by Troy Williams
Congratulations to all the organizers and volunteers who brought an estimated 3,500 out to protest Proposition 8! Jacob Whipple was the driving force behind the entire event and deserves every accolade. I hope that his spontaneous impulse to activism will become infectious. There certainly is the will and the outrage.
I’ve received tons of text messages, emails and phone-calls from folks thanking me for my talk. I appreciate the kind words. I also know that for some my rhetoric was too “in your face” for their tastes. There are many different opinions about what strategy is most effective. I believe it takes multiple strategies and several diverse voices to push forward our movement.
I had lunch today with the staff of Equality Utah. We had a great conversation – and I am very excited about the work they are doing. Their way of doing politics isn’t my way, and vice versa, but we each recognize the value of the other. We agreed that it is essential that ALL voices be expressed and encouraged – even those voices we don’t agree with!
For my part – I’m tired of being nice. I’m not here to make “gay” trendy. And I’m not going to politely acquiesce as the Mormon Church and other religions bully their way into our private lives. We need to stop playing by their rules. If that makes some more conservative folk uneasy – good!
(Thanks Martin for the photo)
Queer Children of Zion
My name is Troy Williams and I am a gay Mormon. We are the queer children of Zion – and we have gathered here today to change the world!
Beyond being gay, we are first citizens of the United States of America! We believe that all men, women and trans people are created equal – We are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights – We stand here today to claim our right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Our lives are not up for your vote.
Mr. Monson — The LDS Church is on notice! We will no longer be shamed and we will no longer be silent. After years of being told that we were deviants – that we were perverts – that we were abominations before god – we have found our voice. We are politically organized, we are angry and we are going to continue to work for the freedom and equality of all people!
As children we were told stories of our Mormon ancestors. We were mobbed and murdered and driven across this country. We were hated for being different – for having a gold Bible – and yes — for our alternative marriage lifestyle. I am the descendent of Mormon polygamists.
How many of you are descendents of polygamy?
The LDS Church is embarrassed by our polygamist history. They are eager to prove to the world that they are good honest, monogamous gay-hating conservative Christians – just like the rest of their coalition! They don’t want America to think they are like their fundamentalist cousins in Texas.
But here is the deal – if the LDS Church is going to keep lying about us – it’s time we started telling the TRUTH about them!
Mormons provided the largest funding for a campaign to amend the California constitution that defined marriage as one man married to one woman. But polygamy is still an eternal doctrine of the LDS Church. Mormons believe that families can be sealed for eternity in their temple. Mormon men can today – in this temple right here – be sealed to multiple women in heaven. In fact – three members of the quorum of the 12 who have denounced gay marriage are in fact, right now, polygamists in heaven. Their first wives died and they have been sealed to their second wives for time and all eternity.
Russell M Nelson is a polygamist in Heaven.
Dallin H. Oaks is a polygamist in Heaven.
L. Tom Perry is a polygamist in Heaven!
Russell, Dallin, and L. Tom – Don’t speak to us about defending traditional marriage! You are polygamists – and you are all hypocrites.
Wait a minute – Wait a minute – I’ve just had a new revelation! How about we create a new referendum? Let’s work to pass a Celestial Marriage Amendment. Let’s pass a law that will define marriage in heaven as one man and one woman – let’s nullify the celestial plural marriages of all Mormon General Authorities and members alike.
Outside of this Temple – we stand together — This is our Utah Stonewall! We are not going back into the closets. We are not going to stay out of the Capital. We will not allow you to make us strangers in our own state and in our own country. Utah's gay children have awakened and we will no longer be shamed!
This is just the beginning of our outrage! We will not stop! I encourage all of you to be public. Tell your stories. Place your dissent in the center of public discourse. Write letters to the editors. Write op-eds. Lobby at the Capital. Run for political office. Work campaigns. Stir things up!
We will not hide our faces and we will not silence our voices any longer.
Today it is time to End the Politics of Exclusion. On Tuesday America elected our first African-American president. A man who 30 years ago was not considered worthy to enter into the Mormon temple. In fact, the leaders of the Mormon Church denounced inter-racial marriage with the same passion and conviction with which they denounced our marriages. President Elect Barack Obama said that we must "recognize ourselves in one another; to understand that we are our brother's keeper; we are our sister's keeper; that, in the words of Dr. King, we are all tied together in a single garment of destiny."
Let me make this clear – I am proud of my Mormon heritage. I am proud of my Mormon ancestors who braved the long trek across the land. And let it be known – that if the civil liberties of Mormons were ever in jeopardy, we would stand in their defense as well. Because that is what the human family must do for one another. Let’s stand together with our new president – and fight passionately for a new politics of inclusion – of acceptance – of love – of equality and justice. Let us stand in partnership with all oppressed people around the world! Separate we are a minority, together we comprise an astonishing majority.
Are you ready to change the World?
Then let’s MAKE HISTORY! – Thank YOU!
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