we to lace up combat boots and stomp the latest perpetrator into the gutter in the spirit of Stonewall, to make an example of those who dare to touch one of our own? Or are we to wait until January for the earliest opportunity to harass our state legislators for greater protections under state law? Or are we to trouble the mayor once more who is currently tangled with responding to the previous incident of trans violence? I would like to offer another way, and tell my trans brothers and sisters that the answer and the solution lies within you. How dare I advocate the acceptance of responsibility upon those who are being victimized? Before you come for my wig, contemplate on this truth, that if those who perpetrate violence, humiliation, and disrespect toward our trans family knew better, they would do better. This is not to excuse their most reprehensible actions, but to consider that no one, not me, not you, or anyone is capable of acting beyond the state of consciousness and awareness than the one we currently sit in. If they did, they would immediately acknowledge that what they do to you and to others, they do to themselves. It impossible to send forth any energy, positive or negative and not have it come back home threefold. Such is the Gospel Truth. Karma or "The Law of Reciprocity" doesn't care about the justification of the energy, it moves into action the instant the energy is put into motion as lightning comes down to earth the instant the conditions are ripe and nothing may stop it. If we choose to respond with violence and indignant anger at those who do these things, we join in their punishment and we our then twice victimized, which is no part of our duty. It was how Jesus could say, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."
For me, the sting of anger is no longer a shame for me, nor is it something which needs to control my actions any longer. It serves as a rude awakening to me that something is not right and that a response is crucial, lest the injustice continues and exacerbates. It serves as a spark which moves me into action with decisive passion and clarity, that "AH, HELLL NO!" factor. To that extent, I am good and pissed! But now that I'm burned with anger and ready to act, anger has done its job and it is now time to flex fuels into a more powerful and long-lasting fuel and that is the fuel of LOVE. Like the little explosions which moves the pistons, if it goes beyond that, it blows the whole car up, such is anger which matures into violence if not checked. Both are necessary in their role, but anger is of man and Love is of GOD. With this fuel, we must forgive the initial wrong. It is already done and cannot be recanted. What is now before us, is that if we do not help those who would harm our trans brothers and sisters to know better, it is going to happen again and again just as surely those who are blind and drive are destined to injure themselves, others and property if they are not helped to see.
What do these people need to see, and how do we help them see it? They need to see your humanity which is like their own, your fears, your hopes, your struggles and your strength. We must expose the myth that Trans people are sick freaks of nature with no moral compass, lacking standards of decency or a sense of dignity, and thus more befitting of a circus/carnival act than integral members of our community. There is no need to rebuttal this concept, for when we expose the truth, the lie is then clearly seen for what it is and it embarrasses the good senses of those who believed it. We should not seek pity for the trans experience, for I do not see any of you as victims, nor should you see yourselves this way. Mistreated as you are, I see you as victors and heroes given the burden of helping humanity to understand its gender paradigm which lies within each of us, a mixture and configuration of both masculine and feminine energies. When we learn to harness both, we become some of the most potent spirits on the face of the earth like GOD, who is Transgendered (beyond gender), both mother and father, nurturer-comforter and protector, teacher and disciplinarian, care-taker and provider. Your very experience doesn't allow you to escape the hard struggle of reconciling both in a rigidly gender binary society. That man is separate from woman, and woman is separate from man and that in humanity they are not one and the same is the real distortion you are here to correct with your truth. Because GOD is not one to give you more than you cannot handle, consider yourselves specially "CHOSEN", like Joshua fit for the battle of Jericho. I do not cry for you. I stand up and clap for you!
To those who are not of the Transgender experience, these people need to see that they've got people too, a host of family, friends and community members who support them, appreciate their individuality and lift them up with honor and dignity, and that we will not further tolerate their mistreatment and abuse. They are OURS! Come against them and you come against us all. As for me, I don't get knocked down that easily and I never stay down. I challenge them to try to beat me. Though they may injure my body, I have no cause to fear them. They can try if they may to break me down, but I say it ain't up to them, they'll break themselves against me as I stand in TRUTH and LOVE. They can never conquer my spirit or my strength which comes from GOD, to whom they must answer. If we have no cause to fear them, then we have no cause to hate them. If we have no cause to hate them, then what cause have we not the offer them mercy as they incur the consequential punishment of their own errors? Like Miss Ceelie from The Color Purple uttered in her chilling declaration of independence to her abusive husband, "Everything you've done to me is already done to you. Until you do right by me, everything you even think about is gonna crumble." They hate because they fear. They fear because they do not understand, like those who fear everything in the dark. May we help them see with our light and may our love be greater, stronger and more powerful than their hate. I see a day when those who beat up trans people today, we will need to talk them down from beating up people who utter the slightest disparaging words against the trans people of the future and that day is not long off if we begin with letting them know that they are forgiven and commence the hard work which is needed today.
((This article is in response to a second beating in recent weeks of a transgendered person in Atlanta.))
"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread." -Mother Teresa (1910-1997) Founder of the Missionaries of Charity
Against her wishes, I am going to praise my friend anyway! Get a load of her mind in an e-mail sent to me:
I don't know why y'all call me a straight ally or much worse a 'fag-hag' or 'Mary'. What (TF) is that? I just love people. That's all that is. People who don't love people are people who don't really love themselves. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender people are people and so I love them. Some are jerks and some are sweethearts just like anybody else. Regardless of the jerks no group has figured out how to get rid of, it is not right to treat any group of people different than any other group. I don't care what your reasons are, it's wrong, it's reprehensible and I'm going to continue to say it because it is the TRUTH! I've made up my mind about equality a long time ago, and I had thought this country had too. Sadly, we are still stuck at indecision when it comes to LGBT people.
The reason we have not fully decided on inequality is because when you get to know personally a few LGBT people and have true and genuine relationships with them, something about it just doesn't sit well with your heart and we KNOW IT'S WRONG, and the Bible is no excuse. GOD's Laws are alive and are written on my heart and not dead on some paper poorly interpreted four hundred years ago when we still had 'Christians in name' enslaving other human beings and looking to the Bible for permission. GOD'S LAW is LOVE, and if you had it, you could never allow yourself to hold a slave, or not want true happiness and equality for our fellow human beings. I remember you sharing with me that Love is seeing yourself in others and then desiring for them all that you would want for yourself and not necessarily how you would want it, because tastes may differ. For example, I enjoy eating good food, so I desire everyone to be able to eat good food, and not necessarily the kind I enjoy but to eat what is tasty and pleasing to them. I want to be loved and appreciated as special above all people to one person who is worthy of me committing my life to them in life partnership and they to me. For me, I desire this to come in the form of a man. The desired form of this may differ for someone else, but the desired love is the same and I want them to have that. Not everyone wants or need a BMW like a drive, but I wish everyone who wants and need a car to have a suitable and reliable car that pleases them. Who doesn't need love? Try enjoying a full delicious meal in front of the face of a hungry person and tell me something deep down inside you won't disturb you. That's GOD, and that's how I feel about marriage inequality. I love being married. It's a wonderful thing, not just for me, but for my kids. Who am I to be able to have that and others can't with all of the protections, privileges and validations I enjoy? I ain't nobody special. It's sickening and it breaks my heart. This is what I know for sure. Therefore, the only and most grievous sin is the absence of Love, for if we have not Love, then we have not GOD for GOD is love. When we have not love, we then have killings, lies, adultery, theft, jealousy, pride, dishonor, resentment, and discrimination. The first 6 of the ten commandments are about honoring that which is greater than and goes beyond us. Commandment 3 is about honoring a true GOD which is invisibly all and in all. The remaining 4 commandments are about honoring with love the GOD which is in each other.
People will get mad at me for telling it like it is, because deep down inside, they know I'm right and their hearts are in conflict with what the Bible says, so which do you follow? Jesus did harshly criticize the Pharisees, saying 'You swallow a camel and strain out a gnat.' as to tell them, they're full of it. 'You follow the letter of the Law, but neglect the heart of the law, the weightier matters of mercy, justice, and good faith.' Don't have me go to church on these church folks, because I will. Get your pipe organ ready. They keep talking about Judgement Day and forget that GOD's Judgement will begin with the Church. Lightning will strike the church steeple first before it goes anywhere else, if you believe in that kind of wrathful GOD. So if Judgement Day is indeed near, the last place I want to be is in a church. I need to be out there preaching to people about GOD's LOVE and if necessary, using words.
I'm a human being, and you're a human being. If this is true, than nothing human should be alien to me. I'm not gay. I'm not even kinda gay, but when you tell me you love Mr. so-and-so, I believe you, I feel it and I totally get it and anyone who has ever been in love should be able to 'get it' too, butterflies and all. If we are willing to open up or minds and our hearts, we will clearly see that we are way much more alike than we are different. We all hope, we love, we have fears, we make errors and we all bleed red when cut. I believe one of the greatest hopes of all of us is not for money, importance, power or fame, but for love. We hope for the Love of GOD, we hope for the love of a romantic partner, we hope for the love of family and friends and we want the love of ourselves, to be comfortable in our own skin and proud to be to be the people we were made to be. Without that, money, importance, power or fame is not even worth having. It will be a sickening reminder of the love you don't have. What many of these so-called Christians are out to do to LGBT people is to crush your greatest hopes on all accounts, because the Bible tells them to. When they succeed, they sit dumb-founded when so many of you commit suicide or become numb to life. They try to convince you that you can not have GOD's unconditional love, blessings and protections unless you become something you are not. They tell you that the most beautiful thing about you, your love and romance, is ugly, perverted and sick, hated by the most loving thing in the universe, GOD, so you can't have that. When you try to love yourself, it's called flaunting. Unless you change who you are and what you feel, you're cut off from fellowship with family and friends. That's not love, that's cruelty.
So to wrap this up, don't give me special titles or any kind of hero worship for just being a human being and recognizing and honoring your humanity. Just call me a friend and a fellow human being who, like you, is trying to get through this crazy experience we call life with you. What hurts you, hurts me. When you are happy, I glow too. That's what love is. Others who think differently than I, simply believe that they are more human than you, no matter how you slice it. You know I've always been one to call a spade a spade, so if you publish this, I wish to remain anonymous so that others will not get mad at me but at the truth.
-Yours for the cause of love Human Being
You may have thought that marriage equality was simply about equal rights. But we are pursuing something even more important here; the Truth of Love. A truth which is an antithesis to what she has just described, "They tell you that the most beautiful thing about you, your love and romance, is ugly, perverted and sick, hated by the most loving thing in the universe, GOD, so you can't have that. Unless you change who you are and what you feel, you're cut off from fellowship with family and friends." Because of this proverbial lie, many LGBT people deny themselves their own love. As Mother Teresa would agree, without love, the soul starves to death with no incentive to live. If it is a lie that homosexuality forfeits the love and acceptance of GOD, of friends and family, of romance and of self, then we must commit to continuing to do all that we must do to ensure the honor of legal equality in every respect for our relationships and our families. I earnestly believe that for many young LGBT people, just being able to hope to marry the one they love with legal validation and protections is going to save lives. It may take a generation or two to completely eradicate the lie. But for that to begin, this generation must have marriage equality, and we can, we must and will get it within the immediate future.in all 50 states and then worldwide. Let's make America the beacon of light it once was as a world leader for freedom and equality. We can only do this by focusing our efforts on where we live and for many of us, this is Georgia. Now, that we are closing in on Georgia's Marriage Ban from all directions, are you engaged? We can certainly use you and your love.
Grassroots Activity:
Tuesday, May 20th 7PM: Alternative Perspectives- Tune into 89.3FM Atlanta or livestream online at http://wrfg.org/howlisten.asp Betty Couvertier's Marriage Equality segment featuring Branden Mattox and special guests this month, Amanda Newkirk Carver, Georgia Marriage Equality petitioner to the Governer. Invite over 5 friends to listen and/or call-in to the show at 404-523-8989. Then discuss afterwards featuring potluck desert (Strawberry Shortcake) and game night, cards, monopoly, charades whatever. Have those 5 friends invite 5 more, and alternate hosting for this show which will occur every 3rd Tuesday of every month @ 7PM. If you wish to publicly host and invite for a listening party, please post your venue at www.facebook.com/LoveUnderFire or e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com BLOCK JUDGE BOGGS: Georgia's Marriage Equality Class Action Lawsuit is headed for the lions den if it is to be argued before Judge Boggs. To increase the odds of winning, let's do what we can do block the nomination of Judge Michael Boggs to the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. Learn how and why here: http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35006/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=1445
#MAYDAYGAEQUALITY: "Sonny" & Joyce "Jazzie" Jones-Smith have launched a statewide initiative to take a stand on Marriage Equality in the State of Georgia to encourage the 21,000+ same sex couples living in Georgia to go to their local county courthouse and apply for a marriage license:
During any weekday day in May except Memorial Day 5/26, go to your local courthouse and apply for a marriage license. Take a picture of your denial paperwork and use hashtag #maydaygaequality in your social media postings: Here are a few things to remember:
1. Make sure that you and your partner both have valid ID.
2. If either or both have been previously married you will need to bring a copy of the divorce decree with you to apply.
3. Know your rights! Although it is illegal to be issued a license YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT to apply.
4. It is FREE to apply. It is illegal for the clerk to ask for money (especially non-refundable money) to process your application. The $66 fee is FOR THE LICENSE once it is approved.
5. This is a peaceful demonstration. You may be treated unfairly but remain calm. Be polite during the process, regardless of how you are treated.
Why is this important?
Applying and being denied may seem silly to some, but you must understand that your information is being sent to the capitol to be stored in a database. The couples that apply this month are making history and sending a message ultimately to the Supreme Court! It also heightens the local urgency and strengthens the argument for a speedy and fair resolution in regards to the Class-Action lawsuit underway and the Legislative Repeal pending in 2015. We want Marriage Equality!
So go out and apply!!! Tell us about your experience.
Help them get the word out about this event and further organize by donating to: http://www.prlog.org/12304834-sonny-jazzie-of-louddmouthradiocom-launches-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-initiative.html ; $$ Remember those who said that we'll never raise enough money to pull it off, here's your opportunity to prove them wrong. Many of us who or working tirelessly and passionately for marriage equality are not being paid to do so. We do it because it is the right thing to do, and our conscience would not allow us to do otherwise at such a time as this. However, no war is ever won by a poorly outfitted and poorly equipped army. This couple is needing the funds necessary to get the word out about their movement, "OUR" movement with billboards, radio ads and other means which engage the public at large. Please help them with whatever you are able going to: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/louddmouthradio-com-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-campaign $$$
Thursday, July 17th, 7PM- OPERATION: YES, WE DO! (SATYAGRAHA UNIVERSITY)- At First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. 2nd Floor. Recruiting active participants in ongoing public demonstrations to dramatize the injustice of marriage discrimination in the state of Georgia to convict the public conscience that GA's Marriage Ban MUST END! To prepare for this, we ask that you register for our monthly workshops, where you can learn and practice the Gandhian principle of Nonviolence (non-violation) and harnessing the spirit of LOVE and TRUTH in the act of Civil Disobedience for social change. The classes are to be taught by veteran field organizer for SOUL FORCE, Rev. Townley McGiffert from the text (Nonviolent Resistance by M.K. Gandhi). Upon graduation, you will have the opportunity to practice your skills in the execution of a strategic series of marches, vigils, rallies and actions of civil disobedience primarily throughout the remainder of 2014. The primary purposes of this is the further the awareness, to agitate and dramatize the conversation around marriage discrimination and to heighten the urgency and pressure for speedy action within the state legislature and the class action lawsuit underway. We are needing Gay and Lesbian couples seeking marriage, equality advocates and supportive straight allies. Please invite at least 10 to this movement. Please RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/273288932845220/ and or call 404-492-4197 or 404-604-8124
OPERATION: VOICES OF REASON- Now that the end of GA's Marriage Ban has begun, the next phase is to build popular support for marriage equality in Georgia by leading a campaign to encourage Georgia based celebrities and public persons of influence to deliver a Video PSA speaking from their hearts in support of marriage equality in GA to Southerners For The Freedom To Marry, HRC or independently for the use in television ads, billboards and social media sharing. We are also interviewing and spotlighting in a blog feature Georgia Straight Allies who wish to give their personal and impassioned arguments for marriage equality to share by social media. If you know of any Georgia based celebrities or influential public personas you would like to pursue for this cause, please help us research their contact information and post in this group so that we may begin sending them collective requests. To participate, please join facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/162790130594479/
Join the IDOMARATHON Support Team: Kacey and Chwanda Fierson-Nixon are a Jonesboro couple have been cris-crossing the nation with their 7 children collecting marriage licences to build a moral case against the state of Georgia which nullifies each and every one of them where this couple resides. They have just returned from their second tour and have plans of launching another in the near future with any couple who wishes to be a tag-along. Everyone is welcomed to join the cheer leading squad. They have plans soon on taking to the Western States and could really use all of the moral, spiritual, and financial support you are able to offer them. Like https://www.facebook.com/IDOMARATHON and learn about how to support them and get the word out. There are plans developing to launch a Western tour perhaps in December of 2014 to bring along other Georgia LGBT couples in a Marriage Freedom Ride across the nation. STAY TUNED and we hope you will take part.
JASON CARTER
With marriage equality coming to the state capitol at the next legislative session, by all means we need to do whatever it takes to get possession of the high ground, which means for us, the Governor's Office. If we want to win equality, we have no other choice other than Jason Carter, and he is not a bad choice, the grandson of former Georgia governor and US President, Jimmy Carter. With him as governor, the fight under the Gold Dome, will not be as steep. The requisite of signatures in both houses is only 51% to reach the Governor's desk, and we can count on Carter's signature. This is opposed to the 75% which will be needed to overturn a veto we can expect from Governor Deal. This is why Carter's election is crucial. "Take the high ground, facing the sunny side." Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Please get involved with his campaign and help him to victory however you are able at http://carterforgovernor.com/
MICHELLE NUNN
Our US Senator, Saxby Chambliss is retiring, which means one less conservative vote in the US Senate. We need to keep it that way with Obama's "Respect For Marriage Act" moving through congress. Surely, conservatives in this state will be vying to maintain that conservative vote and Michelle Nunn is our answer to defeating their efforts and bolstering the voice for equality, namely in the South. She now has a dedicated LGBT contingent which meets bi-weekly for phonebanking, telefundraising and canvassing. The next game night for her LGBT contingent is this Wednesday, May 14th, starting at 5:30PM-9PM at 1206 Spring St NW, Atlanta GA 30309. You may also contact Andy Ratto for further details @ andy@georgiavictory2014.com work: 404-445-6700 ext 133 or cell: 678-561-7248. You will be paid in pizza and snacks. Learn about more opportunities of getting involved at www.michellenunn.com ;
KYLE WILLIAMS
Ahead of Rep. Dr. Karla Drenner's and fellow progressive voices in the State House resolution to begin repeals of Georgia's Marriage Ban in 2015, Kyle Williams was the first to announce that he would "unequivocally and without hesitation" do so if elected to replace Jason Carter as Senator of Georgia's 42nd district. Regardless of what Drenner and what her caucus decides to do, we still need him and his intentions in the Senate. If elected, he would be the first and only "openly" gay male in the Georgia Senate, which means that when the conversation reaches that side of our government, we have someone who knows personally, not vicariously our struggles and can effectively advocate for them. How can you help him to victory? His headquarters, The High House at 1830 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030 will be open from 2:30 through 7pm on Tuesday through Thursdays for:
- Phone invites to our Meet & Greet events
- Filling out neighbor-2-neighbor cards
- Helping with data entry (for someone who has a laptop you can bring)
- Helping with list cleanup in Kyle's contacts
- Organizing materials for Kyle and volunteers who are canvassing
Each Saturday - we'll have Walk With Kyle days where volunteers can come to High House at 10:30 and head out with Kyle to walk a neighborhood door-to-door. Learn about other ways you can help @ http://kylewilliams2014.com/
THE LONE WOLF:
You may always choose to work independently yet in tandem with this movement. Doing what you can do from where you are is what this all about. You don't have to wait for anyone's permission to get to work. You may start with forwarding this e-mail. His is a list of 10 other things you may do. http://loveunderfirega.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-can-i-do-in-name-of-love.html
If you have any related events you would like to add to our calendar, please e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com details about it.
And now, I send you off with a weekly tune to pump up your spirits: "I Have Learned to Respect The Power Of Love" by Stephanie Mills:
“Class never runs scared. It is sure-footed and confident, and it can handle whatever comes along. Class has a sense of humor. It knows that a good laugh is the best lubricant for oiling the machinery of human relations. Class never makes excuses. It takes its lumps and learns from mistakes...Class is comfortable in its own skin. It never puts on airs. Class never tries to build itself up by tearing others down. If you have class, you've got it made.” Abigail Van Buren [Pauline Phillips] (born 1918); Columnist
This past week, I had a chance to have a great discussion on the air with my good friend and media partner, Miko Evans, Founder, CEO and Executive Producer of the Atlanta based Meak Productions, Inc. Towards the end of our hour long discussion about the recent two years of local developments with the activism for marriage equality in Georgia, he asked me something which I'm sure quite a few people have been curious about. "How did you come up with the name, 'Love Under Fire'?" Some have loved the name, finding it powerful, inspiring and intriguing. Others have felt it too dramatic, too aggressive, militant and angry sounding for a social justice movement campaign centered on the themes of Love and Family. What in the world is causing people to think, aggression and militancy from a name like "Love Under Fire"? Perhaps simply the word, "FIRE". For many, the word "FIRE" is cause for alarm. I guess because "FIRE" is destructive, or can be. It is also the most powerful catalyst (change agent) in many chemical reactions in Science. It literally changes the physical properties of matter. It can turn water from ice into liquid and then into vapor, when placed under fire, because of its abilities to accelerate its molecules. It turns wood and other carbon compounds to ash, and refines, strengthens and polishes gold. As you see, Fire not only changes things, it burns away everything that is untrue and insubstantial , and glorifies that which is eternal and resolute. When placed under fire, If this happens to water and gold, what can it do with 'LOVE'?
You see, the "FIRE" in the name, "Love Under Fire" does not represent our own aggression, militancy or anger at our present injustice. It is representative of the "FIRE" of discrimination, oppression, challenge and disrespect faced from without. If the Love is not true and solid, surely it will be destroyed and can never make its lovers free and equal. Those who do not understand the romance and powerful love connections between same-sex partners assumed this much, sticking a ban in the Georgia constitution, not anticipating that our love would soon enough come along to knock down its entire existence. If mustering what it will take to accomplish such a feat, how much stronger will that love between Georgia's same-sex couples be forged? I believe this is a story this current generation will tell to future generations about a time when they could not establish families and romantic covenants within the protections of the law, simply because of the genders of those involved and what their love did put an end to such an injustice. I hope to future generations, the reality we know now will be just as alien and strange as "FOR WHITES ONLY" signs are to a millennial kid like me, b. 1982, just a generation away from the peak of America's Racial Civil Rights Movement.
Actually, the name came about very organically from the first action I took as soon as I discovered Georgia's Marriage Ban in 2012. My home state of Maryland ruled for marriage equality. Wanting to stay in Georgia, I naturally thought, "Well how about here?" That lead me to reading the ban, and I felt sick to my stomach that I had chosen to live here just three years prior. With bold audacity I laugh about now, I wrote and 8 page letter to Governor Deal, saying this midway through, "Because of your state, Love itself has come under fire, and until your state lives up to its principles of WISDOM, JUSTICE and MODERATION, do not expect this matter to fade from your face for even a moment!". I then literally marched this letter in person directly into the Governor's Office, downtown Atlanta. You can tell I am from the world of live theatre. I was ready to pack up and leave, but I was not going to leave without having my say first. A good friend of mine read a copy of my 'epistle' and thought I should title it "Love Under Fire", believing that particular sentence was the most poignant and powerful part of the document. Was that sentence a bellicose threat, or was it prophecy? I didn't know. That's just how I was feeling at the moment. Well, we have seen since 2012, marriage equality has only heated up to a mainstay issue locally, becoming a problem for Atlanta's mayor and now the Georgia General Assembly. It is not going away without being resolved. As one event leads to another, it has not left the local headlines since.
What I like the most about the title "Love Under Fire" is how it plays on that age old adage of determination and resilience, "Grace Under Fire". It is how Christ is depicted in the last 12 hours leading up to his crucifixion. Never once did he break character and cower or become belligerent. He remained firm, poised, dignified and assertive in his truth. You simply can't beat that. It is the way of being, Gandhi advocated for. While he denounced violence, hatred and divisiveness, he also railed against using "non-violence" as a cloak for impotence and cowardice. Fear no one. You can not be a true Satyagrahi if you hate, fear people or will allow someone to bully you and push you around and you will not stand up for yourself. For, you can never stand up for others if you will not stand up for yourself. If someone wants to physically beat you on account of your truth, don't fight them back and don't run from the either, turn them the other cheek for them to strike also. His philosophy was neither fight or flight, but centering and grounding oneself in the stillness of truth and love. It is the strength of your truth and your love which will win the day, and ultimately the fight which had been brought to you. With that, he overthrew a superpower of British colonialism over India without ever drawing a sword or firing a shot. Rev. Dr. King, had been arrested 30 times, spit on, punched, mocked, hit with a thrown rock, stabbed, house bombed and ultimately shot to death, and yet his legacy is honored with 730 cities in 39 states with streets named after him, 116 US public schools and 1 hospital bearing his name, a federal holiday and a Washington monument. It is not the man who is being honored, it is the principles he stood for.
Today, for our current struggle, If we love who we are, love who we're with, get motivated by the love for our children and have a sense of forgiveness toward those who are set out to resist us, to disrespect and invalidate us, we are going to win this BAR NONE. With love, we don't need to make our determination about making others wrong or defeating them. Truth has already done that. We have only to demonstrate this truth. Our love is our truth, our equality is our truth, our beauty is our truth, and there is nothing that they can do to ever take that away from us. We're not out to conquer, humiliate or vilify flesh and blood, we're entirely focused and committed to dismantling and destroying a bad law which is not rooted in justice and is not uplifting, and thus was never a true law to begin with. With this cause, we always carry ourselves with a sense of calming peace or poise, dignity, and strong assertiveness our opponents will find irresistible. It is this standard of genuine authenticity and confidence or "swagger" which wins over supporters without going to the lengths of arguing of trying to "sell" them the idea of what we know to be true. Therefore, we have no use for talking points fed to lobbyists on how to change hearts and minds. All you need to know and keep in mind is what is written above.
"Love Under Fire" is not only campaign and a movement, it is a spirit, like a steady torch which illuminates truth, is a guiding light and hope to those who seek equality and justice. It burns lies, untruths and falsehoods, melts hatred, judgment and unkindness and is ultimately a catalyst for change. I have seen the poised and dignified aspect of it best demonstrated by my friends Juan and Gee Sessions-Smalls, an Atlanta couple who are founders of the Gentlemen's foundation and The Gentlemen's Ball for same gender loving men of color to discover their truth, their power and their beauty, despite what society has had to say about them. The love aspect of it I see demonstrated best in the palpable romance between another Atlanta couple Larry "Pylle" and Nolan Carter. The assertiveness aspect I see demonstrated in the calming determination exhibited by Chwanda and Kacey Frierson-Nixon, a Jonesboro couple who has taken their 7 kids on a voyage across the American map, collecting marriage licences wherever they can to stack a moral case against GA's marriage ban as to why it will not legitimize even one. The assertiveness of doing what you have do is also demonstrated by a Stockbridge couple, Jazzy and Sonny Smith who are leading a campaign urging Georgia's same couples to appear before their county courthouse requesting marriage licenses which will be denied as an act of civil disobedience. These actions have already stirred up conversations in some regions of Georgia which are not accustomed to being confronted with the cause of marriage equality. I'm thinking of the humor of my monthly radio shows with Betty Couvertier, which while profound and intense, comes across like a comedy hour as we joke and laugh at the nonsense in our community and with our opponents. If you want to know what "Love Under Fire" looks like or what I had in mind when I coined the title, look at these folks. They are the epitome of the beauty and strength of Love Under Fire and we are working together in camaraderie and humility as we support one another. We've got no time for ego or community politics as we are making Georgia's trek toward marriage equality what it should be; a Peoples Movement, owned and controlled by no one, but lead by many. Our Truths: We are Human. We are Equal. We are Beautiful, We are Georgia and We are Here!
Grassroots Activity:
#MAYDAYGAEQUALITY: "Sonny" & Joyce "Jazzie" Jones-Smith have launched a statewide grassroots initiative to take a stand on Marriage Equality in the State of Georgia, encouraging the 21,000+ same sex couples living in Georgia to go to their local county courthouse and apply for a marriage license:
During any weekday day in May except Memorial Day 5/26, go to your local courthouse and apply for a marriage license. Take a picture of your denial paperwork and use hashtag #maydaygaequality in your social media postings: Here are a few things to remember:
1. Make sure that you and your partner both have valid ID.
2. If either or both have been previously married you will need to bring a copy of the divorce decree with you to apply.
3. Know your rights! Although it is illegal to be issued a license YOU HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT to apply.
4. It is FREE to apply. It is illegal for the clerk to ask for money (especially non-refundable money) to process your application. The $66 fee is FOR THE LICENSE once it is approved.
5. This is a peaceful demonstration. You may be treated unfairly but remain calm (POISE). Be polite (DIGNIFIED) during the process, regardless of how you are treated.
Why is this important?
Applying and being denied may seem silly to some, but you must understand that your information is being sent to the capitol to be stored in a database. The couples that apply this month are making history and sending a message ultimately to the Supreme Court! It also heightens the local urgency and strengthens the argument for a speedy and fair resolution in regards to the Class-Action lawsuit underway and the Legislative Repeal pending in 2015. We want Marriage Equality! So go out and apply!!! Tell us about your experience and spread the word.
Help this initiative get the word out about this event to the public-at-large and to further organize by donating to: http://www.prlog.org/12304834-sonny-jazzie-of-louddmouthradiocom-launches-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-initiative.html ; $$ Remember those who said that we'll never raise enough money to pull it off, here's your opportunity to prove them wrong. Many of us who or working tirelessly and passionately for marriage equality are not being paid to do so. We do it because it is the right thing to do, and our conscience would not allow us to do otherwise at such a time as this. However, no war is ever won by a poorly outfitted and poorly equipped army. This couple is needing the funds necessary to get the word out about their movement, "OUR" movement with billboards, radio ads and other means which engage the public at large. Please help them with whatever you are able going to: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/louddmouthradio-com-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-campaign $$$
Tuesday, May 13th, 7PM- OPERATION: YES, WE DO!- At First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. 2nd Floor. Recruiting active participants in ongoing public demonstrations to dramatize the injustice of marriage discrimination in the state of Georgia to convict the public conscience that GA's Marriage Ban MUST END! We are asking you to take part in the planning and execution of a strategic series of marches, vigils, rallies and actions of civil disobedience primarily throughout the remainder of 2014. We are needing Gay and Lesbian couples seeking marriage, equality advocates and supportive straight allies. Please invite at least 10 to this movement. Please RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/273288932845220/ and or call 404-492-4197 or 404-604-8124
Tuesday, May 19th 7PM: Alternative Perspectives- Tune into 89.3FM Atlanta or livestream online at http://wrfg.org/howlisten.asp Betty Couvertier's Marriage Equality segment featuring Branden Mattox and special guests this month, Amanda Newkirk Carver, Georgia Marriage Equality petitioner to the Governer. Invite over 5 friends to listen and/or call-in to the show at 404-523-8989. Then discuss afterwards featuring potluck desert (Strawberry Shortcake) and game night, cards, monopoly, charades whatever. Have those 5 friends invite 5 more, and alternate hosting for this show which will occur every 3rd Tuesday of every month @ 7PM. If you wish to publicly host and invite for a listening party, please post your venue at www.facebook.com/LoveUnderFire or e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com
OPERATION: VOICES OF REASON- Now that the end of GA's Marriage Ban has begun, the next phase is to build popular support for marriage equality in Georgia by leading a campaign to encourage Georgia based celebrities and public persons of influence to deliver a Video PSA speaking from their hearts in support of marriage equality in GA to Southerners For The Freedom To Marry, HRC or independently for the use in television ads, billboards and social media sharing. If you know of any Georgia based celebrities or influential public personas you would like to pursue for this cause, please help us research their contact information and post in this group so that we may begin sending them collective requests. I will also be interviewing GA allies for blog feature articles to be distributed via social media. To participate, please join facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/162790130594479/
Join the IDOMARATHON Support Team: Kacey and Chwanda Fierson-Nixon are a Jonesboro couple who have been cris-crossing the nation with their 7 children collecting marriage licences to build a moral case against the state of Georgia which nullifies each and every one of them where this couple resides. They have just returned from their second tour and have plans of launching another in the near future with any couple who wishes to be a tag-along. Everyone is welcomed to join the cheer leading squad. They have plans soon on taking to the Western States and could really use all of the moral, spiritual, and financial support you are able to offer them. Like https://www.facebook.com/IDOMARATHON and learn about how to support them and get the word out.
Civic Engagements:
VOTE! TUESDAY, MAY 20th, 2014
Preliminary elections are to elect those who will be candidates in the November General Elections. Want to really like who to choose from in November? Then, I stress the importance of going out and supporting your candidate of choice on this day. Find your polling place and check your voting status here: http://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov Then maximize the power of your vote by bringing 2, 3, or 4 friends along for a group effort. Carpool and have them invite friends too!
JASON CARTER
With marriage equality coming to the state capitol at the next legislative session, by all means we need to do whatever it takes to get possession of the high ground, which means for us, the Governor's Office. If we want to win equality, we have no other choice other than Jason Carter, and he is not a bad choice, the grandson of former Georgia governor and US President, Jimmy Carter. With him as governor, the fight under the Gold Dome, will not be as steep. The requisite of signatures in both houses is only 51% to reach the Governor's desk, and we can count on Carter's signature. This is opposed to the 75% which will be needed to overturn a veto we can expect from Governor Deal. This is why Carter's election is crucial. "Take the high ground, facing the sunny side." Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Please get involved with his campaign and help him to victory however you are able at http://carterforgovernor.com/
MICHELLE NUNN
Our US Senator, Saxby Chambliss is retiring, which means one less conservative vote in the US Senate. We need to keep it that way with Obama's "Respect For Marriage Act" moving through congress. Surely, conservatives in this state will be vying to maintain that conservative vote and Michelle Nunn is our answer to defeating their efforts and bolstering the voice for equality, namely in the South. She now has a dedicated LGBT contingent which meets bi-weekly for phonebanking, telefundraising and canvassing. The next game night for her LGBT contingent is this Wednesday, May 14th, starting at 5:30PM-9PM at 1206 Spring St NW, Atlanta GA 30309. You may also contact Andy Ratto for further details @ andy@georgiavictory2014.com work: 404-445-6700 ext 133 or cell: 678-561-7248. You will be paid in pizza and snacks. Learn about more opportunities of getting involved at www.michellenunn.com ;
KYLE WILLIAMS
Ahead of Rep. Dr. Karla Drenner's and fellow progressive voices in the State House resolution to begin repeals of Georgia's Marriage Ban in 2015, Kyle Williams was the first to announce that he would "unequivocally and without hesitation" do so if elected to replace Jason Carter as Senator of Georgia's 42nd district. Regardless of what Drenner and what her caucus decides to do, we still need him and his intentions in the Senate. If elected, he would be the first and only "openly" gay male in the Georgia Senate, which means that when the conversation reaches that side of our government, we have someone who knows personally, not vicariously our struggles and can effectively advocate for them. How can you help him to victory? His headquarters, The High House at 1830 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030 will be open from 2:30 through 7pm on Tuesday through Thursdays for:
- Phone invites to our Meet & Greet events
- Filling out neighbor-2-neighbor cards
- Helping with data entry (for someone who has a laptop you can bring)
- Helping with list cleanup in Kyle's contacts
- Organizing materials for Kyle and volunteers who are canvassing
Each Saturday - we'll have Walk With Kyle days where volunteers can come to High House at 10:30 and head out with Kyle to walk a neighborhood door-to-door. Learn about other ways you can help @ http://kylewilliams2014.com/
THE LONE WOLF:You may always choose to work independently yet in tandem with this movement. Doing what you can do from where you are is what this all about. You don't have to wait for anyone's permission to get to work. You may start with forwarding this e-mail. His is a list of 10 other things you may do. http://loveunderfirega.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-can-i-do-in-name-of-love.html
If you have any related events you would like to add to our calendar, please e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com details about it.
And now, I send you off with a weekly tune to pump up your spirits: "Lean On Me" by Aretha Franklin
"We are on the move and no wave of racism can stop us. We are on the move now. The burning of our churches will not deter us. The bombing of our homes will not dissuade us. We are on the move now. The beating and killing of our clergymen and young people will not divert us. We are on the move now. The wanton release of their known murderers would not discourage us. We are on the move now. Like an idea whose time has come, not even the marching of mighty armies can halt us. We are moving to the land of freedom." -Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. March 25th, 1965 Address at the Conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March
Good grief! In comparison to what King is describing, our circumstances are incredibly mild. If we can have a tenth of the resolve, commitment and determination of the gritty souls of the African American Civil Rights Movement, I have perfect confidence marriage equality will be in the Peach State in just a matter of two years. At this point, the estimated time of arrival is late June 2016. This is the reason I urged in our last newsletter that if you were waiting on Georgia, NOW is the time to get ready. Let alone the time it takes to build a relationship to the point of marriage ready, for some it takes up two years to plan an epic wedding befitting of the historical moment which is now on the horizon. When you begin acting on your beliefs, walking on your faith, you actually reinforce your beliefs and your faith so strongly that you set off a compounding chain reaction of events and you will witness circumstances from without begin to arrange itself to support that which you believe. I have only to hearken back just two years ago to see what the magic of faith has done. Faith is also contagious, by the way. With this, I attest that faith you will not walk on is no faith at all. If I told you that I was sending you to Bora Bora, Tahiti tomorrow, would you not pack today? Perhaps you will not until I show you the plane tickets, needing to know all the hows before you get to moving. King also said this, "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the entire staircase, just take the first step." FAITH, GET YOU SOME!
Alas, Georgia's Marriage Ban is facing a class action lawsuit led by Lambda Legal. This process could take up two years to resolve, not to mention what may happen by Supreme Court mandate over this time frame. Coming at it from the legislative arena, Rep. Karla Drenner has previewed repeal proposals beginning in 2015 in the Georgia House of Representative. With the election of Kyle Williams to the State Senate, he has promised the introduction of similar measures to bring down the ban through the State Senate. Even Barack Obama has the "Respect For Marriage Act" moving through congress which once passed, if necessary will replace DOMA entirely. Demonstrating that the psychological warfare has been won, several conservative commentators in Georgia have been urging Georgia Attorney General, Sam Olens to abandon the fight against marriage equality and concede to the forces of love, saying it will cost the state unnecessary millions which will end up as a defeated effort anyway. That just leaves one more arena that has not yet pointed its cannons squarely on GA's Marriage Ban (Section IV of GA Constitution, Title Code 19-3-3.1), The Georgia populace.
This weekend I was invited to be a part of panel discussion alongside Fulton County Commissioner, Joan Garner, Robin Shahar, LGBT liaison to Atlanta Mayor Reed's office, family psychologist, Dr. Susan Barrett and Emory student activist, Conrad Charleston. In this discussion we all agreed that the Legal and the Legislative fight will be heavily impacted and influenced by the general sentiment and attitude among the Georgia populace in regards to this issue. Latest polls report that we are at a split even in this historically bible belt state, while some reporting a slight lead in favor of marriage equality. Those of us who support equality can only be aided and may help to expedite the whole process as much as possible by growing and strengthening our lead and eroding the resistance of our opponents. This whole issue may just come down to what we do on this arena. Be not deluded to the fact that social conservatives are already organizing their base and ramping up their rhetoric of lies, untruths, falsehoods and scare tactics against our beloved community. We must do what we must do to counter this influence. We need to do a lot more of changing hearts and minds by telling our stories and relating with others along the shared human experience of love and family and by hearing heart felt voices of reason from respected celebrities and public persons of influence.
At the same time, there will be some for whom it will be a war of attrition, whereas they will only concede their resistance if the matter is so dramatized to the degree that they will clearly see that justice is their only route to peace of mind. If they're tired of hearing about this issue, that's a good sign, because until we all get what we are owed and entitled to under the US Constitution, we are only going to get louder and more persistent. People have sacrificed everything so that the most vulnerable members of society may have access to these basic rights. This is about Love, Family, Equality and Respect. It would be a disrespect to those soldiers of social justice and to the egalitarian principles of our nation if we did not fight for them in respect to ourselves. It is these stalwarts if exhausted, I believe may end the struggle even sooner than those who are morally supportive of our cause, yet patient and complacent with the injustice and plight currently troubling Georgia's LGBT couples and their families. For some of our kind, drama is their stock and trade, yet we must stir up drama in the right way, in a way that causes people to think, to feel the pain and shame of the injustice and heighten the urgency of the moment to put an end this practice of discrimination. Below is how you may get moving:
Grassroots Activity:
Thursday, May 1st, #MAYDAYGAEQUALITY: "Sonny" & Joyce "Jazzie" Jones-Smith are launching a statewide initiative to take a stand on Marriage Equality in the State of Georgia to encourage the 21,000+ same sex couples living in Georgia to go to their local county courthouse and apply for a marriage license on May 1st, 2014. Learn more about this here: http://www.prlog.org/12304834-sonny-jazzie-of-louddmouthradiocom-launches-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-initiative.html ; $$ Remember those who said that we'll never raise enough money to pull it off, here's your opportunity to prove them wrong. Many of us who or working tirelessly and passionately for marriage equality are not being paid to do so. We do it because it is the right thing to do, and our conscience would not allow us to do otherwise at such a time as this. However, no war is ever won by a poorly outfitted and poorly equipped army. This couple is needing the funds necessary to get the word out about their movement, "OUR" movement with billboards, radio ads and other means which engage the public at large. Please help them with whatever you are able going to: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/louddmouthradio-com-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-campaign $$$
Thursday, May 8th, 7PM- OPERATION: YES, WE DO!- At First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030. 2nd Floor. Recruiting active participants in ongoing public demonstrations to dramatize the injustice of marriage discrimination in the state of Georgia to convict the public conscience that GA's Marriage Ban MUST END! We are asking you to take part in the planning and execution of a strategic series of marches, vigils, rallies and actions of civil disobedience primarily throughout the remainder of 2014. We are needing Gay and Lesbian couples seeking marriage, equality advocates and supportive straight allies. Please invite at least 10 to this movement. Please RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/273288932845220/ and or call 404-492-4197 or 404-604-8124
Tuesday, May 19th 7PM: Alternative Perspectives- Tune into 89.3FM Atlanta or livestream online at http://wrfg.org/howlisten.asp Betty Couvertier's Marriage Equality segment featuring Branden Mattox and special guests this month, Amanda Newkirk Carver, Georgia Marriage Equality petitioner to the Governer. Invite over 5 friends to listen and/or call-in to the show at 404-523-8989. Then discuss afterwards featuring potluck desert (Strawberry Shortcake) and game night, cards, monopoly, charades whatever. Have those 5 friends invite 5 more, and alternate hosting for this show which will occur every 3rd Tuesday of every month @ 7PM. If you wish to publicly host and invite for a listening party, please post your venue at www.facebook.com/LoveUnderFire or e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com
OPERATION: VOICES OF REASON- Now that the end of GA's Marriage Ban has begun, the next phase is to build popular support for marriage equality in Georgia by leading a campaign to encourage Georgia based celebrities and public persons of influence to deliver a Video PSA speaking from their hearts in support of marriage equality in GA to Southerners For The Freedom To Marry, HRC or independently for the use in television ads, billboards and social media sharing. If you know of any Georgia based celebrities or influential public personas you would like to pursue for this cause, please help us research their contact information and post in this group so that we may begin sending them collective requests. To participate, please join facebook group here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/162790130594479/
Join the IDOMARATHON Support Team: Kacey and Chwanda Fierson-Nixon are a Jonesboro couple have been cris-crossing the nation with their 7 children collecting marriage licences to build a moral case against the state of Georgia which nullifies each and every one of them where this couple resides. They have just returned from their second tour and have plans of launching another in the near future with any couple who wishes to be a tag-along. Everyone is welcomed to join the cheer leading squad. They have plans soon on taking to the Western States and could really use all of the moral, spiritual, and financial support you are able to offer them. Like https://www.facebook.com/IDOMARATHON and learn about how to support them and get the word out.
Civic Engagements:
JASON CARTER With marriage equality coming to the state capitol at the next legislative session, by all means we need to do whatever it takes to get possession of the high ground, which means for us, the Governor's Office. If we want to win equality, we have no other choice other than Jason Carter, and he is not a bad choice, the grandson of former Georgia governor and US President, Jimmy Carter. With him as governor, the fight under the Gold Dome, will not be as steep. The requisite of signatures in both houses is only 51% to reach the Governor's desk, and we can count on Carter's signature. This is opposed to the 75% which will be needed to overturn a veto we can expect from Governor Deal. This is why Carter's election is crucial. "Take the high ground, facing the sunny side." Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Please get involved with his campaign and help him to victory however you are able at http://carterforgovernor.com/
MICHELLE NUNN Our US Senator, Saxby Chambliss is retiring, which means one less conservative vote in the US Senate. We need to keep it that way with Obama's "Respect For Marriage Act" moving through congress. Surely, conservatives in this state will be vying to maintain that conservative vote and Michelle Nunn is our answer to defeating their efforts and bolstering the voice for equality, namely in the South. She now has a dedicated LGBT contingent which meets bi-weekly for phonebanking, telefundraising and canvassing. The next game night for her LGBT contingent is this Wednesday, May 14th, starting at 5:30PM-9PM at 1206 Spring St NW, Atlanta GA 30309. You may also contact Andy Ratto for further details @ andy@georgiavictory2014.com work: 404-445-6700 ext 133 or cell: 678-561-7248. You will be paid in pizza and snacks. Learn about more opportunities of getting involved at www.michellenunn.com ;
KYLE WILLIAMS Ahead of Rep. Dr. Karla Drenner's and fellow progressive voices in the State House resolution to begin repeals of Georgia's Marriage Ban in 2015, Kyle Williams was the first to announce that he would "unequivocally and without hesitation" do so if elected to replace Jason Carter as Senator of Georgia's 42nd district. Regardless of what Drenner and what her caucus decides to do, we still need him and his intentions in the Senate. If elected, he would be the first and only "openly" gay male in the Georgia Senate, which means that when the conversation reaches that side of our government, we have someone who knows personally, not vicariously our struggles and can effectively advocate for them. How can you help him to victory? His headquarters, The High House at 1830 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030 will be open from 2:30 through 7pm on Tuesday through Thursdays for: - Phone invites to our Meet & Greet events - Filling out neighbor-2-neighbor cards - Helping with data entry (for someone who has a laptop you can bring) - Helping with list cleanup in Kyle's contacts - Organizing materials for Kyle and volunteers who are canvassing
Each Saturday - we'll have Walk With Kyle days where volunteers can come to High House at 10:30 and head out with Kyle to walk a neighborhood door-to-door. Learn about other ways you can help @ http://kylewilliams2014.com/
THE LONE WOLF:
You may always choose to work independently yet in tandem with this movement. Doing what you can do from where you are is what this all about. You don't have to wait for anyone's permission to get to work. You may start with forwarding this e-mail. His is a list of 10 other things you may do. http://loveunderfirega.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-can-i-do-in-name-of-love.html
If you have any related events you would like to add to our calendar, please e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com details about it.
And now, I send you off with a weekly tune to pump up your spirits: "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" by Jackie Wilson:
"Sure enough, I tell you the truth, if you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move! If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it is as good as done and nothing will be impossible for you.” -Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 11:23/Matthew 17:20)
Two years ago when I first began work on advancing marriage equality in the state of Georgia, the atmosphere was very discouraging. We had not yet a President endorse our cause. We had not yet the mayor of our state capitol become an outspoken advocate. We had not yet polling support in GA drawing to a split. We had only half of the marriage equality states that we do now. Being just three years new in the state at the time, I had a lot of catching up to do, and I immediately set about the work of getting brought up to pace on all that has transpired with the cause up until that moment. My informers were Rep. Dr. Karla Drenner, talk show radio host, Betty Couvertier, Rev. Paul Turner of Gentle Spirit Christian Church, Paul Shappaugh of Queer Justice League and GetEqualGA, and Kathy Kelly, founder of the MEGA Family Project. These were individuals who were in the trenches during the first fight for marriage equality in the state in 2004. They saw the movement roll up, and they saw it fold and they were more than willing to fill me in with their individual perspectives, coupled with internet research of course. Kelly, told me that I'd never raise enough money to pull it off. Dr. Drenner as a legislator told me that she did not foresee the feasibility of raising the issue under the state capitol until about the year 2025, when Democrats might have a chance at regaining control of both houses. Over the past 6 months with the help of 2584 participants in the "Begin The Repeal of GA's Marriage Ban" petition, we have now accelerated that timeline by an entire decade.
Why did Jesus choose a mustard seed for his analogy? Yes, it is small, about the size of a grain of salt. But the seeds of pine trees are much smaller, that tiny pollen stuff which is almost microscopic and grows up to be much larger than a mustard tree. There is something even deeper than size about the mustard seed. The mustard seed is one of those "snooty" or "antisocial" kinds of seeds which will not germinate alongside any other kind of seed. It is absolute. All of us believe in something. The two kinds of beliefs are faith and fear, and they are fraternal brothers, mirror opposites of the same coin. They both require a belief in what is not yet seen. But they contradict and oppose one another like two poles of a magnet. You can not have both kinds of beliefs, a faith mixed fear or a hope mixed with doubt. You have to make a decision about what kind of belief you are going to adopt. The kind of belief you choose to adopt will determine your destiny to a great extent. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he" -Proverbs 23:7. If you believe you can't, you are absolutely right. No one can help you do it, for you'll mess that up. For when you utter the word "CAN'T" you shutdown your creative genius to all the options which lie before you. But if you believe that you can make it, no one can stop you, no matter what they do. They'll close one door and this window will open! When you say "I CAN!" or "YES, WE CAN!" your mind immediately begins exploring the hows to get it done and make it happen. When you have a mustard seed kind of faith, there is absolutely nothing to the contrary and no alternative. You keep your mind sealed tight against all the influences and negative talk of nay-sayers. All the sea in the world can not sink a ship until it gets inside. But once it does, you are in trouble, for doubt will come in like a drop of ink and turn your whole mind to darkness and defeat. Jack Canfield, the author of the "Chicken Soup For The Soul Series" says, and I concur that "Everything you want is on the other side of fear." Secondly, you can not hope to reap any benefit from any belief so long as you behave as if the opposite is true. "Faith without works, is dead and useless being on its own." -James 2:25
"Death and Life are in the power of the tongue" -Proverbs 18:21
Even if you don't accept a metaphysical explanation of the power of words, logic follows that words carry ideas and accepted ideas become beliefs. Beliefs becomes plans and plans become actions. "Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.” -Lao Tzu
Some of the greatest wars in history were started over something as simple as a verbal insult. Someone hurled a word which damaged someone's fragile ego and that person sought retribution to protect their honor and so on, the seeds had been sown for war, death and destruction.
Words cast spells, that's why it's called spelling. So let's determine to use or words to cast good spells and sow good seeds which affirms that which we could and should be, do and have. Stop saying it's going to take a Gujillion dollars and a lot of dead old conservatives to win Marriage Equality in Georgia. Stop saying that Georgia is going to be the last state to get on board with marriage equality. STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! Yes, it may take a substantial amount of funds to run an effective campaign capable of winning marriage equality in a relatively short amount of time, but like my Grandaddy used to ask me, "How do you eat an elephant?....One bite at a time." One dollar at a time, one person at a time. Do you have $1, $10, $100 or $1000 or any amount in between? Do you have 1, 10, 100 or 1000 friends who have $1, $10, $100 or $1000 or any amount in between? Sit back and do the math and what if another 1, 10, 100 or 1000 people you don't know did the same? But it all starts with you....yes, I am talking directly to you. One example is worth millions by inspiration, I tell you, which is a whole lot better than sitting like a bump on a log feeling sorry for ourselves. If you are ready for the challenge, hold on to this thought and I show you how you can fight with however many dollars you have to fight with.
Now, I'm not telling anyone to be delusional or naive. It is important to see things and people clearly as they are. That's called discernment. But there is another leadership trait which is just as important as discernment and that is Vision. With vision, though you can see what is, you do not accept things as they are given to you if it does not honor and edify truth, and justice and the best ideals your imagination can fathom. If discernment is seeing what is, Vision is seeing what could be, which has not yet manifested. Every inventor there ever was needed to be a visionary. You can not be a change agent, a catalyst, if you do not have vision. You would only be as good as a blind guide who at least knows where we are, but not a clue as to where we should go. We are currently in state of affairs where we are in a desperate need of change, because we can not go on this way. There are already enough leaders in our community who can school you quite accurately on all that we have been through and will paint you a dreary picture of the truth of what we are dealing with right now at this moment. But this story is only a one-sided half truth. What do opponents of equality have to deal with in terms of us who are determined to realize equality in the state of Georgia? They do not tell this story. This is why we need visionaries who will be the lights against the darkness. I say there is indeed something building in Georgia which is "just" on the precipice of sprouting above the surface a tremendous force to be reckoned with, which is rooted in eternal principles and burning with truth and soul, and it will come in like a tidal wave. This is not some time in the near or far future. It is happening NOW. All that the leading attorneys describe about the Eleventh district or the legislators describe about our Republican controlled state or what the journalists teach about what the old conservative votary did 10 years ago will be no match for it. They will be converted into assets.
For this reason, I say with perfect conviction that if you are an LGBT individual living in Georgia and you wish to get married, NOW is the time to find somebody if you were waiting for marriage equality to come to the Peach State. If you have someone already and you were waiting on Georgia, NOW is the time to propose and get engaged. Don't just get engaged to each other. Get engaged in the movement. If you are single, get engaged in the movement. Where else are you going to find other marriage, family and commitment minded individuals? To get yourself in the right mindset, if you need to go so far as to get yourself a ring to fall in love with yourself, and once you've found that one you love as much as you love yourself, give them that ring, DO IT! If you have no desire to ever marry, but you believe in the principles of love, equality, justice and respect, then get engaged with your principles or accept your hypocrisy. Everyone needs to get engaged, because surely I tell you the truth from the top of my light house, with protracted telescope, change and equality is on its way home in Georgia, driving at an incredibly fast clip and you won't want to miss the historical moment of its arrival. I would buy advanced party tickets to celebrate it now if I could. You'll talk about it to your grandchildren, and your grand nieces and nephews and from the lectern to tomorrow's college students. I'm no prophet. If you got engaged, you would see exactly what I see so that I would not have to clear my throat to soon utter those hated words, "I told you so!" Below is how you can get engaged.
Grassroots Activity:
Thursday, April 24th 7PM: Love Under Fire Spring '14 Planning Session #1, open to the public. Get involved with the coming grassroots activity of The Love Under Fire Campaign. We are needing those interested in leading, organizing and participating in future activities during the remainder of this year. Join us at First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce De Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030 2nd floor. We need your talents, your passion and your energy. We will be developing further infrastructure in our campaign, detailing actions and phonebanking for the our next session in May. Bring a telephone contact list. If you have an interest in being a part of this, please contact our Secretary, Barry Stern at 678-760-0746 and/or email him at Sec.LoveUnderFire@aol.com
Saturday, April 26th 6PM-7:30PM: Be a part of the Fourth Annual Beloved Community Dialogue: An Intergenerational Conversation about Marriage Equalilty at The Friends School of Atlanta, the only Quaker school in Georgia. To be moderated by Fulton County Commissioner Joan Garner, the panel discussing marriage equality will include: Robin Shahar, Mayor of Atlanta’s Adviser on LGBT issues; Dr. Susan Barrett, psychologist/advocate for LGBT families; Branden Mattox, Director of the Love Under Fire Campaign to repeal the Georgia ban on same-sex marriage; and Conrad Honicker, gay activist/student. The conversation will examine issues related to marriage equality ranging from legal,to the implications for families, to activism efforts, to rapidly changing attitudes about marriage equality, especially among younger people. If you have interests in getting involved in this movement as an activist, here is your opportunity to thoroughly educate yourself. If you really wish to get the most impact out of this event, bring along a "fence-sitter" or even an "objectionist" if you can. If you doubt your own abilities to challenge the nay-sayers in your life, the panel is stocked with over 100 years worth of civil rights and social justice activism experience combined, which is well equipped to address any reservations your guests may have. In fact, we prefer not to preach to the choir to make for a lively discussion. You don't have to be a Thurgood Marshall yourself to argue for equality before the court of public opinions. You may use discussion events such as these. Get more details and register here: http://bit.ly/1dxUsae
Thursday, May 1st: "Sonny" & Joyce "Jazzie" Jones-Smith are launching a statewide initiative to take a stand on Marriage Equality in the State of Georgia to encourage the 21,000+ same sex couples living in Georgia to go to their local county courthouse and apply for a marriage license on May 1st, 2014. Learn more about this here: http://www.prlog.org/12304834-sonny-jazzie-of-louddmouthradiocom-launches-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-initiative.html ; $$ Remember those who said that we'll never raise enough money to pull it off, here's your opportunity to prove them wrong. Many of us who or working tirelessly and passionately for marriage equality are not being paid to do so. We do it because it is the right thing to do, and our conscience would not allow us to do otherwise at such a time as this. However, no war is ever won by a poorly outfitted and poorly equipped army. This couple is needing the funds necessary to get the word out about their movement, "OUR" movement with billboards, radio ads and other means which engage the public at large. Please help them with whatever you are able going to: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/louddmouthradio-com-mayday-georgia-marriage-equality-campaign $$$
Tuesday, May 19th 7PM: Alternative Perspectives- Tune into 89.3FM Atlanta or livestream online at http://wrfg.org/howlisten.asp Betty Couvertier's Marriage Equality segment featuring Branden Mattox and special guests this month, Amanda Newkirk Carver, Georgia Marriage Equality petitioner to the Governer. Invite over 5 friends to listen and/or call-in to the show at 404-523-8989. Then discuss afterwards featuring potluck desert (Strawberry Shortcake) and game night, cards, monopoly, charades whatever. Have those 5 friends invite 5 more, and alternate hosting for this show which will occur every 3rd Tuesday of every month @ 7PM. If we wish to publicly host and invite for a listening party, please post your venue at www.facebook.com/LoveUnderFire or e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com
Join the IDOMARATHON Support Team: Kacey and Chwanda Fierson-Nixon a Jonesboro couple have been cris-crossing the nation with their 7 children collecting marriage licences to build a moral case against the state of Georgia which nullifies each and every one of them where this couple resides. They are now currently on tour and will return on 4/25. They have plans soon on taking to the Western States could really use all of the moral, spiritual, and financial support you are able to offer them. Like https://www.facebook.com/IDOMARATHON and learn about how to support them and get the word out.
Civic Engagements:
JASON CARTER
With marriage equality coming to the state capitol at the next legislative session, by all means we need to do whatever it takes to get possession of the high ground, which means for us, the Governor's Office. If we want to win equality, we have no other choice other than Jason Carter, and he is not a bad choice, the grandson of former Georgia governor and US President, Jimmy Carter. With him as governor, the fight under the Gold Dome, will not be as steep. The requisite of signatures in both houses is only 51% to reach the Governor's desk, and we can count on Carter's signature. This is opposed to the 75% which will be needed to overturn a veto we can expect from Governor Deal. This is why Carter's election is crucial. "Take the high ground, facing the sunny side." Sun Tzu in The Art of War. Please get involved with his campaign and help him to victory however you are able at http://carterforgovernor.com/
MICHELLE NUNN
Our US Senator, Saxby Chambliss is retiring, which means one less conservative vote in the US Senate. We need to keep it that way with Obama's "Respect For Marriage Act" moving through congress. Surely, conservatives in this state will be vying to maintain that conservative vote and Michelle Nunn is our answer to defeating their efforts and bolstering the voice for equality, namely in the South. She now has a dedicated LGBT contingent which meets bi-weekly for phonebanking, telefundraising and canvassing. The next game night for her LGBT contingent is this Wednesday, April 23rd, starting at 5:30PM-9PM at 1206 Spring St NW, Atlanta GA 30309. You may also contact Andy Ratto for further details @ andy@georgiavictory2014.com work: 404-445-6700 ext 133 or cell: 678-561-7248. You will be paid in pizza and snacks. Learn about more opportunities of getting involved at www.michellenunn.com ;
KYLE WILLIAMS
Ahead of Rep. Dr. Karla Drenner's and fellow progressive voices in the State House resolution to begin repeals of Georgia's Marriage Ban in 2015, Kyle Williams was the first to announce that he would "unequivocally and without hesitation" do so if elected to replace Jason Carter as Senator of Georgia's 42nd district. Regardless of what Drenner and what her caucus decides to do, we still need him and his intentions in the Senate. If elected, he would be the first and only "openly" gay male in the Georgia Senate, which means that when the conversation reaches that side of our government, we have someone who knows personally, not vicariously our struggles and can effectively advocate for them. How can you help him to victory? His headquarters, The High House at 1830 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030 will be open from 2:30 through 7pm on Tuesday through Thursdays for:
- Phone invites to our Meet & Greet events
- Filling out neighbor-2-neighbor cards
- Helping with data entry (for someone who has a laptop you can bring)
- Helping with list cleanup in Kyle's contacts
- Organizing materials for Kyle and volunteers who are canvassing
Each Saturday - we'll have Walk With Kyle days where volunteers can come to High House at 10:30 and head out with Kyle to walk a neighborhood door-to-door. Learn about other ways you can help @ http://kylewilliams2014.com/
THE LONE WOLF:
You may always choose to work independently yet in tandem with this movement. Doing what you can do from where you are is what this all about. You don't have to wait for anyone's permission to get to work. You may start with forwarding this e-mail. His is a list of 10 other things you may do. http://loveunderfirega.blogspot.com/2013/01/what-can-i-do-in-name-of-love.html
If you have any related events you would like to add to our calendar, please e-mail dir.loveunderfire@aol.com details about it.
And now, I send you off with a weekly tune to pump up your spirits: "ONE" by India Arie: