Editor’s Note
While thinking about my first submission for qnotes, I began to review the many different types of “firsts” that have happened in my life.
Friends, this is my last issue as editor of qnotes, a position I’ve had the honor and humble privilege to hold now for nearly four-and-a-half years. As you read, my time with the paper has already come to an end.
Three… two… one… Happy New Year! Yes, it’s time for well wishes, resolutions and new beginnings. I do it. You do it. We all partake in the annual wish-making and dreaming that is New Year. With a new calendar comes hopes for change, progress and success. And, as much as we each wish better for ourselves, here’s to new hopes that our community and world experiences better days as well.
Despite this year’s litany of successes, our community experienced loss. No year-end wrap up would be complete without pausing in remembrance of those friends, family and loved ones who passed this year.
Santa Claus is coming to town! And, he’s bringing switches and lumps of coal for some of the state’s meanest and most heartless anti-gay villains. At the same time, there’s plenty of folks in need of rewarding. No doubt, sugarplums and other delicious treats will await them in their stockings Christmas morn.
N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis has, for the most part, been a statesman and spoken, at least publicly, with respect, care and diligence, especially on LGBT issues. Yet he is wrong on one important issue: Despite his claims to the contrary, marriage is a constitutional right.
Tar Heels across the state reacted in myriad ways to state Sen. James Forrester’s death in October. For LGBT families and their children, news of Forrester’s passing came as a relief. Many said as much, as did I. “Good riddance, bigot,” I noted on Twitter, and for good reason.
In the 1980s, one would have been hard-pressed to find objective or positive news coverage of LGBT people in mainstream media. Newspapers, TV stations, magazines and other outlets primarily remained agents of oppression, often painting LGBT people as sick or depraved — especially so during the early years of the AIDS Crisis. The 21st Century offers new and exciting changes, including QNotes’ new partnership with The Charlotte Observer’s Charlotte News Alliance.
Asheville’s “We Do” Campaign is a perfect example of grassroots, non-violent direct action, highlighting in real time the effects of discrimination upon its victims. But, in order to ensure defeat of the proposed anti-LGBT state constitutional amendment, we should each keep in mind what will be of best benefit to the entire movement
Twenty-four hours – that’s just about the amount of time it took Republican leadership in the North Carolina General Assembly to push through a drastic and draconian revision to our state’s constitution. They’re hasty consideration of the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment circumvented a true public hearing on the bill and betrayed Republicans’ utter disrespect for their hallowed chambers, the law and the people of this great state.
You can’t stop Pride. Don’t even try. Human dignity and determination of spirit can’t be overshadowed by hate and prejudice. That’s exactly the message sent by the thousands who attended Pride Charlotte on Aug. 27, the same day hundreds of anti-gay protesters from Charlotte’s radical, religious right made a show of desperate force in an effort to stymie progress and turn back the clock on LGBT equality.
In the past few years, and especially after the election of incumbent Democratic Mayor Anthony Foxx, Charlotte has seen substantial changes in the way LGBT citizens and residents are treated and recognized by city government. Some elected officials and candidates, however, still seem to lack basic knowledge and awareness of issues important to the local LGBT community.
The unfortunate truth is that there are people in and around Charlotte who, despite their stated goals, seek not to unite, but rather break apart communities. These folks, motivated by a “life-or-death” mission, seek to push LGBT people back into the closet and even into the grave — both literally and figuratively. Perhaps the most well-known are now-convicted stalker and street preacher Flip Benham and professional anti-gay malcontent Dr. Michael Brown of Concord’s FIRE Church and FIRE School of Ministry.
This issue, qnotes publishes the results of its second Community Assessment Survey, an annual project we began last year as a tool to gauge community non-profit organizations’ financial health and commitment to transparency.
I’d always thought it’d be fun to encounter a couple of cute and innocent Mormon missionary guys at my humble abode’s doorsteps. Unfortunately, divine providence has not looked favorably upon my quest to josh around with cute messengers from God; the only door-knocking evangelists to stumble upon my humble abode have been Jehovah’s Witnesses. Recently, though, I nearly had my chance. Again, like a legendary tragic hero, fate proved my adversary.
For such a successful, more than quarter-century run of events, it would seem NC Pride’s leadership has a firm grasp on their responsibilities as leaders of a non-profit community organization. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
Part of me would love to think that this month’s earlier mishap with an open mic in a closed-door North Carolina House Republican caucus meeting was intentional — a smart political ploy to bring attention to some GOP initiative or send a sneaky message to the governor and other Democratic foes. Unfortunately, I just don’t think this state’s Republican legislative leadership is that intelligent.
The ineffective June 2 protest by GetEqual on the floor of the state House was not intelligent nor was it strategic, and it certainly didn’t have a clearly articulated message. The outburst was a perfect example of a direct action gone terribly, terribly wrong and all LGBT North Carolinians will pay for it.
Misogynistic, homophobic city council incumbent faces a challenge from an out lesbian with a history of progressive activism. Justice. Poetry. Irony.
Humbling. That’s how I feel every time I begin to thumb through old issues and archives from QNotes. It’s a feeling I once again had the opportunity to enjoy as the QNotes staff worked to put this 25th anniversary issue together.
