In reaction to the announcement Monday that President Obama will address a black tie fundraising gala of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) on Saturday, October 10th, organizers of a pro-LGBT picket originally scheduled for that night at the White House have instead moved the picket to the site of the HRC gala.

The picket will begin at 6 PM in front of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, on the northeast corner of Mt Vernon Place NW and 9th Street NW, Washington, DC.

“The time for talking is over,” said Andy Thayer of the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network ,  one of the two organizations sponsoring the picket.

“This President promised to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), he promised to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, he promised to pass the pro-LGBT Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a whole host of other things.  Instead, he’s delivered on nothing while embracing anti-gay bigots Rick Warren and Donnie McClurkin.  The last thing we need is more flowery rhetoric in front of rich, self-effacing gays and lesbians dressed up like penguins.”

The picket is cosponsored by the Dallas-based direct action group, Queer Liberaction , a group which played a leading role in organizing an effective community response to the violent police raid on a Fort Worth bar.  “The Obama administration has likened LGBT relationships to incest and bestiality,” said Queer Liberaction co-founder Blake Wilkenson.  “He cited his ‘Christian beliefs’ for the reason why he now opposes equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.  He refuses issue a stop-loss order to prevent purges of lesbian and gay soldiers.  If we are going to get real change out of this White House, we need to make demands of this President.  As the great anti-slavery activist Frederick Douglass put it, ‘Power concedes nothing without a demand.’”

For more information about the Saturday, October 10th pro-LGBT picket of President Obama, contact the Gay Liberation Network at LGBTliberation@aol.com or 773.209.1187, or Queer Liberaction at LGBTliberaction@gmail.com or 214.679.6321

More information can also be found at the Facebook event for the picket .

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