HomoQuotable – Michelangelo Signorile

“For years, those who are anti-gay have been emboldened by the often
hateful declarations of homophobic religious leaders and by the attacks
by groups like the National Organization for Marriage, which have
demeaned gays. After decades of struggle, we’re finally beating them
back in the courts, in legislatures and even at the ballot box. And
perhaps the frustration and anger by those who oppose us is now further
empowering the thugs who take their hate and rage to the streets.

“We sometimes forget that getting laws passed and getting court rulings
declared is, comparatively, the easy part — as monumentally difficult
as that has been and continues to be. One reason we in fact get the laws
passed, in addition to protecting ourselves, is to change attitudes for
future generations. But that part doesn’t happen overnight and surely
not without a backlash, which can sometimes be violent, as it has been
in just about every other movement for equality. The hate is still out
there and the haters are getting more desperate. Our worst enemies right
now are complacency and the seductive message that we’ve ‘arrived.'” – Michelangelo Signorile, responding to New York City’s anti-gay hate crime spree in an essay for the Huffington Post.