From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 26 Apr 94 15:55:54 EDT

IN SEARCH OF A SILVER BULLET: 
MAGIC MESSAGES AND STRONG MOVEMENTS

Opinion by Robert Bray
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Fight the Right Media Coordinator
(415)552-6448
RXB [email-masked]

 With only seven months until D-Day, "D" as in possible Discrimination, the
heat is rapidly rising on the anti-gay initiatives slated for the November
ballot in at least seven states.

 Campaign strategists around the country are frantically searching for an
illusive magic bullet that will slay the Far Right dragon threatening to
devour our civil rights.  They're looking for an effective media and campaign
"message" -- a silver bullet -- that will win votes and defeat initiatives. 

  But is that the ultimate goal, just to win a campaign battle?  What about
the overall war?  Simply winning a vote returns us to the status quo.  We
fight with all our strength just to keep what we have, which is insufficient
in the first place.  Win or lose in November, the current battles and choice
of tactics have far reaching significance for our movement.

 Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon and Washington have
official anti-gay initiatives.  More states may follow.  The initiatives
repeal laws that ban discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, and
prohibit passage of such laws in the future.  The measures are misleadingly
framed as "no special rights" and "no protected minority status."

 National and local message polling around these measures reveals fascinating
results.  First, we face a tough battle in defeating the initiatives.  We are
confronted with a U.S. public that mainly sees us, and our "lifestyle," as
unacceptable and immoral.  Our "negatives" range from 50 to 77 percent.

 Second, a majority erroneously believe we are already covered against
discrimination by the U.S. Constitution, and we do not suffer prejudice. 
Hence, we seek special protections.  Opinion is split at best about whether
protective legislation is even necessary.   Plus, many people polled
subscribe to the "don't ask, don't tell" mindset:  Gays are okay as long as
they don't make it an issue.

 Paradoxically, this high level of disapproval is accompanied by an equally
strong (75 percent) belief that discrimination against us is wrong.  And
voters who personally know someone gay tend to be more supportive.

 Messages promoted by our opponents about special rights, government-forced
acceptance of homosexuality, and the lack of "gay disadvantage" are cited
most often by voters who support anti-gay measures.  Our side's messages
about job discrimination ring well with voters who oppose the measures.

 That's the brew of opinion that campaign strategists must cook into a
winning strategy for political campaigns against the initiatives. 

 Political campaigns, out of necessity, are run by hard working people in war
room-like settings.  Campaign officials call the shots.  The best campaigns
find roles for everyone, but often there is minimal decision-making input
from the community at large.  The goal is short-term victory.

 Some campaign battles are fought in states without established gay, lesbian
and bisexual organized communities.  The campaign, in effect, becomes the
"movement," a receptacle for the hopes, dreams, anger and frustration of
people struggling for dignity.

  But after the vote the campaign office closes.  Managers move on. 
Volunteers are let go.  Campaigns cannot win ultimately what we want.  They
cannot contain all that we are.  Without a fortified movement in place a
tremendous vacuum forms that can cause frustration, division and burnout.

  I say we must strategically organize with long-term progressive social
change in mind -- with the idea of not only winning elections but also
building a stronger movement.  A movement that will be around much longer
than special rights rhetoric.   An anti-racist movement that embraces the
struggles for women's equality and social and economic injustice.  A movement
that stands for freedom and equality.  A movement that's part of a broad
based, united front capable of vanquishing the Far Right dragon now and in
the future.

 No matter how effective our messages, how savvy our spin, years of
homophobia cannot be unlearned during an eight-month campaign.  That requires
long-term commitment well beyond November.

 We didn't choose these initiatives, the Far Right did.  But we can chose to
make these attacks opportunities for building a true community-based and
empowered movement.  Or we can put all our hopes and resources into a silver
bullet and hope we don't draw a blank.

Robert Bray is NGLTF Fight the Right Media Organizer.