Ruby-Sachs: The Memo and The Movement
By Emma Ruby-Sachs, 365gay blogger 06.18.2009 5:02pm EDT
Here’s the important thing: it is best to assume that the memo and the movement have nothing to do with each other.
A memo is temporary, does not include health benefits and only applies to the few Federal employees. It’s like a gift: an unrelated pleasant surprise from a source one expects to get nothing from. For those Federal employees who can now use sick days to take care of their partners (and I know one and she is thrilled and I celebrate with her, her good fortune) yesterday was a good day.
But the movement isn’t about temporary measures. It isn’t about dividing the gay community into small segments that slowly each get a few benefits.
A movement does not depend on the goodwill of a benevolent leader. It requires the leader to pay attention. It takes away funding until that leader listens and it organizes to create enough friction that the objective of the movement becomes as important as the everyday emergencies facing this world.
That is what we tasted these past few days. Then Obama served up a little dessert. Let’s not let the sweetness of a few words and few benefits for a few people lampoon the real movement that we are all part of. Let’s work to create the same conflicts and news worthy protest until rights are granted completely and to all.
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