Richard Noble’s Walk for Equality Reaches Sacramento

LGBT activist Richard Noble reaches
Sacramento in his Walk for Equality

By Karen Ocamb -

Openly gay Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin is fond of citing the famous Margaret Mead quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Longtime LA-based LGBT rights activist Richard Noble is hoping to prove that just one person can make a difference.  Last week, he embarked on a Walk Across America to promote full federal civil rights for LGBT people. On Tuesday, March 29, he and his Rainbow Flag reached Sacramento.

Here’s what Richard told me about why he’s walking:

“I love being gay. It’s the best gift I was born in to. Otherwise, how would I know James Franco is the cutest man alive? Smile!!
My heart was broken time and time again over my life time with discrimination and harassment. I know the pain and effects bullying had in my life. So I self-emancipated at 15. To watch the friends and mothers cry from our gay kids taking their lives had become too much for me to bear. I decided for them to walk the Rainbow Flag across America.
Along the way, I picked up The American Equality Bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The incredible court wins over the last year have shown me the courts believe we have civil rights. In no way do I undermine the HRC, the ACLU, Lambda Legal or the Gay and Lesbian Task Force or the G&L Caucus on the Hill. Thousands have dedicated their lives to LGBTQ Equality by helping us win these cases.
It is simply my hope to get the Rainbow Flag across America, solo, and to bring in to alignment the 1964 Civil Rights Act up to current status and to – with non-reactionary discipline – walk that flag through places where bullying and discrimination are left unchecked, to give hope and ignite courage to the next 14 year old who may be experiencing a hate crime at home or in school to see
it’s possible and their right to bring bullies and discrimination to an end with a community and legal system that gives them the ability to stand up and be who they are and no longer take abuse.
The murder, abuse and discrimination towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and the non-conformist queer has never been acceptable. I am at my Cairo-boiling point and want all of it to stop.
I dedicate this walk to all of you, the franchised and disinfranchised. We have work to do and I hear a ring that resonates with all Americans.  Whatever the outcome, I look forward to a year with “0″ gay youth suicides and to make it to DC and New York I hope within 12 months.
See you all then.
Love -
Richard Noble

Follow Richard’s progress on his Facebook page or www.walk.usfreedomring.com

=end=