LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Matters |
by Murray Archibald |
SB 121A Sign of the Times
On July 2 Governor Jack Markell signed SB 121 into law at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. For those of us in attendance, it was a remarkable day and one that we will long remember. The passage of SB 121, which added "sexual orientation" to Delaware's existing non-discrimination law, took years of hard work by both state legislators and activists. During the round of speeches that preceded the signing, Rep. Bill Oberlethe very first sponsor of this legislation many years agospoke passionately about the need for this bill and about the fact that his grandson was present to witness its signing. His comments reminded me of my own nieces and nephews and how comfortable they are with LGBT issues because they have grown up with itand because their generation has already been changed by our own strugglejust as we were changed by the generations before us. I grew up in the South, but by the time I was coming of age in the late 60s and early 70s my generation had already been changed by the long decades of the civil rights movement. Many of us had already reached the point where prejudice of any kind made no sense to us. That kind of change, I think, was what Rep. Oberle was talking about and why he was so excited that his grandson was present for the signing. Are we there yet? No of course not. We're not even totally there yet with racial equalityBarack Obama aside and no matter how much we like to congratulate ourselves over the progress. SB 121 is a great step forward, but it's not LGBT perfection eithergood for the LGBs, of course, not so much for the Ts. I wasn't in Dover on June 24, the day that SB 121 passed in both the Delaware State Senate and House of Representatives, but a rainbow wasarcing across the sky in a grand salute to equality. On the day the Governor signed the bill into law here at CAMP Rehoboth his face was reflected in the award winning glass rainbow wall that curves across the side of main room in the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. The rainbow is our symbol of equality because every color in it has an equal and rightful place as a part of its structure. Both thematically and artistically, I've always loved that white light was composed of all the colors of the rainbow. What better way to symbolize equality and the power that comes when we unite our differences for a common cause? Oberle's grandsonmy nieces and nephewssee the world through changed eyesthrough the white light of progress and the bright hope for a better day. They see it through a lens that has been adjusted for finer and finer detail by each passing generation. A point made by several speakers at the SB 121 signing, was a reminder that minds are changed when we live open and honest lives with one another. People who say they know gay people are far more likely to support our causes than those who don't. One by one, neighbor to neighbor, we learn not to fear one another simply because we are different from one another. Twenty years ago when we started CAMP Rehoboth we did so because we wanted to create an accepting and welcoming community for all people. Remember the slogan that existed back in those days? "Keep Rehoboth A Family Town." Countless times over the years I've heard Steve [Elkins] repeat that line to reporters or use it as a sound bite on local news. He always follows with the statement: "we too want Rehoboth to be a family town; we just want people to remember that families come in all sizes, shapes, and orientations." I am excited that Oberle's grandson and my young family members are living in a world that benefits from the work of those who came before them; but cultural change, while generally moving in a progressive direction in the long term, from time to time loops back upon itself before resuming its forward motion. The signing at CAMP Rehoboth was a wonderful celebration of the work done thus far, but it was also a reminder that we still have a long way to go before we have true equal rights for ourselves and our partners. I think that's what Rep. Oberle was really excited about his grandson witnessingnot just that hard work creates change, but that the work of our lives is a constant and ever evolving process. Murray Archibald, Founder and President of the Board of Directors of CAMP Rehoboth, is an artist in Rehoboth Beach. Thank you to all the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center volunteers for the period July 3-July 16: Sondra Arkin Carl Armideo Tony Burns Harvey Chasser Joanne Ciconte Sandy Clark Terry Colli Ward Ellinger Paul Fessler Michael Fetchko Corky Fitzpatrick Kathy Fitzpatrick Chuck Flanagan Tony Ghigi Bob Ireland Allen Jarmon Mark Kehoe Mike Kelly Grant Kingswell Spencer Kingswell Charlie Lee Pete Long Sharon Messina Raymond Miller Bob Nagy Jerry Oshinski Anthony Perkins Keith Petrack Steve Proctor Barb Ralph Ken Reilly Mark Robinson Chris Sampson Guillermo Silveiro Rich Snell Christy Steer Sherry Surratt Bill Tallent Jack Warren Linda Yingst Rainbow Thumb Club* Matt Carey Ward Ellinger Rob Freeman Tony Ghigi Steve Hoult Bill Jones Danny Martin Bud Palmer Stephen Palmer Ken Reilly Tom White *CAMP Courtyard Caretakers LottoHEART and Big Love Dance Volunteers Murray Archibald Sondra Arkin Loree Arnold Chris Beagle John Berdini Bill Bernhart Cathin Bishop Rachel Bone Steve Brady Joe Brannen Walter Brittingham Jim Carlo Ron Childress Becky Craft Rob Dick Arthur Dochterman Teri Dunbar Gene Dvornick Steve Elkins Ward Ellinger Michael Fetchko Lynn Finaldi Barb Fishel Keven Fitzsimmons Tony Ghigi Ken Goodman Steve Grady Fred Hertrich Rachel Honan Larry Hooker Bob Howard Allen Jarmon Cory Johnston Mike Kelly John Klomp Al Knipe Robert Kovalcik Charlie Lee Chelsey Leffet Adam Linder Danny Martin Dave McDonald Joanne McDonald Joe Mirabella Keith PetrackBarb Ralph Bob Ramsey Mary Beth Ramsey Ken Reilly Chris Riss Michael Shaner Harvey Sharpe Guillermo SilveiroLaura Simon Sandra Skidmore Steve Strasser Jeff Stroud Bob Thompson Kathy Weir Mike Welsh Larry Zeigler Karl ZoricAnd a very special thank you to Host Christopher Peterson and LottoHEART chair Sondra Arkin. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 09 July 17, 2009 |