National Equality March - David Mixner - DADT Protest & Memorial for Leonard Matlovich

DAVID MIXNER was the first to suggest another LGBT march on Washington. To date, his arrests for nonviolent civil disobedience number more than a dozen, including one with Leonard and Rev. Troy Perry at the White House protesting the AIDS neglect of President Ronald Reagan. His activist resume spans a variety of issues beyond AIDS and LGBT equality including union organizing, peace, and fighting racism. He was involved in the campaign of Sen. Eugene McCarthy for President that helped force Lyndon Johnson to withdraw from seeking reelection, was clubbed by Chicago police at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, and, as one of the organizers of the 1969 Vietnam Moratorium which involved millions protesting across the country, helped eventually end that war. In 1978, he convinced Presidential candidate Ronald Reagan to publicly oppose the antigay Briggs Initiative which, more than anything else, led to its defeat. He was instrumental in turning gay voters into a national political force, but has never hesitated in critiquing those he has helped elect. After being the spokesperson for the 1993 effort to end the military ban on gay servicemembers, he was arrested at the White House protesting its transformation into DADT.

www.davidmixner.com

www.leonardmatlovich.com

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Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• National Equality March
• David Mixner
• Leonard Matlovich
• Dan Choi
• DADT
• gays
• military
• AIDS