Gay Civil Rights Movement Must Emulate Black Civil Rights Movement

You may not know that the architect of Martin Luther King's movement for African American civil rights was a gay man.

Bayard Rustin was the chief influence behind the legendary minister's efforts to seek civil rights for Black men and women through non-violent means.

Rustin has street cred because, among other things, he served over two months on a chain gang in North Carolina for violating Jim Crow laws, back in the 40s folks.

Then, Bayard went to India to study non-violent revolution with disciples of Mahatma Gandhi which had a huge influence on Martin Luther King.

I understand gay people's frustration with those who voted for and supported Proposition 8.  I voted no and I'm pissed.  But the gay rights movement will not win friends and influence people by hating on those whom it's politically correct to hate on - basically white conservative Protestant Christians (and please remember folks that I, Jeremiah Wrignt and Barack Obama belong to a LIBERAL Protestant Christian denomination, the United Church of Christ which has more street cred on gay rights than any other church in the world so this doesn't affect me).

The gay rights movement MUST tell the stories of their families and their lives to the world, just like King did.  A movement of love and understanding will win the day as opposed to one of hate and recrimination.

I am pretty sure Bayard would agree.

NAACP Chairman and longtime civil rights leader Julian Bond talks about gay rights and Bayard Rustin's contribution to the cause.

Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Tuesday

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.  Community activist Najee Ali who orignally supported the family of murdered teenager Jamiel Shaw, Jr. in their quest for justice and then later turned on them by claiming that Jamiel was murdered because he was a gangbanger is going to jail himself.  The LA Times reported that Ali plead guilty to charges of attempting to bribe a witness in a criminal case. Ali was sentenced to four years in prison.

City Controller Laura Chick will release her performance audit of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services' Spay and Neuter Program Tuesday. Earlier this year, the Los angeles City Council adopted a mandatory spay and neuter ordinance which will go into effect in October.

The Daily News reports how local City elected officials are footing the bill for their travel to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.  Wendy Greuel and Bernard Parks are paying their own way. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Controller Laura Chick and City Council members Eric Garcetti and Janice Hahn have their supporters up for some "PayPal love."  Council Republicans Dennis Zine and Greig Smith do not plan to attend the Republican National Convention; with Smith telling the News one of the truest statements to come out of his mouth in some time, "that most in the GOP consider him a "RINO" - Republican in Name Only."

The National Black Republican Associationclaims that civil rights leader Martin Luther King was a Republican.  The organization has been putting up billboards around the country stating this claim and has plans to put up 50 such billboards around Denver during the Democratic convention.

This is a few days late thanks to Google but City Councilmen Bernard Parks and Tom LaBonge held a press conference at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to salute the Olympic Games in Beijing.  What the hell? Do they not have pressing issues in their community? Hey LeBong - you're my Clowncilman come on over here I'll show you several blocks overgrown with weeds and trash that you need to clean up.  Trust me, you're not in need of trying to find things to keep you busy.

Congrats to comedian Ellen DeGeneres to finding a young hot chick to marry.  The 50 year old former sitcom and current daytime talk star legally tied the knot with her longtime galpal, actress 35 year old Portia DeRossi at a ceremony at their Los Angeles home.

Robert Kennedy Eulogy of Dr. King Revisited

One of the most powerful political speeches I have ever heard, seen or read is the speech Robert F. Kennedy gave in South Africa in 1966. Often referred to as the "Ripple of Hope" speech, it spoke to the aspirations of many--especially those under the apartheid system in South Africa--and is timeless in both is message and generational call to action.

But perhaps the greatest speech he gave--a political eulogy of Dr. Martin Luther King--was given extemporaneously on a flatbed truck 40 years ago today in Indianapolis. You can see the original footage here and the full transcript is also available (with excerpts below). Given the recent spate of violence in our City of Angels, perhaps revisiting his words and Dr. King's life and legacy might offer some solace.

Martin Luther King dedicated his life to love and to justice between fellow human beings. He died in the cause of that effort. In this difficult day, in this difficult time for the United States, it's perhaps well to ask what kind of a nation we are and what direction we want to move in. …

And let's dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world. Let us dedicate ourselves to that, and say a prayer for our country and for our people.