Making a Stand Against Social Stagnation

by | Mar 24, 2016 | Issues, LGBT Rights, NC Politics, NCGA

“..Time is neutral. It can be used either constructively or destructively….We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes from the tireless efforts and consistent work of men willing to be coworkers with God, and without this hard work time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail

The bigots of the Radical Right are fighting to entrench social stagnation. As public opinion has swayed ever further toward tolerance, they have thrown obstacle after obstacle in progress’ way. From Amendment One to SB2 to its scandalous successor in the House, they have no plans to stop in their efforts against full LGBT equality.

Now we must use time to our own decisive advantage. EqualityNC and other fine organizations are combating the GOP’s campaign of repression, and we must join their tireless push. We must actually make good on promises to register new voters—particularly from the LGBT community—and do the tedious work of getting Dems elected. This is a partisan issue. We must emulate Sen. Jeff Jackson in promoting maximal awareness of the far right’s antics.

And we must educate. The unfortunate fact is that many cisgendered and heterosexual people remain insufficiently cognizant of LGBT issues. This lack of knowledge particularly prevails with regard to transgender rights, a vital cause that emerged relatively recently. Under-informed citizens must hear directly from their neighbors—LGBT and allied—about the need to maintain and enhance fairness in their society. Uncomfortable though some of these discussions could turn out to be, they are indispensable. Face-to-face interaction has been a key part of advancing LGBT rights this far.

The arc of the moral universe is long, but it is also pliable. As the heroes of the LGBT rights movement have always understood, it takes courage to advance this noble cause. HB2 is a horrific outrage, one that must be fought immediately on every front, but final victory still lies within our grasp. To invoke King again, “the time is always right to do what is right.” Now more so than ever.

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