The Arc Manifesto
“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! No! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; – but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest – I will not equivocate – I will not excuse – I will not retreat a single inch – AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.” - William Lloyd Garrison
The time for equality, True Equality has come. Forget money. Forget influence. Forget power. Know what is right and what is just. Forget rankings, and corporations and incrementalism. Forget cries that, in time right will be achieved. Forget the pleas to wait one more year, one more president, one more decade, one more murder, one more injustice or one more anything.
Stop what you are doing and think.
Go further. Forget the supreme court, forget the boy scouts, forget Stonewall, forget AIDS, forget stigma, forget stereotype. Forget scandal, forget judgement, forget duality.
Forget choice.
Forget Harvey Milk, forget Prop 8, forget Judge Walker, forget the Mormon Church, forget christian fundamentalism, forget all fundamentalism, forget hate and forget lies.
Remember this. The only path forward for the world is equality. True equality. You know it in your heart. You know it in your soul and in your bones. You can feel the idea of it swirling around in your head, teasing you like a siren; calling out and beckoning you in.
Follow it.
To a place where liars are told they are liars. To their face if possible. Where injustice is met simply, calmly and plainly with truth. Where facts are brandished like weapons. Where the question of “What we do?” does not need asterisks or long winded explanations or justifications. It needs only three words - Make it Right.
“Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” - Dr. King
It doesn’t need to be said the Dr.King was right. But on that day in August 1967, the Reverand did not see the end in sight. The imagery of an arc in a universe seems almost infinite, as if it is a struggle from now until the end of time. For some struggles this may be true. But for one struggle, right here in our country, now is the time to reach justice.
I submit to you that unless we act immediately, our country and everything it stands for is a lie. We have betrayed our most core principle, our founding words and the reason we are all here: "that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights -- among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
On this one, I am a strict constitutionalist. I will not stand idly by while this promise is broken by disgusting purveyors of hate and lies. I have, at many points in my life, talked about the idea of incrementalism and the good things it has to offer. “I seize this moment to make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon of my God, of my country, and of my brethren...for having uttered a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice, and absurdity."
Denying anything to any person based on their sexual preference, or for that matter non-preference must end. All who oppose this are criminals.
“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; -- but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.”
The time for equality, True Equality has come. Forget money. Forget influence. Forget power. Know what is right and what is just. Forget rankings, and corporations and incrementalism. Forget cries that, in time right will be achieved. Forget the pleas to wait one more year, one more president, one more decade, one more murder, one more injustice or one more anything.
Stop what you are doing and think.
Go further. Forget the supreme court, forget the boy scouts, forget Stonewall, forget AIDS, forget stigma, forget stereotype. Forget scandal, forget judgement, forget duality.
Forget choice.
Forget Harvey Milk, forget Prop 8, forget Judge Walker, forget the Mormon Church, forget christian fundamentalism, forget all fundamentalism, forget hate and forget lies.
Remember this. The only path forward for the world is equality. True equality. You know it in your heart. You know it in your soul and in your bones. You can feel the idea of it swirling around in your head, teasing you like a siren; calling out and beckoning you in.
Follow it.
To a place where liars are told they are liars. To their face if possible. Where injustice is met simply, calmly and plainly with truth. Where facts are brandished like weapons. Where the question of “What we do?” does not need asterisks or long winded explanations or justifications. It needs only three words - Make it Right.
“Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” - Dr. King
It doesn’t need to be said the Dr.King was right. But on that day in August 1967, the Reverand did not see the end in sight. The imagery of an arc in a universe seems almost infinite, as if it is a struggle from now until the end of time. For some struggles this may be true. But for one struggle, right here in our country, now is the time to reach justice.
I submit to you that unless we act immediately, our country and everything it stands for is a lie. We have betrayed our most core principle, our founding words and the reason we are all here: "that all men are created equal, and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights -- among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
On this one, I am a strict constitutionalist. I will not stand idly by while this promise is broken by disgusting purveyors of hate and lies. I have, at many points in my life, talked about the idea of incrementalism and the good things it has to offer. “I seize this moment to make a full and unequivocal recantation, and thus publicly to ask pardon of my God, of my country, and of my brethren...for having uttered a sentiment so full of timidity, injustice, and absurdity."
Denying anything to any person based on their sexual preference, or for that matter non-preference must end. All who oppose this are criminals.
“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; -- but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest -- I will not equivocate -- I will not excuse -- I will not retreat a single inch -- AND I WILL BE HEARD. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and to hasten the resurrection of the dead.”
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posted by Aristides at
3:55 AM
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