Gay-Rights Protesters Stage Sit-In at Nancy Pelosi's Office, March 18

[Emit]

Activists are arrested after protesting outside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on March 18.

According to gay-rights advocate Paul Yandura, activists have staged a sit-in at Nancy Pelosi's district and Capitol Hill offices. The groups are fighting for her to take the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to the floor for a vote, Yandura told NEWSWEEK as he drove toward his home in D.C. to meet with other activists. Yandura says he has collected enough bail through GetEqual, a new LGBTQ activism group, for everyone who may need it. "We have plenty, and we have sources ready to provide more if necessary."

The proposed bill would prohibit discrimination against employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity for civilian nonreligious employers with more than 15 employees. Yandura claims that "both offices were swarmed, and the demand was made that she bring it to a vote." Pelosi’s offices, according to gay-rights advocates, were also "blog-swarmed" throughout the day with requests calling for bringing ENDA to a vote, and with calls and e-mails.

The civil disobedience comes on the heels of the arrest of Lt. Dan Choi earlier today, who, with a fellow lieutenant, handcuffed himself to the White House gate. Activists are still unsure where Choi is being held.

~snip~

"We understand that Speaker Pelosi and the rest of Congress are in the midst of passing health-care-reform legislation," said McGehee in the statement. "However, health care for many LGBTQ families is intimately connected to employment protections and we cannot wait a minute longer for those protections. We've already waited far too long."

~snip~

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2010/03/18/gay-rights-protesters-stage-sit-in-at-nancy-pelosi-s-office-leaders-stand-ready-to-bail-out-activists.aspx

[Prism]

1. LGBT issues were ejected from reconciliation

But they've promised to "fix it later" and the gay community knows that politicians always keep their promises. And the apologists who are always telling us to pipe down and leave the President alone will certainly and suddenly be on our side, now that the bill has passed.

Right?

[QC]

2. kick