Arizona Together, Part Two

In this video, I discuss how our Arizona Together campaign focused on the real loses that the initiative implied - domestic partner benefits that would be lost for 100,000 straight and LBGT Arizona residents. By focusing on this we formed unlikely allies, including Arizona Fire Fighters, the residents of Sun City, the Arizona Association of Retired Americans and educational institutions, and some likely allies such as the LBGT community.

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Arizona Together, Part One

In this video I talk about how my book came to be. I was approached by a publisher to write "Unite and Conquer" after traveling around the country speaking about how we beat an anti-same-sex marriage initiative in Arizona - and were the only to do so in the country. As you will see, we chose to focus less on the inequality that the initiative would bring and instead focus more on who would truly be effected - 100,000 straight and LBGT residents of Arizona.

Send a copy of Unite and Conquer to Michael Moore

Whether you agree with his political ideals and arguments or not, the award-winning documentary filmmaker could use a copy of Unite and Conquer if he really wants to advance his message.

While, yes, we’re often drawn to controversy and shocking stories (which is undoubtedly why three of hid films fall within the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all time), it doesn’t create a positive message that people want to associate with.  In his films, he’s often attacking the people behind the issues he’s against, and as I’m sure you’ve learned in life, that’s not the best way to go about making friends.

While he proclaims he isn’t a political activist, it’s obvious through all the films, commentary and endorsements that it is one of his main goals.  If Michael Moore really wanted to see change within the issues that he feels strongest about he would start communicating values, such as compassion and transparency, instead of trying to make people look unintelligent and cold-hearted. While his viewership would decline, he’d have a lot more friends that might be willing to listen to what he has to say and see how they can work with him.

Cynicism is what divides us

The Watson Twins: This Election is a Win.

In this video, the Watson Twins, before the historical inauguration of President Barack Obama, talk about the positives behind this last election.

Chandra and Leigh talk about how they and their tour-mate recognize that the most positive thing that came out of the 2008 election, despite the unknown outcomes at the time, was that people really got motivated, banded together and got involved. We saw the most politically active nation this election in comparison to the past few decades.

I love the quote that they state in this video, and that’s a favorite of President Obama. All three, and myself, agree that, “cynicism divides us.” It’s so important to look on the positive side of things and stay rational and approachable. Otherwise, people aren’t going to want to work with you, instead they’d rather work against you.

They also make a great point, although I would apply it a little differently. They urge fans and viewers to keep that sense of community alive and keep getting involved politically, long after the election is over. I think that this is extremely important, although I wouldn’t divide the community and involvement between sides. It’s important to recognize that we’re all in this together, despite if we agree on a single issue or not. We need to apply that same sense of community and motivation to working together, in a bipartisan manner and across varied issues.

One of the fastest routes for widespread LGBT acceptance: The media

Imagine your life without a cell phone or PDA. Ask anyone who’s lost theirs and they’ll tell you that they felt out of touch while they were without their mobile device. Now imagine your life without the Internet, toothpaste, or transportation. Literally everything we have today, as a species, we were once without. All of these things that are now considered necessities are only that because they’ve become mainstream, a part of everyday life.

While the acceptance of the LGBT community has grown considerably in just the last decade, we still have a ways to go. Rose Venkatesan, India's first transgender TV anchor and celebrity, realized that the quickest way to reach widespread acceptance was through the media. 

Her show, “Yours, Rose,” reaches an audience of 64 million people in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and covered topics ranging from divorce to sexuality, but in a family-friendly manner. Often called India’s Oprah, Rose, a poised, 30-year-old, American-educated former Web site designer with a master’s degree in biomedical engineering, has been garnering more and more acceptance for transgendered people in India.

Proof that her show might be turning the tides? Well, she’s just now getting set to produce and direct her own show, “This is Rose Hour.” But even more so, the Delhi High Court recently made a historic judgment on Section 377, decriminalizing homosexuality. "I think now the Delhi High Court has clearly made it a point and stated that these people are also humans and they also deserve the same kinds of rights as other people," she said.

A big step for a country that banned television channels that showed “too much skin,” and has fringe political groups that like nothing better than to stir up raucous (and often fake) outbursts of moral outrage.