June 5, 2009 Flag Raising
Proclamation by Mayor Matt Ryan
Remarks:
Mayor Matt Ryan
City Councilmember Sean Massey
Rabbi Barbara Goldman-Wartell
Rev. Miller Jen Hoffman
Binghamton HS Gay-Straight Alliance presidents

 

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Remarks: Mayor Matt Ryan
I am proud to be here today to affirm once again, for the fourth time in four years, that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer citizens that live among us should have the same rights and responsibilities that all of us take for granted.

I am here today to say that this recognition of Pride Month is necessary because there is still discrimination against these good citizens, that there are very serious inequities and injustices that cannot be addressed without making sure that each and every citizen has the same civil rights in our society.

This debate that is ongoing in our society should not be considered a liberal versus conservative war of ideals.  If there is a war of ideals over this issue, it is not with conservatives.  Our enemy is not James Dobson or Sara Palin and we must not let this issue become part of any culture war.  Those who are against gay rights want to frame the issue as that of “a culture war” because that term signals that we think something is controversial when in fact equal rights should be the furthest thing from controversial.

Civil-rights era activists knew history was on their side, but their goal was not to make every American comfortable with the idea of sharing public spaces and power with people of color.  It was to guarantee people of color those rights, regardless of where the culture stood. They were impatient, as we all should be on any issue of civil rights.  That is often the thing about civil rights.  You have to claim them and nobody will do it for you.

In this battle for equal rights there has been much progress made.  It is thanks to the courageous efforts of those who remember the Stonewall Rebellion of 40 years ago that this progress is ongoing and I urge all of our citizens to support the fight for equality for all our citizens.   This morning I Googled gay rights quotes and I found an amazing number of poignant statements.  One in particular stood out because it really reflects my personal feelings.  Bruce Bauer said in the Advocate “On the issue of gay rights Americans need an education of the heart and soul.  They must understand to begin with – how it can feel to spend years denying your own deepest truths, to sit silently through classes, meals, and church services while people you love toss off remarks that brutalize your soul.”

Today as we raise the pride flag it will then be lowered to half mast in honor of three Fort Drum, NY soldiers that were killed in Afghanistan June 1^st.  Let us have a moment of silence for those fallen solider and all the victims of discrimination and violence in our society.

Remarks: City Councilmember Sean Massey
It says something remarkable that we are here today, members of Binghamton’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer communities, our allies and friends, and members of the Binghamton High School Gay-Straight Alliance, to celebrate our achievements and contributions to this City and the larger Southern Tier community.
 
It says something remarkable that standing with us is our Mayor Matt Ryan who not only supports our community but is willing to work openly toward our full equality; and that we have with us a representative from the office of our Congressman Maurice Hinchey.  And I am also proud to stand here with you as one of two openly-gay representative from our City Council. 
 
It says something remarkable that we can stand together today in front of our City Hall to raise the rainbow flag - a symbol of our struggle for liberation from the oppressive laws, unfair policies, personal biases and overt violence that have done so much harm to our community over the decades. 
 
And finally, it says something remarkable that we can stand together today and openly and publically proclaim the month of June to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month in the City of Binghamton.
 
I want to take a moment to tell you about some of the things this administration has done for our community, in case you haven't been tuned in over the past 3 ½ years…
 
●   For 4 years now Mayor Ryan has raised the rainbow flag in from of City Hall
●   For 4 years now Mayor Ryan has used his power as the City's Executive to issue proclamations that recognize the contributions of the LGBTQ community to this City
●   Mayor Ryan is the first to issue an executive order that recognizes our legal marriages, enabling LBGTQ city workers to acquire benefits for their families.
●   He was worked together with City Council to lobby our State representatives to do what they should do and pass marriage equality in New York State
●   He has attended our events and our festivals, as any Mayor should, to let us know that we are welcome in and vital to this City
●   And finally, and this is a big one, Mayor Ryan signed the Binghamton Human Rights Law that not only reinforced protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, but added much needed protections against discrimination based on gender expression, identity and physical size
 
This is a hopeful time.  Progress has indeed been made.  But there is still much to do and we need to keep our momentum going.  We now have a bill sitting before the State Senate that would make New York the 7th state to offer full marriage equality to its LGBTQ residents.  That bill will be decided in the next two weeks one way or the other.  It is absolutely critical that you call your State Senator - for most of you that is Tom Libous, and let him know that you want him to vote for this legislation.  But don't stop there, call Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith and tell him how important this legislation is to you and your families.  And finally, find 5-10 even 20 of your friends and family members and encourage them to call as well.  We are so close to achieving the goal of marriage equality this year.  Let's do our best to make that happen. 
 
Happy Pride! 

Remarks: Rabbi Barbara Goldman-Wartell
I stand here today as a rabbi, a person of faith, proud to be part of this affirmation of the lives of GLBTQ people and their families. I am honored to have been asked to be a part of this PRIDE event here in Binghamton. I am also proud to be able to share with you the positions of the Reform Jewish Movement: the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis rabbinical organization affirming you as well.

The Reform Jewish Movement has long been committed to welcoming gay and lesbian Jews and their children into our synagogues and communal life. For too long, much of the world has treated them as 'strangers.' Our Scriptures teach us: 'You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of a stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt.' (Exodus 23:9). Our movement has consistently supported full equality for lesbians and gays in society. We also have long been on record as standing by the Gay and Lesbian members of our communities by advocating full and equal inclusion in our congregations and communities. (UAHC/URJ Resolution, 2000)

We learn from the beginning of the book of Genesis that all human beings are created betselem Elohim ("in the divine image"), so it is our obligation as people of faith to defend vigorously the dignity of every human being (Genesis 1:27). While we respect those who may be single, we uphold the values of marriage and family. Marriage, imbued with the values of exclusivity, permanence, intimate companionship, and love, provides fulfillment for each partner and adds to the common good of the community. We/I affirm that every human being has an absolute right to such fulfillment, and that the loving, committed relationships of same-sex couples have the same potential for holiness as those of heterosexual couples.

At the same time, I recognize that not all people of faith and not all clergy share my affirmation. I respect their right to hold opposing views. Still, the civil rights of some should not be denied because of the religious beliefs of others. Government should treat all people equally and fairly under the law.

Therefore, as a citizen, I call upon the legislators of New York State and all states:

to affirm civil marriage rights of every person regardless of sexual orientation, and

to oppose legislative efforts to substitute a separate and lesser legal status, such as civil unions, for the full marriage equality same-sex couples deserve, and

to unequivocally oppose attempts to amend the constitution of any state or the Constitution of the United States in order to discriminate against same-sex couples and their families."

(CCAR Resolution, 2004)

Jewish tradition teaches us to pursue justice.

I call upon all people of faith to treat with respect and to integrate fully all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression, into the life of the community, including our faith communities and congregations.

Thank you.

Remarks: Rev. Miller Jen Hoffman
On behalf of the Binghamton Pride Coalition, thanks to everyone who is here today. For the Pride shown both by our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities and the Pride of our allies. This is a day for Pride and a day for support. A day to witness one another’s acts of friendship and resistence. It’s a day to recognize our need for each other.

We need you. We need allies who will understand the range of our lives and our wishes, who know that one size does not fit all. Allies who understand that some of us want to get married and some of us don’t want to get married and some of us did that already. Allies who understand that there are many ways to live without shame, that some of us want to live relatively quietly and not make a fuss, and some of us want to dance on State Street with stickers and balloons. That, for some of us, it just depends on the day of the week. We need allies who will understand that the words "queer" and "tranny" causes some of us pain and anger, and that others of us use these words to name ourselves. That our lives are not a set of stereotypes or mutually exclusive categories – we are single or not, have children or don’t, gather in bars or coffee shops or front porches to socialize, and are creative and fashionable with more or less the same range as any other group. That the rainbow is our symbol precisely because of this diversity.

We’ve come a long way on our own steam. In the decades since Oscar Wilde was convicted for "gross indecency," we have organized and gathered, picketed and resisted and peacefully protested. We fought and struggled for our Pride. Bayard Rustin and Harry Hay, Audre Lorde and Sylvia Rivera and the other Stonewall heros, Barbara Gittings and Larry Kramer, our history is rich with our own community activists and professionals who wouldn’t take hate for an answer. And throughout the struggle, our allies have worked and fought alongside us. The lead attorney in Lambda Legal’s so-called Sodomy Law casework is a straight ally. A staff attorney at the Sylvia Rivera Law Project is a non-trans ally. We’ve had PFLAGs, university Safe Zones, Judith Light and Cyndi Lauper and Margaret Cho, Evelyn Hooker and Judy Shepard, the Quakers and the Unitarians and both the Reformed and Conservative Jewish congregations speak with us and act with us and make policy and make change.

And the Mayor of Binghamton. And the students from the Binghamton High School Gay-Straight Alliance, bless them. And every one of us today who has come to show our Pride and be counted in support of justice across gender expression and sexuality. We need each other. Marge Piercy famously speaks to the heart of our connection and need and support of each other when she writes:

...Two people can keep each other
sane, can give support, conviction,
love, massage, hope, sex.
Three people are a delegation,
a committee, a wedge. With four
you can play bridge and start
an organization. With six
you can rent a whole house,
eat pie for dinner with no
seconds, and hold a fund raising party.

A dozen makes a demonstration.
A hundred fill a hall.
A thousand have solidarity and your own newsletter;
ten thousand, power and your own paper;
a hundred thousand, your own media;
ten million, your own country.

It goes on one at a time,
It starts when you care
to act, it starts when you do
it again after they said no,
it starts when you say We
and know who you mean, and each
day you mean one more.

We need each other. We need you, and you need us. Dr. King said that none of us are free until we are all free, and as the world becomes safer for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans and queer folk, the world becomes safer for everyone to live outside the code of imposed and compulsory gender and sexuality: safer for straight "sensitive" men and strong, vocal women, safer for masculinity and femininity and love to melt all over the spectrum of humanity.

Thank you, and Peace.

Remarks: Cassie Glenn and Dann DeMaria, outgoing and incoming presidents of Binghamton HS Gay-Straight Alliance
CASSIE: Hello everyone, my name is Cassie Glenn, and I am the outgoing president of the Binghamton High School Gay Straight Alliance, and this is my friend Dann DeMaria, the incoming president for next year.  On behalf of our fellow members and advisor, we want to thank the Binghamton Pride Coalition and Mayor Ryan for inviting us to help raise the Pride flag over Binghamton this year for Gay Pride Month. 

DANN: As a newly formed GSA, we have been working to identify our allies.  Looking out at this gathering, we can see firsthand just how much our community supports us and all LGBTQ people in the city of Binghamton.  It feels wonderful to live in a community that respects all citizens regardless of sexual orientation.  As a Gay Straight Alliance, we feel empowered to affect change in our school community because of the example set for us in the larger community.

CASSIE: Along with acceptance in our school, we unfortunately face opposition, ridicule and harassment.  We know we will face much more opposition before we achieve our club’s goals, however, with the community behind us, as is evident by all of the supporters here today, we are sure we can overcome this adversity and work to change the climate in our school; for us in the near future, as well as the community at large when our classmates graduate and move forward to join the crowd here today.

DANN: Thanks again for this special opportunity, and let’s have the best Gay Pride Month ever!