Compromise With Out Being Compromised? "Old Man Pedro" Angel Serrano



Bayard Rustin philosophical mentor to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who with out e-mail, cell phones, or My Space, organized of The March on Washington, and described by Maya Angelo as "A great hero of the civil rights movement." said "Activism is about no compromise. Politics is all about compromise."
He was not being judgemental.
He was describing his experience .

I heard it once, and new it to be a truth, what with having been involved in activism since my late teens, I came to know that "No Compromise" is the essence of the activist mind.
Mr. Rustins statement also made it easier for me to like politicians. Well, it made me recognise what a good politician was; someone who could compromise, without being compromised.
Recently during a conversation about activism a friend said it was also a description of a "good person." I agreed.
But what to do with an activist turned politician?
My first questions would be,
"Is this compromise equal to being compromised?
Is it compromising the communities the activist turned politician represents?"
A recent activist post by a Mr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson on the Huffington Post revealed these numbers; "In 1996, 65 percent of blacks were opposed to gay marriage. A decade later a Pew Forum poll found that 64 percent of blacks still vehemently opposed it."
Why no real progress in understanding in the African American community? There is a long list of things I have no direct control over. Since I can't speak to Black clergy about there scriptural interpretations I don't see a point to discussing it. I acknowledge it then move on to those things I have control over. Myself and how I communicate as an activist.


Barak Obama began as an activist with the "No Compromise" spirit. But as a politician he must now struggle with the goal of compromising with out becoming compromised.
This Sunday he faces this challenge and in my opinion has gotten little to no help from his staff or from Gay activists.

The cry of "No Compromise" has manifested in the ultimatum of banning a Black Gospel singer Donnie McClurkin who has expressed his personal beliefs that Gays are not Gods "intention".
Why God insists on continuing to crank out more Gay folks is an interesting question raised, but for now, I think a better one would be how to compromise on the upcoming Gospel concert on the 28th with out compromising the Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Inuit, etc...Communities.


My idea is to not drop, ban, or censor Mr. McClurkin but to simply balance out the bill by having three Out Gay Gospel performers for every One performer who has publicly expressed anti Gay sentiments.
Why three to one? Ummm...
There's a Lot of catching up to do folks!
There's a Lot of educating the African American Community has been denied.
Yes, denied.
Here's those interesting stats again.
"In 1996, 65 percent of blacks were opposed to gay marriage.
A decade later a Pew Forum poll found that 64 percent of blacks still vehemently opposed it."
Why such a glacial shift in acceptance?
In part it's because to many Gay activists either don't know how to communicate the links between the struggles of the Gay Communities and the African American Communities. Another is the lack of imagination they demonstrate. Someone says something, well... stupid, suddenly freedom of speech is no longer an absolute.
That's for another post.
But as I type I'm listening to a CD by Lavender Light: The Black and People of All Colors Lesbian Gay Gospel Choir. The song now is "There is Room Enough." It never fails to bring up the "Liquid Macho" in my eyes.
"There is room enough in Paradise to have a home in glory."
That is the message the audience needs to hear from Gay men and women who look like them.
Love all.

Rev. Pedro Angel Serrano