QueerTimes, January 1993

(Posted w/permission)

By Ryon Brame

Well, the ballots have been counted and the results are in.  Amendment 2 
passed.  Just like in any democratic system, some feel that the people have 
spoken and we should accept their decision.

BULLSHIT!

The constitution guarantees majority rule while protecting minority rights, but 
our rights as a minority have been violated.  We will not accept anything less 
than equal civil rights.  We will not rest until Amendment 2 is overturned or 
repealed.

As you read this, groups in nine other states are working to put the "Colorado 
Amendment" in their constitution.  That has got to stop.  Short of registering 
to vote in those nine states, we can help nip those initiatives in the bud by 
attaching an economic price tag to the "Colorado Amendment."

Boycott Colorado
We must discourage people and businesses outside of Colorado from spending 
their money in Colorado and on Colorado products.  We must encourage Coloradans 
to spend thier money only at Gay/Lesbian-friendly establishments.

The Mayor of Denver and others have fought the boycott on the grounds that it 
would hurt Denver, where 60% of the voters rejected the amendment.  Well, 
Mayor, 40% of the voters supported it.  There's not some sort of magic boundary 
enclosing #2 opponents.  We're sprinkled across the state--as are the #2 
supporters.  We cannot attempt to educate ignorant voters in rural Colorado 
while overlooking those 40% in Denver.

What's good for Denver...
Back when the Colorado Convention Center was still on the drawing board, the 
state legislature kicked in $36 million for construction costs, arguing that 
the entire state benefited from convention revenue.  By their same logic, 
canceling conventions in Denver will affect the entire state.

Even if that weren't true, most residents of the *metro*-Denver area voted for 
#2, and they work in Denver.  As surely as Denver-based companies are helped by 
conventions, they also as surely are hurt by the loss of business, which, in 
turn, will harm those suburban bigots.  The bottom line is this: the *entire 
state* denies us our civil rights, and the *entire state* must suffer the 
consequences.  

Look at Aspen, home to the largest percentage of #2 foes and one of the most 
vehement opponents to the boycott.  Aspen understandably doesn't want its image 
trashed and has spent thousands of dollars on nationwide advertisements to 
convince tourists that Aspen is still the place to ski and spend money.  (By 
the way, its campaign is funded primarily by the Aspen Skiing Company and local 
businesses--organizations that would be harmed most by a nosedive in the 
lucrative tourist trade.  Where the hell were they--and other businesses in the 
state--before the election?  Where were the nationwide ads denouncing Amendment 
2?  Why should we denounce the boycott when those same businesses weren't there 
for us two months ago?)  Aspen is still the home to many bigots like Ephraim 
Nelson, who declared, "For the life of me I cannot understand people getting so 
worked up over Amendment 2.  That all these fruitcakes are going to boycott 
the state is the best news I've heard in years."

He also suggested, "If they are that miserable, we should send all these Queers 
and Dykes out to San Francisco and let them all jump off the Golden gate Bridge 
together!"

We might not be able to et people like ol' Ephraim to renounce their bigotry, 
but if his business income is cut in half, he might be more inclined to aree 
that denying civil rih is a bad business move.

The only way to make a boycott effective is by informing our targets of our 
reasoning.  Those people living outside of Colorado shold write letters to 
governent offcials, heads of companies, chambers of commerce, and tourist 
bureaus to let them know why they won't visit Colorado or buy its products.  As 
Coloradans, we must patronize only those organizations that have policies 
protecting employees, regardless of sexual orientation.  We must avoid 
patronizing companies that do not support civil rights for all.  At the same 
time, we must actively support our own community by patronizing Queer-related 
events and donating money to our organizations.

We canot afford to send mixed messages and we cannot make exceptions to the 
boycott.  *If you live outside of Colorado, don't visit Colorado or buy its 
products.  If you live in Colorado, buy only from Gay/Lesbian-friendly 
companies.  In either case, let the Colorado companies know why you are doing 
this.*

Over a period of six years, Arizona lost an estimated $400 million from the 
loss of conventions, meetings, tourism, and the Super Bowl due to a boycott of 
the state for its refusal to enact Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as an official 
state holiday.  Three years into the boycott, Arizona voters still rejected the 
holiday by a 51-49 margin.  Arizona boycott proponents then changed to a 
grass-roots strategy.  They calculated that for every convention loss in 
Phoenix, $20 was taken out of the pocket of each Arizonan.  When voters learned 
of the personal cost of their views, they quickly changed their minds and, last 
November, recognized the official state holiday.  That is exactly what we need 
to do.  We can make sure that the boycott is effective by targeting our money 
from our enemies to our allies AND informing them of our reasons for spending 
it that way.

However, we can't be fooled into thinking that the boycott is a panacea.  It's 
only one tool at our disposal.  We still have a lot of work ahead of us in this 
civil rights fight, but the rewards will be worth the struggle.  Write letters, 
go to meetings and protests, and come out to friends and family.  Whatever it 
takes, get involved.  We need *everyone* to stand up for equal civil rights for 
all.

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