Long time Lake County Democratic organizers, Bill Berkey and Harold Riley, are forming a Stonewall Democrats Club. They have been publicizing the effort and talking to interested individuals at local Democratic booths this past summer.
The National Stonewall Democrats is a grassroots network connecting gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (GLBT) Democratic activists across the United States.
“With more than 90 chapters across the country, Stonewall is a grassroots force for social change within our movement and within our party,” according to the organization”s Web site, www.stonewalldemocrats.org. “Our members do the hard work of calling voters, putting together campaign mailings, going door-to-door for our fair-minded candidates and having tough conversations with Democratic party officials about why our families need and deserve more support from our party and its elected officials.”
“Stonewall” refers to the Stonewall Inn, a bar in New York City that is considered by many to be the birthplace of the modern movement for equality. As the Web site explains, “For most of the 20th century, laws forbade gay Americans from congregating. In many states, like New York, it was illegal to serve alcohol to homosexuals. Police conducted routine raids, and arrested individuals on a regular basis. With few legal places to meet, gays and lesbians often faced jailing if they chose to live their lives openly.
“On June 27, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn for the second time that week. Although raids in New York City had become routine, police force that night was especially blunt. As police handcuffed patrons, the crowd grew resistant and began to push back. After a paddy wagon was overturned, more people from the surrounding neighborhood joined the group and the police retreated. The ”riot” continued through the next night, and over the course of a week as New Yorkers defended their community from the police. After Stonewall, the small gay community in New York began to organize, and it became more difficult for police to enforce anti-gay laws.
“The following year, New Yorkers staged a march to commemorate the Stonewall event. That march helped inspire small gay communities around the country to organize – and it helped usher in the modern ”gay rights” movement.”
Nationally, the Stonewall Democrats are part of a lobbying campaign to pass a fully-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), H.R. 2015, which includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity. Local Democratic publicist Rebecca Curry reported that Lake County Central Committee sent a letter to U.S. Rep Mike Thompson back in May, asking his support for the legislation.
“Congressman Thompson is a co-sponsor of Congressman Frank”s bill, H.R. 2015, the most recent incarnation of ENDA,” she added.
Retired State Senator Wes Chesbro introduced the club to attendees at the Lake County Democrats” annual barbecue on Saturday Oct. 6. California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres, a strong advocate for the GLBT community, was present at the event and applauded the group for taking the initiative to organize this club.
A meeting will be planned to select officers, amend bylaws and set up dues. Organizers are hopeful that they can accomplish these steps before the end of this calendar year.
Initial steps have been taken for the club to receive its charter from the Lake County Democratic Central Commttee and from the State Democratic Party in the early months of 2008.
For more information on the purpose and history of Stonewall Democrats, visit www.lakecountydemocrats.org or www.stonewalldemocrats.org/
Membership is open to all registered Democrats, GLBT or straight.
There are several ways to contact the organizers, if you are interested in supporting the club. Send an e-mail to either Bill Berkey, billberkey@konocti.net, or Harold Riley, purrfect@konocti.net.
Contact Lake County Democrats at lakecountydemocrats@lakecountydemocrats.org or call the local Democratic party at 277-0833. Drop a postcard, with your contact information to the South Lake County Democratic Club, P. O. Box 425, Clearlake, CA 95422.
Editor”s Note: Portions of this article come from Lake County Democrats and National Stonewall Democrats publicity.
