i am willing to go to whatever lengths necessary to end love in action. if only we could all unite in person. they did it in the sixties....what's wrong with now?
The 60s are certainly a good example. The problem is that we're not working with the people who started protesting this to begin with, and they haven't really taken the time to tell us what we can do, so we're going off finding ideas on our own, which aren't always the most practical. The poetry and stuff, well, it's just people trying to blow off steam, but there needs to be some action. I think the QAC is on the verge of something, but we look like idiots to them because of our diversions.
Then why don't we start working with them? Or maybe protest on our own? I think a good course of action would be to find out what they're doing next, and maybe correspond to that. We've all been writing our little fingers off. What I think we need to do is come together. Stand together. Speak together. Be heard together. And this isn't cutting it.
I totally agree. People are too busy fighting about whether or not Zach has become a religion or whatever, and they're no longer focusing on the issue at hand. We all should have been reading EJ's blog, ( http://www.cherrybloss.org ) and listening to him. He is involved with the the QAC, and has insight that the Free Zach group doesn't. I think we all mean well, but we should be working with not fighting with each other. The group isn't private to outsiders, and people are probably being turned off by what they see. Then again, this sort of bickering has happened in every very populated internet forum I've been in.
These were his suggestions on the FZ group. (1) Read up on the organization you're fighting against. To be effective in any action you take against this group, you need to know more about their ins and outs. There's an old saying of "keep your friends close but your enemies closer". That's the logic I am applying.
(2) Continue to write letters/email people in positions of power. Contact the American Psychological Association, our congressional representatives, particularly those who are supportive of gay rights initiatives. Though it seems that thousands of people know about this issue, you'd be surprised who really doesn't.
(3) Try to keep the focus on these types of programs themselves -- try not to focus on the religious aspects. In order to form a coalition of people who will fight to stop this sort of madness from occuring, it is crucial to forget about any personal feelings towards any one religion or religious group or sect. People from all different religious and non-relgious backgrounds and groups should be working together to prevent this type of group from "ministering" to children.
(4) Keep spreading the word. Wherever you visit on the internet, if you don't see this story out there, let people know. Yes, it's only one story, but the impact has been seen far and wide. You're all doing a great job of that.
(5) Keep your wits about you -- don't let how angry you are violate your desire to impact change. I cannot stress to everyone reading the importance of not letting your anger get the best of you. Everyone here in Memphis has been extremely angry at one point in time or another, and several of us have made decisions in anger which have led to problems. If you're angry about this, it's good -- it means you care. Now, rather than let the anger drive you to make a rash decision, focus it on sending your emails/letters to the people who need to hear this.
I'll do my best to keep checking in. As for the "theme song", it was just something that when I heard it meant a great deal to me in terms of what we are all doing here -- telling people Don't Give Hate A Chance. Take it for what it was, simply a way of hoping to motivate people to keep doing the good things many of you are doing.
