In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Arline Isaacson, Co-Chair of the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus and one of the architects of marriage equality in this country. Isaacson is a brilliant and dedicated lobbyist who has fought successfully for decades for our LGBT community. In the aftermath of the worst mass killing in American history at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead and many more wounded we asked Arline for her spin on this national and global tragedy and to shed some light on where we are now and the future for LGBTQ civil rights in this country, especially during a presidential race with a shameful republican candidate who is still spewing hate and with over 200 state discriminatory bills still pending against our LGBTQ community. This is a time when we need to come together to console our sorrow and begin the healing progress from the devastation of this horrific attack on our LGBTQ community and move forward in solidarity as a nation.
When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Isaacson stated, “The good news that we have to remind ourselves is that we are on a trajectory that’s very positive and very good for our community. That there will always be bumps in the road and this is hardly a bump, this is a chasm that’s a total earthquake road-breaking chasm that just happened in Orlando but we need to remember that we can build a bridge across that chasm. We will build a bridge across that chasm and because we are LGBT it will be the most fabulous bridge anyone has ever built anywhere in the world. It will be the most beautiful bridge anyone ever built and it will be strong and it will be enduring and it will be gorgeous and we have to remind ourselves it’s just going to take some time and it’s going to take some work and you can’t stop building the bridge in the middle, you got to keep going until you get to the other side.
The other thing we need to remind ourselves is very important in my mind is that we have to remember to use this horrible tragedy as a lesson for what we must not do to others, culturally and politically. Let this remind us that as we gain our equality and as we move up the ladder so to speak culturally of acceptance or politically of acceptance, or politically in equality, we have to make sure we pull others up behind us, that we don’t dis other communities and groups whether they’re based on their religion or their race or their immigrant status or economic status. We have to fight religious extremists and even if you’re anti abortion you have to condemn people who shoot up abortion clinics and shoot up abortion doctors. We have to apply the lessons we wish to have applied to ourselves. We have to remember the importance of applying them to someone else and then when one group in our nation is disenfranchised, when one group in our nation is discriminated against, when one group is treated unequally, we are ultimately all unequal.”
Arline Isaacson co-chair’s Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus with Gary Daffin. MGLPC is the most experienced and respected lobbying operation on Beacon Hill in Massachusetts working for LGBTQ equal rights. Founded in 1973 MGLPC has had enormous success advocating with professional lobbyists for the interests and needs of our LGBT community. MGLPC continues to fight for LGBT civil rights especially transgender equality, AIDS-related issues and more. It is a totally volunteer effort and your support is needed especially in these difficult times.
For More Info: mglpc.org
To Help Orlando Victims: weareorlando.org
1 comment:
This is such an important interview. I am overwhelmed. Arline has articulated and encapsulated the State of the LGBTQ Community, in the midst of such catastrophe, with such clarity and purpose and hope. I haven't had really a moment of peace internally until I heard Arline's voice and her extraordinary ability to move forward in the most humane and intelligent way while dealing with the spectrum of emotions we all share. THANK YOU, CHARLOTTE for sharing Arline's voice with us and the world.
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