Up until a few days ago--like most of America--you likely hadn't heard of the Jena Six. But thanks to a college student driven Internet campaign which led to massive demonstrations that drew high profile African American activists, the Jena Six controversy has seized the headlines--bringing racism and injustice front and center in every newspaper and on every television and computer monitor in America.

Apparently, despite arguments to the contrary from many gay advocates, activism is not only alive and well in America--as it did in the 60s and the 70s, it produces results. Tens of thousands of Americans converging on one small town in Louisiana from all over the United States accomplished in a few hours what our gay advocates have failed to accomplish over a time frame of many years.

Consider that days before a possible ENDA vote, ENDA is not on the front pages of any newspapers or among the headlines on CNN, ABC, NBC or CBS. ENDA may represent a solution to a gross injustice and outrage that is more than equal to the issues surrounding the Jena Six, but, to put it bluntly, as has been the case since the 1950s, blacks do it better, much better. You can be damned sure that if ENDA concerned basic civil rights for African Americans, there would have been a tent city within shouting distance of Capital Hill until justice was done.

As evidenced by Stonewall, we had it right in the 60s and 70s, but we were sidetracked by AIDS in the 80s, and then further distracted by an obsession with visibility in the 90s and now, well into the first decade of a new century, we've clearly lost our taste for community and activism and seem content to be lapdogs to Democrats.



The visuals and sounds of outraged masses of African-Americans shocked Congress out of its "who gives a damn about justice" coma and within hours there was a call for a special hearing. Shortly thereafter, the hero of Katrina, the President himself, issued a statement of sympathy and promised that he would throw the full attention of the FBI and whatever else it took to address this travesty of American justice.

"The events in Louisiana have saddened me," the president told reporters at the White House. "All of us in America want there to be, you know, fairness when it comes to justice."

Thanks, Mr. President, please consider that when you call the press conference to announce your support of ENDA and same-sex marriage.

I wonder if HRC has been paying attention to all of this or have they been too busy writing letters to congressional staffers and shooting off one email after another asking for our money?

Black activism has huge accomplishments under it's belt: An end to segregation and Jim Crow laws, breathtaking equal rights legislation, federal bans on discrimination in the workplace, education and housing and a viable African American Presidential candidate.

Gay advocacy? Queers stand as the only minority left in America that remains unprotected from discrimination in the workplace, in housing, health care, social services and education. And while tens of thousands of black Americans are in the streets with raised fists, supported by thousands of white supporters, tens of well-dressed and very polite gay advocates are shooting off emails and position papers.

By now even the most irresponsible queers among us have come down long enough from their meth binges to notice something about the Jena Six. Personally, I can't stop wondering what our gay advocates make of the fact that the media has been forced to notice and address critical issues to the black community thanks to authentic activism and activist leaders like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, while much bigger issues having to do with basic civil rights already provided some 40 years ago to women and all other minorities are still denied to us.

Sure, hundreds of American corporations and a few dozen communities provide benefits and protections for queer Americans, but it goes no farther than tokenism and carries few legal guarantees until Congress adds sexual orientation to federal law.

The Associated Press reports that "while Jena Six supporters were overwhelmingly black, young whites were also present. "I think what happened here was disgusting and repulsive to the whole state," said Mallory Flippo, a white college student from Shreveport. "I think it reflected badly on our state and how it makes it seem we view black people. I don't feel that way, so I thought I should be here.' Many white residents of Jena also expressed anger at the way news organizations portrayed this town of 3,000 people. "I believe in people standing up for what's right," said resident Ricky Coleman, 46, who is white. "What bothers me is this town being labeled racist. I'm not racist."

And where do we all stand on homophobia, gay bashing and the injustices heaped on gay teens throughout communities like Jena?

Silence.

And why not? Are gay Americans out in the streets with our activist leaders demanding and commanding national attention to the horrible injustices daily visited upon us?

No. We don't do demonstrations, half naked parades, yes, demonstrations, no.

Fanon Brown, a 16-year-old American spent 27 hours traveling from his home in Philadelphia to Jena Louisiana. He told a New York Times reporter, "I am here not just for the six black boys who were arrested for beating a white classmate after a series of incidents in the town, but for the larger things the case represents about race and justice in America. I can't believe that after all these years we still have deformities in our justice system. We have to free the Jena Six but we've got to go home and take care of this racism thing.

Diana Jones traveled from Atlanta with her 17-year-old daughter April and her husband, Derrick. "Nobody should have to ask if they can sit under this tree,'' Mrs. Jones told The Times. "I'm surprised to hear that this is still happening in 2007.''

Clearly Ms. Jones hasn't been paying attention to the plight of gay students who are frequently chased from the shade of trees on college campuses across America.

Two students from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette said they felt it was their turn to march for civil rights.

"This is the first time something like this has happened for our generation,'' said Eric Depradine, 24, who is a senior. "You always heard about it from history books and relatives. This is the chance to experience it for ourselves.''

His schoolmate, Charley Caldwell Jr., 22, who is a sophomore, said he was amazed by details of the case.

"When I first heard about it, I thought it was obscene, so I felt I had to come,'' he said. We're here to free the Jena Six."

Latese Brown, 40, a social worker from Alexandria, La., about 40 miles from Jena said: "I felt I needed to be here to support these kids. It's about time we all stood together for something.''

Indeed, Ms. Brown, indeed.

Ironically--or should I say tragically--we have the organization and the infrastructure to mount tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands for a march on Washington or even a march on Sea Cliff, New York, but we do nothing. See you at the next fund-raising gala, I suppose.