NYPD Raids the Eagle Bar on Evening When Marriage Equality Was Signed into Law

Was the sudden NYPD "inspection" at at a gay bar an intentional "raid" meant to ruin the victorious celebration of marriage equality ?

"An unannounced inspection that several agencies carried out at a gay bar in Manhattan on Friday night occurred at nearly the same time that patrons were celebrating the passage of legislation in Albany legalizing same-sex marriage," reported The New York Times.

Why can Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer question the actions of NYPD, but not openly lesbian City Council Speaker Christine Quinn ?

"Police officials said on Saturday that the inspection was part of a routine operation planned long ago. But Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, said that he was troubled by descriptions of what took place at the Eagle bar, on West 28th Street off 11th Avenue, and that the actions amounted to a raid," the Times report added.

"According to those present, about 100 people were mingling at the Eagle, when representatives from the New York Police Department and three other city agencies, as well as from the State Liquor Authority, showed up, at nearly the same time as a vote by the State Senate to legalize same-sex marriage and as the thrill of victory was swirling through the place."

... Daniel P. Dromm, a city councilman from Queens who is gay, expressed concern on Saturday over reports over the years of officers entering bars on the Friday night before Gay Pride weekend.

“There needs to be some sensitivity to the importance of gay marriage being legalized in New York State, which means this vote for marriage is going to have national reverberations,” he said. “Not a good time for cops to be going into a gay bar for no urgent reason.”

... Some reacted angrily. Allen Roskoff, 61, a veteran gay-rights activist who was not at the Eagle, said, “In typical New York City Police Department fashion, the N.Y.P.D. demonstrated its disrespect for the gay community by raiding the Eagle mere moments after the passage of most important piece of gay rights legislation in history.” ...

LGBT Activists Arrested Protests

Since 2009, 329 LGBT Americans and their allies have been arrested in protests in the United States for LGBT civil rights, marriage equality, and an end to all forms of de jure discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In what can reasonably be described as a giant "wave" of political protests in connection with the LGBT liberation movement, several acts of civil disobedience and other forms of direct action have taken place since 2009 to end the U.S. government's and the American culture's oppression of LGBT Americans.

Following below, is a brief summary of known protests, which resulted in the political arrests of activists. Not only are LGBT activists fighting the de jure discrimination embedded within the laws of the United States, but, in cracking down on political dissidents, the United States can also be seen as further violating the human rights of these freedom fighters.

DATE *	DESCRIPTION OF PROTEST AND ARREST(S) **
May 26, 2009	211 arrested for shutting down freeway in SF over Prop 8 ruling. [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
February 12, 2010	Four people were arrested at the NYC marriage Bureau : Alan Bounville, Jake Goodman, Justin Elzie, and Gabriel Yuri Bollag.
March 18, 2010,	Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo were arrested after they chained themselves to the White House fence in a protest of the Military's controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy (DADT) ; Robin McGehee was also arrested.
March 18, 2010	Ten arrested (4 in DC and 6 in SF) : [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
April 20, 2010	Six military activists were arrested at the White House fence during a subsequent protest against DADT : Those, who were arrested, were identified to be : Lt. Dan Choi, Capt. Jim Pietrangelo, Petty Officer Larry Whitt, Petty Officer Autumn Sandeen, Cadet Mara Boyd and Cpl. Evelyn Thomas.
April 26, 2010	Five arrested in Phoenix at McCain’s office over DADT. The names of the people, who were arrested, are : First Class Petty Officer Lonnie Allen Howard-Stidham, Meg Sneed, Jimmy Gruender, Luisa Valdez, and Lee Walters.
May 2, 2010	Six civilian activists were arrested at the White House fence during still yet another protest against DADT : Anne Tischer, Nora Camp, Alan Bounville, Natasha Dillon, Iana Di Bona, and Mark Reed.
May 20, 2010	13 arrested in Chicago at Durbin’s office over the draft congressional bill known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
May 26, 2010	Kip Williams arrested at Obama Fundraiser over DADT.
July 21, 2010	13 arrested in Las Vegas for shutting down the freeway over ENDA. [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
July 28, 2010	Eight people were arrested at the Rotunda because of their support of ENDA. The people, who were arrested in this act of civil disobedience, were identified to be : Orelia Busch of D.C.; Charles Butler of D.C.; Sean Carlson of Hyattsville, Md.; Shannon Cuttle of D.C.; Robert Diesu of D.C.; Erika Knepp of Edgewater, Md.; David McElhatton of San Francisco, Calif.; and Zack Rosen of D.C.
October 8, 2010	Alan Bounville and Iana Di Bona were arresting during a ''die-in'' at Grand Central Terminal in New York City; the protest was staged to bring attention to the lives that are being lost due to homophobia/transphobia/bullying against LGBT people
October 14, 2010,	Alan Bounville was arrested while he and Iana Di Bona were holding a vigil for LGBT civil rights outside Sen. Gillibrand's New York City campaign office.
November 15, 2010	13 activists were arrested, after they had handcuffed themselves to the White House fence in protest of DADT. [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
November 16 2010,	Audrey Smith was arrested after she refused to leave a sit-in that she and Tyson Daniels and Caryn Winters had organised at the office of Pennsylvania Congressman Chris Carney.
February 14, 2011	Six activists were arrested in Chicago during a Valentine's Day protest. The names of the people, who were arrested, are : Cassandra Avenatti, Lindsey Dietzler, Corrine Mina, Noa Francis Shayden, Judy Heithmar, and Danelle Wylder.
February 14, 2011	18 arrested in San Francisco following a marriage license protest. [A forthcoming link with follow to a link with a list of many names as publicly available of the people, who were arrested.]
March 1, 2011	Eight members of Queer Rising were arrested in New York City following a protest in support of marriage equality. The people, who were arrested, were identified to be : Kevin Beauchamp, blind gay activist; Nora Camp, queer activist; Natasha Dillon, lesbian activist; Frostie Flakes (aka Adam Siciliano), drag queen activist; Jake Goodman, queer activist; Honey LaBronx (aka Ben Strothmann), drag queen activist; Eugene Lovendusky, gay activist; Kitten Withuwip (aka Caldwell) drag queen activist.
March 9, 2011	Five people were arrested at House Speaker John Boehner’s office over the Speaker's plan to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The names of the people, who were arrested, are : Sean Watkins, Morgan Bonney, Jesse Bonney, Liz Mills, and Karay Miller.
April 4, 2011	Five LGBT activists were arrested following a series of coordinated political protests in New York City. The activists, who were arrested, were identified to be : Natasha Dillon (26, lesbian activist); Kevin Donohue (51, gay Jewish activist); Melissa Kleckner (31, straight ally); Ali Lozano (20, lesbian student activist); and Robert Moore (30, gay Mormon activist).
June 6, 2011	Three arrested in North Carolina over proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage between man/woman. Those, who were arrested, were identified to be : Angel Chandler, the North Carolina organizer for GetEqual; her partner, Nancy Counce ; and Jim Neal, an Asheville city councilman who ran for the U.S. Senate in 2008.

LGBT New Yorkers to President Obama : Call Dean Skelos and Demand a Vote on Marriage Equality

LGBT New Yorkers to President Obama : Evolve Already on Marriage Equality !

Open message to President Obama : Call Sen. Dean Skelos at 1-518-455-3171 and demand that Sen. Skelos hold a vote on the marriage equality bill pending right now in the New York state senate.

LGBT activists, allies, and supporters gathered for a demonstration outside President Obama's fundraiser at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in New York City, where the President was attending his very first campaign fundraiser that was specifically targeting LGBT voters and campaign contributors.

This fundraiser is coming off the heels of a week during which White House officials have said that the President never supported marriage equality, even though he signed a campaign questionnaire to that effect in 1996.

The Obama administration has said that its ''official'' position on marriage equality is still evolving, but LGBT equality groups, such as GetEQUAL, Connecting Rainbows, and others, have demanded that the President should ''evolve already'' and support LGBT equality in all forms, including marriage equality.

Barack Obama LGBT Protest Sheraton NYC

UPDATE : Videos from #EvolveAlready Demonstration outside President Obama's first ever LGBT campaign fundraiser

When will President Obama's position on marriage equality evolve into a policy of "equality" ?

President Barack Obama is heading to New York City for a big LGBT fundraiser, but has not yet even declared support for one of the most basic human rights -- the freedom to marry. GetEQUAL is organising a protest outside the President's fundraiser at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

Date : Thursday, June 23, 2011
Time : 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Where : Sheraton Hotel and Towers, 811 7th Avenue (at 53rd Street), NYC

1996-02-15 Obama Marriage Equality Questionnaire

White House aide lies : 1996 Obama gay marriage questionnaire is a fake, even though Obama signed it.

Members of Connecting Rainbows will be joining members of GetEQUAL and other activists at the fundraiser on Thursday to demand that President Obama change his position back to one of support of marriage equality and that, before he collects a single campaign contribution check from our community, he publicly declare his support for marriage equality.

Will you join us? RSVP at the Facebook Event Page.

President Obama's LGBT fundraiser is coming off the heels of a very public flip-flop on marriage equality. At last week's Netroots Nation blog conference, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer told conference participants that President Obama never supported marriage equality.

Some final, wise observations from Pam's House Blend : "The Empire State is on the cusp of passing full marriage equality and the President is parachuting in to pull out cash from the gAyTM this week. It's kind of hard to ignore what is happening in New York, but Team Obama will count on the gayz who like access not to press him on the obvious civil rights matter in the state's legislature."

Vigil for Joseph Michael Harris

Vigil held for Joseph Michael Harris

During his Into The Light Walk across America, Alan Bounville held a vigil in near Tokeland, Washington, for Joseph Michael Harris (September 1, 1987 - May 30, 2011), who took his own life on May 30.

Mr. Bounville reported that Mr. Harris was a victim of much harassment while he was growing up in the area around Tokeland.

At the vigil, Mr. Bounville was joined by Mike Harris and Sabina Harris, the younger Mr. Harris' parents. Mrs. Harris said about her son's death : the world is a lot less fabulous with the younger Mr. Harris in it.

During his walk across America, Mr. Bounville is holding numerous candlelight vigils at the specific places where people have been murdered or have taken their own lives due to gender expression/identity discrimination or bias.

During the journey, the Into the Light Walk is asking for donations that will cover basic expenses. And, 10% of every dollar raised will go directly to the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, whose mission is in line with that of this walk -- to end gender discrimination.

Marriage Equality Rally Union Square

Marriage Equality Rally at Union Square and March to Stonewall

Earlier today, several hundred LGBT activists, allies, and religious leader supporters held a rally in Union Square Park, where leaders spoke in support of marriage equality. Activists then marched to Sheridan Square in Greenwich Village and assembled outside the historic Stonewall Inn.

The rally and march was organised by the LGBT equality group, Queer Rising, and had been endorsed by many groups, including Connecting Rainbows. Queer Rising is a grassroots organization created to demand full equality for all queer people through nonviolent direct action. Connecting Rainbows is a group is a democratic collective of LGBTQ activists and allies, with no hierarchy. The group’s mission is to create a mass movement, demanding full civil rights for LGBT Americans, and its members organise civil rights walks and other actions.

Dan Choi Rips Obama Flyer

OP-ED : What to Do When the President Is Just Not That Into You

Lt. Dan Choi rips up Obama campaign flyer at NetRoots Nation conference : "I won't vote for Obama if he doesn't endorse marriage equality."

Lt. Choi was discharged under the military's oppressive "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, and he has since become a trailblazing LGBT civil rights activist. In the above YouTube video, Lt. Choi explains the dissatisfaction that the President's former progressive supporters now come to feel toward the President, as the President prepares for his reëlection campaign in 2012.

After an Obama campaign worker passed out campaign flyers to a panel at the NetRoots Nation conference, Lt. Choi was outraged when he learned that Obama's campaign is sending messages that do not support marriage equality. Said Lt. Choi to the Obama campaign representative : "... [D]on’t tell me that I’m a bad person, go tell [President Obama] that he should believe in my full equality -- and then report back."

Our so-called allies in Washington, like Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, don't want to fight for our full civil rights. That leaves people in the LGBT equality movement to fight for the runner-up cause, which is marriage equality. Marriage is a vehicle, which society uses to distribute rights. Until Sen. Gillibrand, or some of our other allies do something about our full civil rights, marriage equality is going to be what people are going to champion.

Marriage is a vehicle that society uses to distribute rights, privileges, property, services, public accommodations, and even respect. Until Congress adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, marriage equality is a stepping stone towards full civil equality.

Watch as Dan Pfeiffer, the White House Communications Director, denies that President Obama ever supported marriage equality, and Mr. Pfeiffer said that then candidate Obama didn't ''fill out'' a 1996 questionnaire, which the President signed ; watch as how Mr. Pfeiffer says that President Obama opposes marriage equality, then take a look at the simple, one-page questionnaire that is signed by President Obama.

1996-02-15 Obama Marriage Equality Questionnaire

Marriage Equality Now - New York City Hall Rally

Marriage Equality Now - City Hall Rally (June 14, 2011)

Marriage equality activists, allies, and religious leader supporters held a rally in City Hall Park on Tuesday, June 14, 2011, to show Republican legislators that religious leaders support marriage equality in New York state.

NY Marriage Equality Update

Rev. Anna Taylor Sweringen spoke at a Marriage Equality Rally at New York City Hall on June 14, 2011.

A group of marriage equality supporters gathered at a rally at City Hall Park organised by Connecting Rainbows. At the rally, the Rev. Anna Taylor Sweringen said that LGBT equality is a matter of civil rights.

On the same day of the rally, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo arranged for the filing of a marriage equality bill in the state legislature, which would finally extend marriage rights to LGBT couples. Rich Murray was interviewed by Talking Points Memo. Mr. Murray supports marriage equality, and he is a member of Queer Rising, an group of LGBT activists and allies who engage in non-violent direct action on behalf of queer rights.

More and more, people in our nation are coming forward now, and they aresaying that it is O.K. to follow a religion or have faith -- and stillsupport LGBT equality. Watch the WABC-Channel 7 news report about the peaceful demonstration in support of marriage equality held today in City Hall Park in New York City.

Republican New York State Senators are finding the courage to support marriage equality. In the last two days, two Republican Senators announced that they would vote to approve the marriage equality legislation that has been introduced in the New York state leglislature, reported The Advocate. Sen. Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga County) and Sen. James Alesi (R-Monroe County) have indicated that they would vote to legalise marriage between LGBT couples.

Religious Leaders Support Marriage Equality

Faith-Positive Marriage Equality Rally at New York City Hall

Following a week with multiple religious leadersissuing statements in support of marriage equality in New York State, two prominentgroups, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and Queer Rising, are endorsing a faith-positive LGBT rally organized by Connecting Rainbows in support of marriage equality at New York City Hall on Tuesday, June 14, 2011, at 11:30 am.

Everybody is asked to meet at the East Side Security Gates outside City Hall. (This is the area right outside the fenced-in parking lot.)

2011-06-13 Marriage Equality Connecting Rainbows -- City Hall Demonstration

Marriage Equality Rally New York

Marriage Equality Rally at City Hall on June 14 :
It's a Civil Rights Issue

Join the growing number of voices, who are saying that Gov. Andrew Cuomo should pull out all the stops -- and get marriage equality passed through the state legislature.

LGBT New Yorkers, who have faith or who follow a different spiritual journey, should not be the targets of religious rhetoric. Yet, a group of extremist and right-wing religious organisations are holding a press conference on Tuesday, June 14 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm on the steps of New York City Hall. These extremist groups are asking all believers in the Lord to join in a day of fasting and prayer to invoke ''divine intervention'' to prevent the passage of Marriage Equality in New York State.

Connecting Rainbows, an LGBT civil rights group, is inviting all community groups, activists, and allies to join us -- and to spread the word to others -- about a counter demonstration that supporters of Marriage Equality are holding at the same time and at the same place : on Tuesday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m. on the steps of New York City Hall ! Please RSVP to the Marriage Equality Rally Facebook Event.

Connecting Rainbows is asking for a similar and powerful coälition of Marriage Equality groups to show up -- and to send a message that these religious organisations should be protecting the sanctity of LGBTQ lives, too. We are each somebody, and we each deserve full equality.

Candlelight Vigil for Benderella in Tacoma, WA

Vigil held for Benderella (Benjamin Scott Rae) - Shot in the face three times with a small caliber handgun in 1977 in Tacoma, WA.

http://www.intothelightwalk.com -- Embarking on a journey from the Pacific Northwest of the United States, walking 6,000 miles to Washington DC the walk embodies one simple goal -- an end to gender discrimination.

During the walk there will be numerous candlelight vigils at the specific places where people have been murdered or have taken their own lives due to gender expression/identity discrimination or bias. Providing gender expression/identity, social movement and civil disobedience workshops and theatrical performances inspiring people to walk into their own light and true potential, this 9-18 month journey will help raise up more voices in the effort for full social and legislative equality.

During the journey, the Into the Light walk is asking for donations that will cover basic expenses. And, 10% of every dollar raised will go directly to the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, whose mission is in line with that of this walk -- to end gender discrimination.

Donate: http://www.intothelightwalk.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/intolightwalk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/intolightwalk

Simon Malls : A Case of LGBT Discrimination ?

Simon Malls in Tacoma, Washington, discriminated against and harassed a gay man in public facilities. The gay man, who is walking across the country to end gender discrimination, was only checking his e-mail in the food court.

Alan Bounville was harassed by security in Tacoma, Washington, because of his walking cart had a sign on its side, indicating that Mr. Bounville was walking across the country to end gender discrimination.