Page 4, Out in the Mountains

by Terje Anderson

When the October March on
Washington takes place, I plan to be there.
In fact, nothing could keep me away. There
are a lot of reasons I want to go to
Washington.

I want to march because I know how
much we need to stand up and be counted,
that we must remind the media, the
politicians and the country that we are here.

I'm going to march because I’m angry
about AIDS. I’m angry that our
government continues to respond with too
little, too late, that there is still not enough
money for education, for research, for
treatment and care. I'm angry that Ronald
Reagan has appointed a sham commission of
homophobes and right wingers to "study"
the problem. I’m angry that homophobia
has kept our society from responding
effectively to the AIDS crisis. I’m angry
because too many friends have died already.

I’m going to march because I’m
frustrated that lesbians and gay men
continue to experience widespread
discrimination, and the government to which
we pay taxes refuses to protect our rights.
I’m going to march because the right to a
job, to housing, to accommodations without
discrimination are rights which we are
denied with frightful regularity.

M.O.W. Calendar
1. NATIONAL LOBBY DAY: Friday,
October 9. Delegations from around the

country will meet with their Senators and
members of Congress to acquaint them with
our issues and to urge them to support
appropriate legislation.

2. TI-IEWEDDING: Saturday, October 10.
A non-sectarian union ceremony celebrating
the relationships of hundreds and perhaps
thousands of same-sex couples will emphasize
the demand that lesbian/gay domestic
partners be entitled to the same rights and
privileges as married heterosexual couples.
A reception will follow the ceremony.

3. LESBIANS & GAY BANDS OF
AMERICA CONCERT: Saturday, Oct. 10.
8 to 11 pm, DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D
St. NW. Thirteen bands and two choruses
featuring 250 musicians will perform.

4. -MARCH AGAINST DEATH AND
VIOLENCE: Friday, Oct. 9 through
Sunday, Oct. 11. For a period of 40 hours,
culminating with the March, people carrying
the names of those who died of AIDS or
homophobic violence will move in a solemn
single-file procession past the White House,
the Capitol and other national symbols. By
bearing witness to the violence and suffering
our community has endured, we hope to
awaken the conscience of the nation.

5. LESBIAN AND GAY MARCH ON
WASHINGTON: Sunday, October, 11.
Come join hundreds-of-thousands of people
from all over the country!!

Why I Plan to March on Washington

I’m going to march because I am
outraged that the United States Supreme
Court has said that we are not entitled to
_the same constitutional right to privacy as
other citizens.

I’m going to march because I’m fed up
with immigration rules which say that
lesbians and gay men cannot enter this
country. I am ashamed that Canadian
friends of mine must be secretive and fearful
every time they come to visit.

I’m going to march because, as a gay
father, I love my son. I know how often
lesbians and gay men come out on the
losing side of custody cases, how difficult it
is to adopt or become foster parents, how
many children and parents suffer because of
the ugly belief that we are unfit parents.

I’m going to march because I love gay
men. I want to hold hands and kiss and
hug them without fear or worry in our
nation’s capitol, and in our own town.

I’m going to march because I am afraid
of the growing tide of anti-gay violence, and
the realization that we all experience danger
because of it, and the legal system takes it
less seriously than other violent crimes.

I’m going to march because I want our
relationships and our families to be afforded
the same dignity that government and

society give heterosexual relationships. I
want lesbian and gay couples to have the
same access to insurance coverage, couples
discounts, and other benefits that married
people have.

I’m going to Washington because I
know that I will see hundreds of old friends
from across the country there, and I want
to share it with them.

I’m marching in October because I'm
tired of politicians ignoring our issues
because they are afraid of the political
impact; I want them to be afraid of the
political impact of not addressing our
community’s needs.

I want to march because I want to
show the world how diverse, how talented,
how multifaceted we are. I want them to
see gays and lesbians from Vermont in the
march, not just folks from the major
metropolitan areas.

I’m marching because I need to shout,
to chant, to jump up and down and feel the
release of pent-up frustration, anger and
outrage which boils inside everyday.

I'm going to Washington because I look
forward to face to face meetings between
Vermont lesbians and gays and Senators
Leahy and Stafford and Representative
Jeffords. I want them to see us up close,
not just through telephone calls and letters.

continued, page 5

"March on Washington" Theme

Walk On Washington

From Ten Percent Revue
Directed by Joey Brandon
Produced by Laura Green

Adopted by the National Walk on
Washington Committee for the lesbian and
gay demonstration this coming October in
Washington,D. C.
We ’re gonna take a walk to Washington
Storm D. C.
We ’re gonna climb the hill to Congress
You and me
We ’re gonna read the Constitution to
the President
We ’re gonna walk to Washington

We’re gonna take a walk to Washington
Cruise the Mall

Surround the mighty obelisk

Make it fall

We’re gonna paint the White House
Lavender

Make the Oval office quake

We ’re gonna walk to Washington

 

6. VETERANS MEMORIAL SERVICE:
Sun., Oct. 11. Prior to the March, lesbian
and gay veterans will conduct a memorial
service at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
to honor the many thousands of lesbians
and gay men who have given their lives
while members of the U.S. military.
Immediately following the memorial service,
the veterans will proceed across the Potomac
to join the March.

There are dreams we ’ve been chasin’

Laws to disentangle

We ‘ll make waves in the Tidal Basin

The Pentagon will be a Pink Triangle

We’re gonna take a walk to Washington
Claim the town

Turn some regulations

Upside down

We‘re gonna march to the Court House
Tell those judges what to do

We’re gonna walk to Washington

We will stride up to Lincoln

And ask him what he's got to say
He ’II say, "I've been sitting here
thinkin ’

And waiting four score years for this
day"

We ‘re gonna take a walk to Washington
It '3 our right

The time has passed for us to

Be polite

The Eleventh of October will go down
in history

We’re gonna walk to Washington
October eleven, nineteen eighty-seven
Gonna walk to Washington

I/Vll you join us?
Gonna walk to Washington

1987