FUNDAMENTALISM IS FASCISM:
FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE MARRIAGE OF
CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALISM AND NEO-CONSERVATISM!
Call for a Militant Response to Stop Fascist Disruption of Outfest
Sunday, October 9, 2005 – 11AM
Millenium Coffee, 212 South 12th Street
Look for the "Queers Bash Back" banner!
On October 9, 2005 PHILLY PRIDE PRESENTS will be hosting this year's
OutFest in Center City Philadelphia. OutFest is Philadelphia's
celebration of National Coming Out Day, and is the largest Coming Out
Day celebration in the world. This seems to present a challenge to
local fascists who feel threatened by the queer community in our city,
and just like last year, they are making plans to disrupt the
festivities.
Repent America - a local right-wing Christian fundamentalist group
whose members were arrested at Outfest last year for harassing and
attempting to intimidate festival participants – have announced their
plans to "attend" Outfest again.
While Repent America claims to not take an extreme stance on the queer
community - stating on their website that they "care about homosexuals
and want to see them set free from sin and to love and serve God,"
their true fundamentalist politics were exposed for all to see in the
Philadelphia City Paper.
In an interview with the City Paper, Michael Marcavage, the director
of Repent America, remarked:
"…Homosexuals are to be put to death. The wages of sin is death. But I
want to make it clear that I'm not advocating the independent killing
of homosexuals ... I'm saying that the Government's duty is to uphold
God's law." (Cover Story, "Jesus Geek Superstar," Doron Taussig, Feb.
3, 2005)
Marcavage just defined Repent America as fascist for everyone to see.
Our political system is supposed to be about freedom and democracy,
yet Repent America seeks to take away that freedom by demanding our
government enforce Christian biblical law. In other words, Marcavage
is advocating that the State centralize power and take away people's
freedom of religion just so their version of the law – a strictly
literal interpretation of the bible – can reign supreme. Just as with
any fascist group, Repent America is advocating a policy of hatred
towards a specific group of people in our society, and seeks to
suppress this group and all of their other dissenters through
terroristic threats.
In our current political climate, and as religion begins to play a
larger role in American politics thanks to Bush & co., groups like
Repent America are free to organize publicly. Conservative groups
already have a strong voice in the government of this country; it is
only a matter of time before that voice becomes more extreme, until we
have the likes of Michael Marcavage dictating political policy.
This is not a time that we can we can sit back and ignore the
organizing fascists are currently engaging in, not when fascists are
openly organizing both on the streets and on Capitol Hill. We must
stand up and fight back against the marriage of religious
fundamentalism, Christian fascism and the State.
On October 9th, Repent America will not be allowed to harass and
intimidate us. They will not be allowed to disrupt our permitted
celebration. The time has come for the far-right to see just how
powerful we are - we will stop Repent America from disrupting the
National Coming Out Day Block Party by any means necessary!
Keep Outfest free of fascist disruption! Join us on October 9th as we
defend our culture and community against the likes of Repent America
and other Christian fundamentalists.
The year's National Coming Out Day Block Party will be held in the
Gayborhood on October 9th from 12PM-7PM. We will be meeting at 11AM
outside Millenium Coffee, 212 South 12th Street (between Walnut and
Locust Street) and will proceed to the festival as a group. Look for
the "Queers Bash Back" and "No Human Liberation Without Queer
Liberation" banners.
In solidarity,
Philadelphia Anti-Racist Action
For more information or to endorse this call, please email
philly_ara@yahoo.com.
ENDORSEMENTS:
New York City Anti-Racist Action
Philadelphia International Action Center
Pittsburgh Anti-Racist Action
Under the Pavement Collective - Philadelphia, PA
Gay/Straight Alliance of Community College of Philadelphia
North Jersey Anti-Racist Action
First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
-Pastor Martin Niemoller
