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Post Election Thoughts from COLAGE Dear COLAGE Friends and Families, I'm sure that many of you feel the same way I do right now, dismayed by most of the results of Tuesday's elections. I'm sure you know Bush is still the President of our country. I'm sure you know that the anti-marriage amendments proposed in all eleven states have passed. And many other local measures and propositions for social and economic justice, health care and environmental protection also were defeated despite our population's own best interests. This is definitely disheartening, but it is not a reason to despair! Let's not forget we achieved much and made great strides in many local, state and national fights for our rights this year. Let's remember that the modern LGBT rights movement is still very young and has already accomplished so much in a relatively short time. Let's take a moment to acknowledge the major increase in polls, media and legislation about us! Kids of LGBT parents and our families are at the center of our nation's public and political discourse. While admittedly we must share some of the credit with the right-wing fundamentalists, I dare say the mere presence of our lives as a core issue of this election cycle demonstrates the ultimate power of making ourselves visible to the entire population. The more visible we are in our schools, churches, workplaces, and communities the closer we are to ending homophobia and all forms of oppression. Nelson Mandela wrote, "As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." By overcoming our own internalized oppression and speaking out openly and honestly about our experiences and our families we overcome externally imposed barriers, limitations and obstacles. When we organize across differences and join forces and energies and finances, we forge a path to a just a society. By remembering that we, in fact, are the authorities of our experience and it is our human born right to express all parts of ourselves and our families freely and in all places, we let others know who truly has the higher moral ground. We must keep this in mind every movement that we face setbacks, and we also must move on, with more resolution than ever, to keep our movement strong. I truly believe that it is inevitable that our rights will be affirmed and validated in full, and I believe this is possible within our lifetime! What makes me most hopeful, even in this dark historical moment, is that so many of us COLAGERs, queerspawn, and kids of gays, each in our own way, each in our won backyard, some of us crossing borders (personal and geographic), each of us fought intensely and courageously, in partnership with other organizations, with extremely limited resources, to get out the message that WE MATTER. All of us matter. Not just straight people and their kids, but the rest of us too. Not just U.S. citizens who died on 9/11 or U.S. soldiers but Iraqi, Afghan, Palestinan and Haitian people too. Not just the rich but the poor too. Through canvassing, phone banking, writing letters to editors, and appearing on radio and television; through emails and conversations in class, on campus, with friends and family; your imaginative and gutsy efforts and leadership have shown me and all of us at COLAGE that there is hope as long as there are people like you, like us, willing to speak out and demand that our rights and the rights of our families be respected! Thank you all so much! If we stay positive and active, we have no chance but to liberate ourselves and our oppressors. Already, in Ohio and Georgia, legal actions have been taken to challenge the anti-gay marriage amendments and get them overturned. Already in Louisiana, an anti-marriage amendment that was passed has been overturned. Already in Massachusetts, same-sex marriages have been legalized. These are hopeful signs. What we must continue to do is to remain visible, to be as out about our families, ourselves, and our community as we can because then no one can deny our humanity, and therefore our human rights. On behalf of the COLAGE staff and board, thank you for your hard work these past months, and thank you for shining your light and giving me, us, and each other hope and the promise of a better world for us, our families and all families. In fierce and fearless resolve, Beth Teper
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