the Jena 6 and our fight for equality
David on Sep 24th 2007
As the Jena 6 controversy continues, the president of the Human Rights Campaign traveled to Jena, Louisiana to speak at a rally. His powerful and touching words speak to the many intersections in our fight for equality:
My name is Joe Solmonese and I represent the largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender organization in the country. Am I am here — we are all here from the Human Rights Campaign — because this injustice cannot stand.
We are here because we know about bigotry. We know about hate. We know the pain in high school of standing apart. Of being taunted. Of standing up, only too often, to be shut down.
I am here — we are here — because you have stood with us. Because all of us know that one injustice against any of us is an injustice against all of us.
And I am here because I remember. I remember James Byrd. James was a gentle soul, a special soul. Someone who struggled his whole life with challenges, but was filled with love and was deeply loved in Jasper, Texas.
But James Byrd — at 49 — was savagely beaten, then chained to a pickup truck and literally dragged to his death. He was brutally murdered because he was black.
And then something really profound happened. Remember when George Bush was governor of Texas? Well, Governor Bush had a hate crimes bill on his desk. There was a lot of pressure to sign the bill because of what they did to James Byrd. So, George Bush said he’d sign that bill, but they had to take the gays out.
And here’s what happened. Stella Byrd, who has just buried her beaten, broken, gentle James said, If some of us are left out, then all of us are. Valuing one life and not valuing another is not right. And the Byrd family said No. They said No. And they walked away.
So, I stand here today with solidarity. I stand here for social justice. I stand here to free those young men. To say this will not stand. It cannot stand. I stand here for the Jena 6. I stand here today for James Byrd.
We will not forget. We will never walk away.
Thank you very much.
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. An injustice to one is an injustice to all.
Filed in general |
With honor and pride, I am happy HRC has taken stand
Dear Joe,
As an African American and lesbian, I am so proud to read your words and know once again how embracing our community can be. I am forwarding your speech to family members and others to remind everyone once again that our struggles are all connected. I did not know about the stance that Stella Byrd had taken and it was heart warming to know how upright and uplifting both sides of my “families” can be.