It's Either The Apocalypse Or A Revolution

Patrick Franklin is a candidate for the Texas House of Representatives. He reports on his blog:

Today, I spoke at a rally on the steps of Longview's City Hall. The city's three main gay rights organizations -- Metropolitan Community Church of Longview, P-FLAG East Texas, and Stonewall Democrats of East Texas sponsored the event. Representatives of the Unitarian Fellowship, Texas Democratic Women of Gregg County, and the Chairman of the Gregg County Democratic Party also joined the event.

At this rally, we demanded to be heard on the issue of employment non-discrimination. We officially asked the Longview City Council to add sexual orientation to its employment non-discrimination policy.

That's Longview, the east Texas oil town that is even more Republican than its neighbor Tyler. A place where only a few decades ago Klan rallies were held openly. A part of the world from which gays have traditionally fled if not killed or driven to suicide. Yet I haven't seen any news about all of these people at the rally having crosses burned on their lawns.

I guess the remaining reactionaries will blame the media for the new mindset. South Africa wouldn't allow television for decades; once they did the walls came tumbling down. Hatred doesn't work as well when you can bring the world into your living room.