Local gay organizers have spent dozens of hours organizing a planned LGBTQ presence in response to the upcoming "Stand for the Family" rally sponsored by the grand poobahs of homophobia, Focus on the Family. It includes everything from a media training to a candlelight prayer vigil.
And now from the City Paper comes word that a new group Pittsburgh Antifa is planning to ratch things up several notches.
If we are to stave off an atmosphere of bigotry that directly fuels violence and intolerance, we need to demonstrate to people at war with us that we are willing to fight back against their hatred and bigotry.
So we call on our friends, allies, and comrades to join us on September 20th in a Pink-Purple-and-Black Bloc as we noisily, angrily, and directly confront Focus on the Family Action.
They aren't satisfied with the non-confrontational approach of the Standing for All Families organizers. All the code words are there --- assimilation, trading freedom for security, no such thing as police protection --- you've heard it all before.
Several local and national groups are collaborating on a week of events to counter "Stand for the Family", culminating in a "Standing With All Families "Presence" outside the rally and a silent prayer vigil a block up the street. This is too narrow a framework for dissent, both in terms of the political issues addressed and the choice of tactics used. It also allows FOFA attendees to pretend they are just attending a conservative version of a liberal rally for same sex marriage.
Great. Fine. Believe what you choose. Practice what you preach. Do the anti-fascist thing til the sun goes down. But here's where it gets ridiculous .... Mike Avallone of Bloomfield and Antifa organizer.
?We feel this needs to be confronted for what it is,? Avallone told CP. ?Basically we just want to disrupt it as much as possible from the outside.?
What the hell does that mean? Hurling insults from behind black masks or throwing fire bombs? I'm not a 100% fan of the presence approach myself, but this is a bit too vague for my comfort. Hell, its a whole lot too vague. But this group comes out of nowhere with brimstone rhetoric that's basically a retread of what more radical LGBTQ groups have been saying in the past. Its probably the same people or their younger siblings. They have a message, but let's keep it in perspective.
And worst of all, it now has the presence organizers in a bit of a tizzy about how to handle these disruptive pseudo-allies.
So once fucking again our community is going to get so embroiled by infighting and petty disputes that we will completely miss the point. Then we can spend the next six years pointing fingers and whining about how apathetic we are. Blah, blah, blah.
You know what --- these antifa kids have been around for years and they ain't gonna set the Mellon Arena on fire. (Remember RESYST? They coexisted with us for years). The police know how to handle them so just give them wide berth and do your own lawful thing exercising your first amendment freedoms. If you think seeing a queer activist in purple and black is the worst sight your kids will endure that night, you are sadly mistaken. Its a good bet the fetus-friends will be out there with signs that are much worse. And those rally attendees probably will let loose with a few choice words when their own precious angels have to eyeball handholding homos in mass quantities.
Leave your kids at home with their homework, bedtime snacks and so forth if you must. That's fine and its probably where they belong.
But there's no excuse for you to stay home and let Rick Santorum return to office without even a whimper of protest from the LGBTQ community. Your kids deserve better than that.
Official word on plans to cancel the Standing with All Families event is still pending ...
