From Cahokian, a gay New York site: The latest developments on the initially-successful effort (back in February) by porn king Michael Lucas, who is said to be an American-Israeli citizen, to block by financial-muscle a group called Queers Against Israeli Apartheid from meeting at a LGBT center in New York. Apparently the center is now opening itself to the group after all. And Lucas is steamed. (h/t Ian Horst):
Just in the nick of time the Lesbian & Gay Center issued a statement [on May 25] that must be seen as at least a partial victory: “The Center recently received a request for space rental by a group called “Queers Against Israeli Apartheid” for the purposes of holding recurring meetings to plan for local Pride events. This afternoon we informed the group that the Center would allow access for these meetings.” The statement goes on to say that since QAIA is an “LGBT group” unlike Siegebusters, they would be granted space, provided that they sign a new “Space Use Pledge of Non Discrimination.” That statement has what’s no doubt meant to be a “gotcha” clause in it (“We recognize that respecting individual dignity, achieving equality and promoting intergroup harmony are the responsibilities of all people, including our group. We reject hatred and will not engage in acts or expressions of hatred directed to any person(s) or group(s). Our group will work in good faith to affirm and abide by these principles in all our activities and affairs.), which I find a little creepily naive or thought-controlly, but not a deal-breaker. The Center states it will be engaging a consulting company to review its policies; who news how that will turn out. So the new good news is that supporters of the Israeli Apartheid state have not, for now at least, succeeded in completely silencing pro-Palestinian activists at the Center. Queers for an Open LGBT Center says pressure must be kept on the Center’s board.
But now here’s where it gets interesting. The pro-Palestine activists were open in their suggestion that the Center needed to be pressured, and possibly boycotted. But the right-wing porn magnate (a dual US/Israeli citizen) behind the expulsion of Siegebusters issued a remarkable statement [May 25] on these later developments:
“I have a very unfortunate update. The group Queers Against Israeli Apartheid was just granted the ability to have their meetings in the LGBT Center. As I always believed, the LGBT Center of NY is an anti-Israeli nest and we did not put enough pressure on them to stop their efforts to harm the Jewish state. But we have the power to stop them. The LGBT Center receives city, federal, foundation, and private funding. We have to work on reaching the government officials and ask them to cut that funding unless the Center changes its decision. We should also reach out to different organizations and individuals and collect money to take a full page ad in the New York Times Magazine. I know this is not cheap and I myself will generously contribute. I also believe that their support of political activity may jeopardize their ability to maintain tax-free status. I would appreciate hearing your thoughts, input, and suggestions. I do need your help. Best regards, Michael Lucas.”
The statement shows Lucas’s priorities. He’s not advocating discussions with the Center or the community, or even a boycott, he’s talking about getting it shut down or put in legal or financial jeopardy unless it does what he tells it to do. Lucas’s actions are a transparent threat to the entire lesbian and gay community to either enforce a pro-Israel-only policy or face destruction. Lucas is no friend of gay people.
