Joe Salmonese’s speech makes a wonderful jumping off point for the discussion of gay rights and the continued struggle to end the hatred and oppression of all minority groups. Collective pain turned collective power makes an impact. When minority groups turn the collective pain of prejudice, discrimination, hate, and hate crimes into collective power, effective political action results. The civil rights marches of the 1960s, the Stonewall riots, Pride parades, and political lobbying are all examples of collective anger turned to collective power.

William Cross theorized there might be five stages in Black racial identity development. The second stage in his developmental theory is thought to start when a Black person understands how racism impacts personally on him or herself. William Cross’ theory makes a good place to discuss the results of discrimination on minority group identity, and in the promotion of activism in minority groups.

Understanding the impact of racism on a person’s life might help promote a stronger racial identity among members of visible minority groups. Encountering religious based discrimination can result in a stronger religious identity for members of minority religious groups. Personal experiences of homophobia and transphobia might help promote a stronger queer identity for members of sexual minorities.

Those who believe discrimination keeps minority people in their place might be surprised. In fact discrimination might have exactly the opposite result. Acts of discrimination can help draw a distinct line between different groups. For some people, discrimination might even serve to trigger activism.

Violent hate crimes can strike fear deep in the heart of a community. These extreme acts can also serve as a spark for community anger, an anger that helps fire an activist spirit in individuals and entire communities. Arguments against same-sex marriage that are high in rhetoric, fear, misperceptions, and prejudice are fanning the fires of a new generation of gay rights activists. As church groups opposed to same-gender marriages launch offensive advertising campaigns against homosexuality and bisexuality, young GLBT people are seeing they have no choice but to step out of the closet and carry the torch of queer human rights.

When the language of war and military conquest is used by religious and civil leaders who are opposed to same-sex marriages, those opposing gay marriage are increasingly becoming seen as extremists, and in some cases as dangerous extremists. The legalization of same-sex marriages in Canada and the election of Obama could be the start of the swing of the political and social pendulum away from neo-conservatism. If we are seeing the swing in the pendulum toward a more liberal society, the extremists have nobody to blame but themselves. Their passionate, hate-filled language, filled with rich war images, have frightened many more moderate people. Any time a movement loses more moderate people, a movement is starting to lose political power.

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Volunteers are the backbone of activism. Men and women who are full-time students or full-time employees, and part-time activists, are a vital activists in the campaign to reduce violence and hatred. Balancing studies, work, and family duties with activism is difficult. The hearts of many activists are torn between a passion for justice and change, and competing demands for limited time, energy, and resources. Because so much needs to be done, there is a tendency for many lay activists to feel guilty about not being able to do more and to feel discouraged about the slow progress of societal change. The combination of discouragement and fatigue can result in burnout among volunteer activists.

We encourage you to do your best to change society, to leave society a better place. But we encourage those who have a passion for social justice to do their best, for the conditions in which they live, and to not feel guilty for not being able to accomplish more than their best.

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