Friends,
I received a note from a reader, saying that participating in the Leesburg 4th of July parade is a bold statement for her to make, but one that desperately needs to be made.
That’s probably a common feeling. How many more of us don’t feel comfortable being out there in public? How many of us don’t feel comfortable talking with our neighbors, and coworkers, and even family members, about how Virginia law affects our lives?
If there was ever a time to push past our comfort zone, this is that time. There are a lot of well meaning people out there who want to be fair, and would support us, if they knew. They don’t know about the Marshall-Newman amendment and other discriminatory legislation, and they don’t know the harm these things do to real people – and the reason they don’t know is that no one has told them.
It’s up to us to tell those people why this is important to us. We need to have those one-on-one conversations, but we also need to be seen standing up for ourselves and our families. It makes a difference that people are willing to publicly stand up and put a human face on what our opponents are trying so hard to pretend is just an “agenda.”
What better place to do that than a parade celebrating what this nation is supposed to stand for? As it was last year, our group will be a broad assembly of members, supporters, straight allies, family and friends, and faith communities. If you are able, please join us in this declaration that Liberty will not tolerate second class citizenship for anyone.
Thanks,
David