Here is a blast from the past. I am at the March on Washington in 1993 with my friend Christopher Burdick. I am holding a sign from the first organization I co-founded while in college, Sons & Daughters of America.
Flashback: At The 1993 March on Washington
About the Author
Wayne Besen is the Founding Executive Director of Truth Wins Out and author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth” (Haworth, 2003). In 2010, Besen was awarded the “Visionary Award” at the Out Music Awards for organizing the American Prayer Hour, an event which shined a spotlight on the role American evangelicals played in the introduction of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.
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That march was the first and only time I was ever in DC. I remember how hot and windy the day was and how dusty I felt after we got back to the hotel. Still I had the time of my life that weekend.
Whatever happened to the freedom rings? I don’t see them much anymore.
We were there!! We also went to the 2000 March and the Equality concert was great with Tipper Gore speaking. In 1993 we went on a bus from Atlanta, leaving about midnight and partying the whole way there and back. Great memories and such an empowering event. Heard a great speech by Jesse Jackson. Ready for another one, regardless of who is President.
In addition to the above, two memories that really stand out:
1) We flew into National Airport from O’Hare. The flight originated in San Francisco, and as we boarded the plane, my partner and I both noticed that there were few if any straight people on it that we could tell. The crew (United) also announced “We would like to welcome those of you who are marching for equality this weekend to Washington and hope you have a good time.” Everyone on the plane started whooping and hollering.
2) After the march, we went to the hotel restaurant and a large group of people who also marched – maybe about 30 – 40 people – motioned for us to join them at the three or four large tables set up. We didn’t know any of them and it turned out we were from all over the country and had never met. But it was like we’d all known each other for years and were just a bunch of old friends or family members getting together for an informal dinner.
There was a magic that weekend that I haven’t experienced since.
For me it was after the march in the Dupont circle subway escalators. It was filled both going up and down as were the stairs with parade participants. Suddenly, we all broke into a spontaneous rousing cheer. It is still one of my fondest memories.
Yes, I remember that the day before the march. Then the escalators broke down. I also remember at one of the transfer points a group of PFLAG folks got off a train and the spontaneous cheering that broke out.
And what did that march accomplish? Tens of millions of dollars were spent by people to fly and drive to DC on a Sunday, where they marched for a few hours in an empty city. The list of demands covered everything from gay rights to abortion to foreign policy to the defense budget.
Needless to say, not one of these demands was met. The following week, DADT was passed and signed into law.
Look at the results of the marches in 2000 and again in 2009. Zip. Protests can be effective as part of an ongoing campaign focused on a well-defined demand, but not as one-shot events tied to 100 demands.
Look, Mike, everything has to start somewhere. Yes, DADT was eventually repealed, but this was a start. Same with a lot of other things. Also, think about people who got involved as a result of the march, and people who focused on a particular issue because of their involvement in it.
No, the march had no immediate effects, but it was a start. Do you think it would have been better to sit at home and get verklempt and clutch our pearls over DADT? Marriage equality wasn’t even on the radar then and look where we are today.
PJB – I suppose if the choice were between having this march and having a total state of inactivity, you would have a point. But that isn’t the choice. The choice is between theatrical one-off events like this and directed action toward clear goals.
These massive one-shot events cost a great deal of time and money and have accomplished nothing tangible. These events are surely fun and they probably do boost the spirits of some attendees, but that’s not much to show for something that takes this much time, money and sweat.
As I noted above, DADT was passed just shortly AFTER this march, as not before. So you can hardly say that the 1993 march was “a start” at repeal. On the contrary, the DADT vote was excellent evidence that the march had absolutely no effect on the very Congress and President that it was intended to persuade. What did kill DADT? Steady, hard work backed up by resources, over a period of years. Doing research, lobbying Congress, talking with the Pentagon, securing commitments from candidates and protesting loudly when necessary. All terribly boring, but that is what was effective. Not spending millions of dollars to gather several hundred thousand people in an empty city on a Sunday to issue broad demands to no one in particular concerning scores of different issues and then to go home.
Mike, from a business perspective, your argument makes perfect sense. However activism/advocacy is not a business endeavor and one needs to look at it through that lens. I ran into this same issue at the time of the ’93 march: I was working for a large accounting firm but also chairing a local LGBT organization (talk about conflicting ideologies!).
Yes, DADT hadn’t passed just yet, but we knew it was coming and there wasn’t much we could do about it then. So part of this (a big part) was to set the framework up to work against DADT and other stuff. It was frustrating in a lot of respects, because the rules that applied for me from 8 am until 5 pm did a 180 after 5, and it was hard to play both roles. Personally, I thought DADT should have been way down the list vs. ENDA, which would have affected many more people and I still believe that. You have to take the victories when they present themselves.
I guess what I’m saying is that if something motivates people to work on something that’s a good thing.
Mike, this energized activists and brought many young people into activism. The idea that it didn’t accomplish anything is ridiculous. If you look at where we are now–marriage is legal in 6 states, DADT is gone, DOMA is being challenged. You look at it completely from how much was spent? Demonstrations are often more for the demonstrators than anything else.