I'd like to organize a small, polite protest of the Hyatt and Doug Manchester during ComicCon.
People with signs would be perfect, but it would be especially cool if people were to show up dressed as openly gay comic book characters (Apollo, Midnighter, the Question, Northstar, Batwoman, etc.).
Is anyone interested in helping me organize this? Does anyone know anyone who might be interested?
I'm not affiliated with any Prop. 8 protest groups, and I really don't know where to begin. I can't be at the protest myself, because I'm a comic book artist and I have very serious plans for that time -- I will to be inside the convention center, selling comic books. But I'd like to help this happen, and I'd be more than happy to help with organization and permits if someone can point me in the same direction.
I will draw a flier to ask for a boycott of the Hyatt; I'll post it as soon as its done. I've found a printer who is willing to donate their services so the flier will be in color and there will be plenty to go around.
note: I support Mr. Manchester's right to political self-expression, as I respect my own. Both his support of Prop. 8 and my desire to protest the same should be protected. I feel boycotts are an inefficient tool for social change but occasionally quite effective, and this is one of the rare circumstances where I feel one can make a difference (and given the importance of SDCC to the convention center, where a lack of protest would send an unfortunate message).
I imagine this post may cause some debate, but I'm really most interested in finding people who would be interested to participate. ComicCon is from July 23rd to 26th -- the 25th would probably be best, and evenings would probably be best.
July 8 2009, 07:57:25 UTC 2 years ago
July 8 2009, 08:05:51 UTC 2 years ago
And anyway, I was once an unvoting tourist here myself.
July 8 2009, 12:52:34 UTC 2 years ago
Also, regardless of your intentions, your statement that you can't be there because you "have very serious plans for that time" implies that this issue *isn't* very serious, and therefore you're likely to not get as many volunteers as you might hope, since you won't be taken seriously. Instead, it will seem like, possibly, an attempt for you to sell more comic books.
July 8 2009, 20:25:00 UTC 2 years ago
It's not about the hotel, everybody already has their rooms. It's about the bar. Most of the high-powered wheeling and dealing at SDCC happens at the two Hyatt bars. It's the most consistent place to meet-and-greet people that work for the majors. The bars are standing room only for the entire weekend.
I think inside the comics world it will be understood that this is not an attempt to sell comics (and as a matter of fact my comics have nothing to do with this), and is instead a rather difficult decision with negative repurcussions. The Hyatt is not a good thing to boycott if you are interested in working in comics. I am strongly considering a half-assed realistic compromise and saying "I'll go there, but I won't buy anything." I don't know if I can really explain this very well, it's sort of a phenomenon that you have to see to understand. The best I can tell you is that the lion's share of my paying work and high-level professional contacts come directly from the patio of the Hyatt in the last week of July, 2004-2008. I am not unusual in this.
July 8 2009, 22:51:22 UTC 2 years ago
There are a lot of organizations involved in this. The Courage Campaign, the Human Rights Campaign. Contact The Center and ask what they would suggest.
I, for one, would like to know what the highly technical and strange explanation for your involvement is, seriously. Not trying to snark, just wondering. Feel free to PM if needed.
July 9 2009, 09:16:32 UTC 2 years ago
http://megatexas.livejournal.com/2008/1
http://community.livejournal.com/noscan
There's also a lot in the comments threads. Hope that gives some picture of the way in which I see the issue.
Long story short, no, I am absolutely not super-passionate about this. I was lead to the issue by three things that I am super-passionate about; prison reform, local politics, and comic books. So I'm going to make a flier and try to get something started, but I obviously can't do it by myself.
July 8 2009, 16:45:49 UTC 2 years ago
July 8 2009, 20:29:49 UTC 2 years ago
My opinion on Prop. 8 is highly technical and it is strange at all that I'm getting involved on this. Basically if you want to discuss this point I'm happy to, but it's a very tl; dr, so be warned.
I would like to find an existing group and ask them about this. Unfortunately as someone who only lived in San Diego since last ComicCon and who was very pointedly not affiliated with previous Prop. 8 protests, I do not even know where to start. I can't even figure out which existing organizations are legitimate.
July 9 2009, 00:40:00 UTC 2 years ago
Legit local organizations that protest the Hyatt are Unite Here! (which is a labor union who also protests manchester for labor practices and always joins together with the Prop 8 movement), SDEC and SAME.
http://www.sdequalitynow.com/
http://www.samealliance.com/
http://www.unitehere.org/
July 9 2009, 09:25:22 UTC 2 years ago
Thank you for the links -- I will try to contact them.