Saman, I do not know whom you are - or what or why you are feeling the need to state what you did. Perhaps you are homophobic and want to erase a voice from this site - whom holds different views of sexuality (and politics) from you?
As I meant to state if not clear: I have never outed anyone whom has not harmed Gay and Lesbian People. But I made this exception, since at age 90 it sems long past time for Ralph to join the Movement for the rights for LGBT People under active attack. It will save lives. For my reply to one of your questions: Whom Am I (to Dare Speak Truth) I have been a Gay activist for over 55 years. I was a leading participant in the Stonewall Rebellion - one of four who used a parking meter on that bar's front door to get to the police hiding inside. I was prepared to give my life for MY People. I had spent years by then on behalf of many other people (mostly heteros). I was one of the founders of the New York Gay Liberation Front and chaired the first public meeting of that group. I was on the board of Alternate U that was whom provided that space and for future meetings and events of that group. I was a member and led The Red Butterfly Cell of the Gay Liberation Front - the FIRST open Gay Marxist group in the USA. I was expelled from the YSA (the U. S. SWP youth group) in January 1969, for just admitting that I was Gay. Rather than just going away and killing myself or dropping out of activism, I decided to fight against that injustice, isolation and all homophobia. Some other Gay victims who were forced out of the Communist Movements resulted in their deaths, etc. I refused and organized even with little initial support. I then successfully defeated Jack Barnes and his cohorts whom tried to expel me from the SMC - for simply being a open Gay man. Every independent and some longtime SWP members came to my defense, to defend my being part of the New York City antiwar groups. I had prior since 1962 (age 13) been involved as a poor laborer who grew up in Harlem in the historic Civil Rights Movement and I then became also involved in the antiwar and labor movements and then identified as a Marxist in Fall 1966 (when I joined then the YSA). I helped build a organized Gay and Lesbian Community. When I was among the original organizers of the first Pride March in June 1970, I went to Cleveland Ohio in February 1970, and organized a Gay and Lesbian workshop as part of the National SMC Conference and spoke before the several thousand gathered there - and got passed over the SWP leaders opposition - a motion to support the First Pride March and urge others to hold such in their local regions. Later in the 1970's, I moved to Los Angeles and was on staff at the Gay and Lesbian Center where I headed many efforts. During those years I also was on the State Steering Committee Against the Briggs Initiative and then founded and led the successful effort to get passed in June 1979 a Gay and Lesbian Rights Ordinance in the City of Los Angeles. I was on both the National Steering Committee and National Coordinating Committee for building the October 14, 1979 National March on Washington, Held and organized early AIDS support efforts and was one of the three people to call and organize the October 11, 1987 March on Washington. In January 1988 I was one of four people who in a workshop at the National Gay "War Conference", who called for a National Coming Out Day and it was myself whom suggested it be October 11. There were hundreds of LGBT groups and efforts that I have been involved in, and many led over six decades. So That Is SOME of Whom I AM. A proud Out Gay activist and leader and a life long laborer and leftist. What are your credentials to challenge my stating what I have - on Ralph Nader being a closeted Gay man WHOM SHOULD COME OUT. It would help the LGBT Communities if he does - and I and many others have been patiently waiting. So WHOM ARE YOU to challenge me on what I stated - and to demand that I be silenced from this list - for stating what I have? ________________________________ From: Saman Sepehri via groups.io <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 4:02 PM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [marxmail] What Is Left? I usually do not post. Take the good, and leave the rest. Marxmail has degraded over time. But there are limits to what should be acceptable to post. And this is beyond the pale. JOHN O’BRIEN: Let’s set aside, how the discussion of Nader’s person life and sexuality is politically irrelevant in way, shape or form to the discussion at hand on Howie Howkins’ post. But… What business of yours or anybody else’s is it what Nader’s person life or sexuality is? What business of anyone here is it? You say you do not “normally out people” What? You just do so “occasionally”? When you fancy it? on a Marxist listserve? What next? Why not talk about other people’s sexuality? Anyone here you'd like to call out? Why is Nader’s personal life anyone’s business here? It is Nader’s business and no-one else’s. He can decide, like anyone else to share that with whomever he wants…publicly or privately. You even make a reference to his religion and family which “kept him in the closet”. May be THAT should be a clue that you should keep quiet on this. These self -righteous, “I know better than you" acts have created problems for many people, by arrogant individuals who do not respect others or their rights or privacy. And let me be clear: this is not just about Nader, but what is acceptable. Who do you think you are? Better than the individual to decide what to do? And when? And in what arena? Why do you decide when it’s time for someone to come out? and join the community? Are you the gate-keeper to this community? There is no room for this or “outing “ (John’s own word) anyone on this list. MODERATORS: One should take a very dim view of this. And be clear about why this is not acceptable. There is no room for this behavior here. Or is there? in your view? WTF? On Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at 12:56:20 PM CST, John Obrien <[email protected]> wrote: Let me make this clear - in response to Howie Hawkins defense of Ralp Nader whom in 2000 I supported his GP Campaign for president and I left the Green Party in 2004 when the same Green Party leaders undemocratically refused to run Ralph Nader again for a "safe states strategy" Ralph Nader who just turned 90 years old - is LONG TIME PAST - that he comes out of the closet. I normally do not Out people who are not doing things actively against the Gay Community - but it is time that Ralph Comes Out. He has nothing to lose and can be of help to join a Community under attack and that he can be proud of. Back in 1965, General Motors Corporation began a effort to promote a smear campaign about Nader's sexuality in his being a Gay man. His family AND religion kept him quiet and at much distance from anything seeming "queer". Ralph can now safely COME OUT and be part of his Community. ________________________________ From: Howie Hawkins <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 6, 2024 8:39 AM To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [marxmail] What Is Left? In Nader’s first presidential campaign in 1996, he infamously said “I don’t do gonadal politics” in response to a question about the Green Party’s support for gay marriage. Nader wanted to center his messaging on corporate power and economic class issues. But the backlash to that statement made him quickly realize he could not dismiss social issues and he began taking progressive stands on them, including supporting gay marriage and abortion rights. Solnit’s slight of Nader is may be an oblique reference to this 1996 gaffe. And, since she references 2000 and reproductive rights, Solnit could be also recalling a concerted campaign against by leaders of NOW against Nader late in that year’s campaign. It was disingenuous because Nader that had been clear in supporting abortion rights and had endorsed NOW’s platform months before. Democrats who continue to this day bashing Nader in diatribes against all Green “spoiler” candidates would get these references. — Howie Hawkins Rebecca Solnit: I’d argue that because of its intersectional understanding of both problems and solutions, this left is more radical—radically inclusive, radically egalitarian—than those who treat race and gender as irrelevancies or distractions (including the men, from Ralph Nader in 2000 on, who’ve been dismissive of reproductive rights as an essential economic justice as well as rights issue). Perhaps it’s seen as less radical because bellicosity is often viewed as the measure of one’s radicalness. Mark Baugher: I'm clueless about this. In 2000, Nader's running mate was Winona La Duke, an indigenous woman who strongly supports reproduction rights. In 2004, it was Peter Camejo, a man who strongly supported reproductive rights from a socialist perspective. 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