Cleve Jones: We Have The Permit, The March On Washington Is Definitely On

[FreeState]

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/06/cleve-jones-we-have-permit-march-on.html

Speaking with me by phone this afternoon, activist Cleve Jones confirmed that despite earlier reports that the National Mall was previously booked and unavailable, he does have a permit from the Parks Department for a Columbus Day weekend March On Washington. "We put in a request for the West Lawn of the Capitol, where the Obama inauguration took place, and we got it. Nobody else had applied for it," said Jones.

Jones added, "We've been getting nothing but complete cooperation from all the authorities - the DC police, the mayor, the Parks Service. They told us, 'Go ahead, you've got it. Put the word out.' They are happy to work with us and are expecting a lot of people."

I asked Jones if he could provide a physical copy of the permit. He explained, "You put in your application, they approve it and time-stamp it, and that's all they give you for weeks. The actual paperwork usually isn't issued until ten days before or so." Jones claims that two of the other events reportedly scheduled to occur on the planned weekend will not, in fact, take place. (I've been unable to find any internet mention of the "Million Man March For God", one of the three events listed in the above-linked post.) The third scheduled event, an annual breast cancer awareness rally, is run by a group that Jones said has worked side-by-side with him many times in previous years when their events coincided with National Mall displays by the NAMES Project. He expects friendly cooperation from them....

snip...

Jones issued this call to action: "We should be saying, 'Enough of this, we demand full equality under civil law.' We should be marching, engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience every day. We have a window, but it's already starting to close. If you think you're going to get anything out of Obama in the second half of his term, you don't know anything about political history. In a year, he'll be in full re-election mode."

After today I will definitely be there.

Edit to add bold to show its OURs:)

[Veruca Salt]

1. I don't have the money to be able to make it,

but will be there in spirit and hopefully at one coinciding in my home city!

[RandomKoolzip]

2. I plan on attending.

This is good news. Sooner or later Obama will HAVE to listen to GLBT Americans.

[Michigander4Dean]

8. He won't because he's a fucking ignoramus.

Just like his predecessor - no change!

[donco6]

3. Really dumb question: what's the date? n/t

[pepperbear]

4. I believe it's october 11. n/t

[RufusTFirefly]

5. Columbus Day is Oct. 12, a Monday. So I'm guessing it'll be Oct. 10 or 11. n/t

[dickthegrouch]

6. Every one of us should make the attempt to be there

Shut the country down that day.
Show our fury and our unwillingness to be treated like this any longer.
I just vowed to make the financial crisis a little worse by halving my food budget until October so I can take several friends too (from California).
We *really* *need* this march.

[MNBrewer]

7. I wonder if simultaneous marches on all 50 state capitols

are planned on the same day for those who can't get to DC!

[gaspee]

9. Now that's an idea!

No way can I afford a trip to DC, but I can march on the capitol of my state!

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. I'm definitely going and we should PAY ATTENTION to this part especially:

>>>>We have a window, but it's already starting to close. If you think you're going to get anything out of Obama in the second half of his term, you don't know anything about political history. In a year, he'll be in full re-election mode.">>>>

DEM HOUSE, DEM (soon to be filibuster-proof?) SENATE and nominally pro-glbt DEM PRES. This is as good as it's going to get for a LOOOONG time. It's now or .... practically speaking... never.