Political Quotes

“Mr. President, this June marks 53 years since the attack on the Stonewall Inn and 52 years since the first pride parade was held in New York City. The Stonewall riots are widely recognized as the catalyst for the resurgence of the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex--LGBTQI+--rights, and they were the first in a series of landmark events that would define the LGBTQ experience of the late 20th century. From the UpStairs Lounge arson attack to the devastating AIDS crisis, the community persevered through many harrowing ordeals. During this month, we recognize not only the struggles of the LGBTQ community but the triumphs, both big and small. Not nearly as well known, the UpStairs Lounge arson attack took place nearly 4 years after the Stonewall riots, on June 24, 1973. Patrons of the New Orleans bar, which primarily served as a safe meeting space for blue-collar gay men, noticed a fire in the front stairwell just before 8 p.m. The fire spread rapidly, forcing patrons to flee to the rooftop and out the barred windows to escape. Unfortunately, this was not enough. Twenty-eight people lost their lives in the blaze, and four more succumbed to their injuries in the following days. This horrendous act would go on to become the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community until the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016, which claimed the lives of 49 individuals.…”