Rosendall speaks at rally for D.C. voting rights
[On the day before the D.C. Voting Rights March from Freedom Plaza to the U.S. Capitol, a rally was held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library. Several dozen people spoke. The following remarks were given on behalf of GLAA.]
Martin Luther King Jr. Library
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Remarks by Richard J. Rosendall
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance
The first country in the history of the world whose constitution prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation is South Africa. When Nelson Mandela walked out of Victor Voerster prison in 1990, a reporter asked him how he felt to be free at last. He replied without hesitating, “I am out of prison. I am not yet free.” It was not until four years later, on election night, that the president-elect of South Africa, with Mother Coretta standing next to him, said, “We are free at last.”
We are not going to be satisfied with anything less than Statehood. We will not be satisfied with Norton-Davis. But it is a step forward. At breakfast today, someone told me, in explaining why he won’t march tomorrow, that anything short of Statehood will set us back, that our opponents in Congress will use it as an excuse to lock us into partial victory forever. I said, “Oh, really? Are you going to stop fighting for our equality? When did our opponents ever need an excuse?”
The gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community is the canary in the mine for D.C. Home Rule. When members of Congress take advantage of their power over the District to score cheap political points back home, we are among their favorite targets. That is why we are marching with you tomorrow. When we stand together, we cannot fail. New times call for new pioneers. Here’s to all of you beautiful pioneers. Thank you.
