Remarks by Barrett L. Brick
Accepting GLAA Distinguished Service Award
GLAA 29th Anniversary ReceptionDoyle Washington Hotel
Thursday, April 27, 2000
I can sympathize with David Catania's feeling that he needs to check his GOP credentials at times. Even after a quarter-century of activism, I find it useful to calibrate my credentials as well. Events yesterday and today have helped.
Yesterday, at the US Supreme Court, I attended the oral arguments in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale. After the arguments, as James Dale and his attorneys came down the steps to the plaza, they were followed and harangued by a Bible-brandishing man, who shouted to Dale that he should ignore the people pretending to be his friends, just turn to Jesus, and he'd be saved. This I needed to hear on Passover. So here we had a right-wing fanatic arguing that we should just ignore the facts, just stop thinking for ourselves, follow his version of the truth, and all would be well.
And this evening, here, we are picketed by left-wing fanatics, who argue that we should just ignore the facts, just stop thinking for ourselves, follow their version of the truth, and all will be well.
It's especially nice in this context to receive recognition from a group such as GLAA, which does think for itself, and which is committed to the simple proposition of equality -- equality of rights, and equality of responsibilities.
It is even more meaningful to receive an award such as this today, coming upon the heels of Passover, a festival commemoration liberation from oppression. But this was not an anarchic liberation for no purpose, but liberation to do the work of creating a just society, and to build a better world. This is what GLAA seeks to do, and what I hope, in some small way, I have been able to do and will continue to do.
It is so nice, too, to be among friends who share many of my passions, and I would be remiss, therefore, were I not to say that I hope that this is not the only award that fans of DC United will be lifting this year!
Thank you all again.
Barrett L. Brick: A Sacred Obligation (April 23, 1993)
