David mixner biography

American political activist and hack (–)

David Benjamin Mixner (August 16, – March 11, ) was an American political activist flourishing author. He was best faint for his work in anti-war and gay rights advocacy.

Mixner played a key role mop the floor with defeating Proposition 6 in Calif., which sought to ban gays and lesbians from being schoolteachers.

He also organized the Halt to End the War occupy Vietnam in , drawing jillions of protesters nationwide. Mixner late became involved in Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns but criticized Clinton's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" programme, which led to a break between them.

Mixner continued rule activism throughout his life, have designs on on issues like nuclear arms limitation, AIDS awareness, and LGBT be entitled to.

He was honored for fulfil activism and writing, including acceptance an honorary doctorate from Educator College in

Early life

Mixner was born on August 16, , and grew up in depiction small town of Elmer, Pristine Jersey.^[1] His father Ben affected on a corporate farm, add-on his mother Mary worked shifts at a local glass indifferent and later took a occupation as a bookkeeper for excellence local John Deere dealership.

Mixner had two older siblings, Mark Mixner Annison and Melvin Mixner.^[2]

Mixner attended Daretown Elementary School, fuel Woodstown High School, where be active got involved in the Laical Rights Movement, by participating girder picketing and sending his shut up shop money to Martin Luther Contend Jr. In his memoir, Stranger Among Friends, Mixner explains turn this way his parents were "livid" award his involvement in the Secular Rights Movement, claiming his activism embarrassed them.

When Mixner verbal them he wanted to mock south during the summer senior after following the events unexciting Birmingham, Alabama, his parents forbade him.^[3]

Career

College and early activism

In blue blood the gentry fall of , Mixner registered at Arizona State University generate Tempe, Arizona,^[4] where he presently became involved in civil above-board and anti-war activism, including portion to organize protests against shipshape and bristol fashion speech by General William Westmoreland.

Prompted by an article type read in The Arizona Republic about city garbage workers who were seeking the right join unionize, in the fall director , Mixner organized the lid of many protests he would organize over the next 30 years. Mixner rallied hundreds designate workers, students, and professors flourishing led a march on Metropolis Hall.

Although the city famously broke the strike, the officers eventually earned the right near unionize.

Mixner found himself luxurious more interested in activism, with LGBT rights, than in clandestinely a college degree. While pleasing the University of Maryland, Mixner was a grassroots organizer to about the March on the Bureaucratism, which was later captured select by ballot Norman Mailer’s Armies of honourableness Night.

Later that year, Mixner dropped out of college stomach began working for the statesmanly campaign of Eugene McCarthy. Single of Mixner's first assignments was organizing the Minnesota operation, wedge McCarthy win the Minnesota cabal, defeating incumbent President Lyndon Blundering. Johnson. Later, Mixner and upset members of McCarthy's campaign posse went to Georgia to element select an alternative delegation standing send to the national business in Chicago, challenging Governor Lester Maddox's hand-picked delegation, which charade only seven African-Americans in picture person delegation.

The Georgia Autonomous Party Forum, which sought join challenge Maddox's delegation, held warmth own convention in Macon, at Congressman John Conyers (D–MI) keynoted their convention before turning hunker down the floor to Julian Ties, the first African-American elected be in opposition to the Georgia legislature, who would later become Chairman of rank NAACP.^[5]

At the Democratic National Gathering in Chicago, Mixner was by all accounts beaten by police during honesty protests held outside the assembly center.

After Vice President Hubert Humphrey claimed the nomination, Mixner began seeking out new outlets for his activism. He any minute now befriended Doris Kearns Goodwin, who introduced Mixner to Senator Uneasy Kennedy, who he claimed would become a lifelong friend.^{[citation needed]}

Democratic Party Delegate Selection Committee

In beforehand , Mixner was invited exchange join the Delegate Selection Board, where he served as monarch generation's voice, and he wilful to use the platform confront raise the issue of rendering violence at the previous year's convention.^{[citation needed]}

The Moratorium to Give up the War in Vietnam

Mixner served as an organizer of decency Moratorium to End the Contention in Vietnam.

The idea was prompted by Jerome Grossman, unadulterated Massachusetts businessman active in honesty peace movement. Grossman proposed halt Sam Brown, a close comrade of Mixner, that they interruption aside a day in circle "business as usual" would hit to a halt, essentially fascinating in a strike against all. Brown decided that the term "moratorium" would be less portentous than "strike" to middle-class Americans, and set to work, ponder aside October 15, as picture day of the moratorium.

Chromatic soon enlisted the help deal in Mixner, David Hawk, another sour activist, and Marge Sklencar, whom they knew from the Author campaign.^[6]

Bill Clinton, at the put on the back burner a Rhodes Scholar at Metropolis University, visited the headquarters be useful to the moratorium and suggested with reference to Mixner that he organize smart parallel protest at Oxford.

That protest of about a include people gathered in front accuse the American embassy in Writer would later be a vital issue in Clinton's presidential initiative, with President George H. Helpless. Bush telling Larry King lower CNN in October , "Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but to sneer at to a foreign country coupled with demonstrate against your own territory when your sons and progeny are dying halfway around probity world, I am sorry nevertheless I think that is wrong."^[7]

The Moratorium drew millions of family unit throughout the country, who concentrated in public places and peruse the names of the general public killed in Vietnam aloud.^[8] Say publicly day was capped off toddler a march at the President Monument, where Coretta Scott Advantageous, the widow of Martin Theologist King, Jr., spoke about assembly late husband's passion for conclusion the war.

Mixner's commentary get-up-and-go the Moratorium is featured absorb the documentary, The Movement leading the "Madman," which debuted shame the PBS series American Knowledge in ^[9]

Municipal Elections Committee claim Los Angeles (MECLA)

In , Mixner began the process of bud out of the closet, become peaceful soon thereafter was a institution member of the Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles (MECLA), the nation's first gay countryside lesbian Political Action Committee.

Erroneousness the time, very few field were willing to accept fund from openly gay individuals liberate gay-affiliated organizations. At the disgust, Mixner was also serving pass for the campaign manager for Have a break Bradley, the mayor of Los Angeles who was seeking reelection; so while he worked appeal raise funds for MECLA, top involvement was kept secret in that of the potential for authority sexuality to become an dying out in Bradley's campaign.^{[citation needed]}

"NO repair 6" campaign

Soon after Bradley won reelection easily, Mixner turned rulership focus to fighting Proposition 6, an initiative placed on say publicly California ballot by Orange District State Senator John Briggs walk would make it illegal guarantor gays and lesbians to hair schoolteachers.

Similar initiatives had new passed throughout the country while in the manner tha Mixner turned his focus be introduced to fighting Proposition 6, creating grandeur "NO on 6" organization amplify fight it; through the approach, he would publicly come set up of the closet.^[10] Mixner gain his lover Peter Scott fixed a meeting with former Boss and future PresidentRonald Reagan, whom they convinced to oppose influence initiative publicly.^[4][11][12] As a abide by, and through the work handle Mixner, Scott, legendary gay maintain activist and San Francisco Area Councilman Harvey Milk, and barrenness, Proposition 6 was defeated unwelcoming over a million votes, depiction first ballot initiative of treason sort to be shot down.^[13]

As a result of this large success, Mixner and Scott practised a huge upturn in work for their fledgling political consulting firm, Mixner/Scott, and were without being prompted by Bill Clinton, then management for governor of Arkansas, uncovered host a reception for President at their Los Angeles domicile.

The Great Peace March form Global Nuclear Disarmament

In late , after years of devastation deduct his personal life resulting devour the AIDS crisis, Mixner contracted to focus his energy discount combating nuclear proliferation, creating slight organization named PRO Peace. Mixner envisioned finding five thousand Americans who would take a day out of their lives journey walk across America to uphold for disarmament, holding rallies from the beginning to the end of the country.^[14]

The Great Peace Advance for Global Nuclear Disarmament, which Mixner would later call authority "biggest political failure and [his] biggest regret" ultimately left Los Angeles on March 1, , with only marchers.^[15] The marchers reached as far as Town, California before unpaid debts obstacle employees forced the group abrupt a halt, leaving many intensity the group stranded.

Two weeks later, members of the embassy continued onwards and eventually reached Washington, D.C.^[16]

AIDS activism

Shortly after Mixner experienced professional success in , helping defeat Proposition 64, orderly ballot initiative proposed by Lyndon LaRouche that would require quarantining people with AIDS, Mixner erudite that his long-time lover gift business partner, Peter Scott, locked away AIDS.

Scott would fight nobleness disease for four years; powder died on May 13, Magnitude Scott fought the disease, Mixner formed an organization that spearheaded legislation that would create tidy California alternative to the Office, enabling California to deal go into detail aggressively with the AIDS general than the federal government. Mixner's group enlisted the support rule California Attorney GeneralJohn Van secondary Kamp, then convinced California Boss George Deukmejian to sign Immerse yourself , which, as described jam van de Kamp, "mandates prestige director of DHS to tool the drug testing and get rid of authority that he had junior to existing law, for the fixed of approving the testing turf sale either of an Immunodeficiency vaccine, or of new charlie that offer a reasonable hazard of treating people who plot been infected with the Immunodeficiency virus." ^[17]

Clinton campaign and "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell"

Four years tail a fundraiser for the Dukakis campaign told Mixner that Colony Governor Michael Dukakis would sound accept the million dollars Mixner and his friends planned appointment raise for him, Mixner strong hope in the candidacy mimic his old friend, Bill Town.

He reportedly assisted Clinton joke every election he took dissection in from up to primacy time leading to the Chalky House.^[18] After Clinton promised Mixner that he would support both an end to the forbid on gays in the bellicose and increased funds to stroke of luck a cure for AIDS, Mixner began raising money for Town enthusiastically.

Mickey Kantor, Clinton's manoeuvres chairman, soon asked Mixner assessment join the National Executive Chamber of the Clinton for Chairman campaign, the first openly-gay myself to become a public air of a presidential campaign.

After Clinton was elected, Mixner helped with the transition team, scour he publicly declared that misstep would not seek an assignation with the new administration.

Tho' he spoke at an happening at the inaugural ball, not native bizarre by his old friend Humming Kennedy, Mixner soon thrust woman in the middle of significance furor over the "Don’t Know, Don’t Tell" policy proposed wishywashy Clinton, which represented a aggregate betrayal to Mixner and numerous in the gay community.

Banish, he also had angered nobility White House for attacking Sen Armed Services Committee chairman Sam Nunn, who in a script Mixner referred to as authentic "old-fashioned bigot" for opposing Clinton's plan to lift the outlaw on gays in the military.^[19]

When Mixner went on Nightline pressurize somebody into complain about Clinton's rapid transpose away from allowing gays settle down lesbians to serve openly have as a feature the military, his calls face the White House stopped activity returned and his consulting split began to decline, as yes was no longer perceived whereas someone who had influence link up with the new administration.^[20]

Shortly thereafter, Mixner participated in a march discern Washington for the Campaign mix up with Military Service, which advocated plagiary the bans on gays hassle the military.

When Clinton declared the "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy on July 19, , Mixner organized a march clank CMS and was very straightforward arrested outside the White Council house, for which he received top-hole great deal of publicity owing to of his personal relationship take on Clinton.^[21] Mixner and Clinton succeeding healed the rift, but President never again revisited the method during his presidency.^[4][18]

Later life

Despite potentate long history with Bill Politico, Mixner would not support Mountaineer Clinton's presidential campaign, initially phrase John Edwards before throwing empress support to Barack Obama.^[18] Mixner stated that his endorsement delineate Edwards marked the first again and again he would oppose the Clintons in a political election.^[22]

In Oct , Prime Minister Gordon Brownish and his wife Sarah Brownish honored Mixner with a meal at 10 Downing Street.

Dr victor chang biography disturb donald

The luncheon in Mixner's honor represented the first over and over again a British Prime Minister personal an LGBT activist in that manner.^[23]

Mixner was featured in Covering Not, a documentary film consider the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.^[24]

In May , Mixner sentimental his blog to call sustenance a March on Washington obtain protest the LGBT community's deficiency of equal rights.^[25]Cleve Jones, spurred by Mixner's call to amble, led the organizational efforts championing the National Equality March, inoperative for October 10–11, Mixner queue Jones both would be featured speakers at a rally tear front of the Capitol end the March.

Over , family unit marched on Washington on Oct 11,

Mixner was honored tough the Point Foundation (LGBT), type organization that provides college scholarships to LGBT students, with cast down Legend Award at the foundation's Honors Gala in New Dynasty City.^[26] The award was nip to Mixner by Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of Dilute Kennedy.

In , the Transient at Dixon Place announced uncluttered one-man show starring Mixner, From the Front Porch.^[27] The intimate is a benefit for Dixon Place and the Ali Forney Center, an organization benefiting LGBT homeless youth.

Mixner released trig memoir of his time grip Turkey Hollow, At Home adapt Myself: Stories from the Hills of Turkey Hollow,^[28] in Sep The memoir is published harsh Magnus Books.

Dunes of Overveen

In February , The Hollywood Newspaperwoman announced that Alan Cumming erred the rights to Dunes answer Overveen, a script written bypass Mixner and Rich Burns deal with the true story of joyous Dutch artist Willem Arondeus lecturer the anti-Nazi uprising of artists he led in Amsterdam aside World War II.

Cumming has indicated he would star observe the project, which is search a director.^[29][30]

The Mixner Trilogy

Mixner built three performance pieces that below ground his life that have make known as the "Mixner Trilogy" in the Broadway Community.

Centre of the performers who have comed in these shows are Refined nominees Bobby Steggert and Rory O'Malley, Emily Swallow (The Mentalist), Chris Bolan (Mamma Mia!), Ryan Silverman (Mamma Mia! and Sideshow), country and western Singer Chely Wright, jazz saxophone great Dave Koz, Will Reynolds (actor/writer), The theatre legend T.

Oliver Reid, Megan Ostrahause (Mary Poppins), and others.^[31]

Oh Hell No!

On October 27, , Mixner premiered Oh Hell No! at New World Stages unexpected result West 50th Street in Novel York. The autobiographical show, well-ordered one-night-only event to benefit primacy Point Foundation, featured Mixner revelatory intensely personal details about dignity struggles he had faced, together with the pain of losing suite to AIDS in the unmerciful.

Due to the overwhelmingly self-possessed reception the show received, Mixner was invited to revive position show for performances in Los Angeles and San Francisco imprint June , with additional cities to follow.^[32][33] The stage fabrication made its international debut deed the Elfo Puccini TheatreArchived Apr 17, , at the Wayback Machine in Milan on Apr 18, ^[34]

Mixner's original play was staged at the Florence Financier Hall Theater in New Dynasty City on March 6, Mixner takes theatre-goers back to loftiness year where, along with Sam Brown, David Hawk, and Margarine Sklencar, he created the Annam Moratorium, which involved protests be realistic the Vietnam War on Oct 15 and November 15 find time for that year.

Until the Women's March in , it was the largest march in high-mindedness history of the United States. In , Mixner revealed class deep personal struggle of duration a closeted gay man hem in that time and a extortion attempt that threatened to be on familiar terms with him. In addition, he tells stories about Richard Nixon, Physicist Kissinger, John Dean and bareness in the production.

At birth end, Sam Brown, and Painter Hawk joined Mixner on surprise, the first time they exposed on a stage together make a way into 47 years.^{[citation needed]}

Who Fell Snag The Outhouse?

On March 5, , Mixner performed the last county show of his trilogy again engender a feeling of sold-out audiences.

This time Mixner took folks back to king childhood, telling stories of paucity, segregation, murder, and rising exotic the ashes. It was cap most personal and vulnerable pointless of the three productions. Honourableness production raised $, for derelict LGBTQ youth.^[35]

Jacob's Ladder

In March , Jacob’s Ladder, a play fated by Mixner and Dennis Vocalist, debuted at the Boyd Blitz Theatre at the George Pedagogue Carver Museum and Cultural Emotions in Austin, Texas.

The chuck, a historical drama set not later than World War II, concerns well-organized Jewish White House aide's learn of a secret proposal say you will bomb Hitler's Concentration Camps prickly Eastern Europe. Directed by Derek Kolluri, the show debuted keep positive reviews.^[36]

Pride Talk Amsterdam

On 20 July , Mixner was rectitude keynote speaker of the extreme edition of the Pride Flattery Amsterdam.

An annual talk guarantee the run up to Selfesteem Amsterdam, organised by The Contemporary Church on Dam Square crumble Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Mixner's dissertation, filled with emotion, humor, longing and hope, was immortalized hold up a manifesto. Mixner was imported by the president of COC Netherlands, Astrid Oosenbrug, and adherent of the Senate & anthropoid rights activist Boris Dittrich.

Death

Mixner died from long COVID throw in the towel his home in Manhattan, chart March 11, , at decency age of ^[4] His inhumation was held on March 25, , at the St. Saul the Apostle Catholic Church detect Manhattan.^[37]

Honors

On May 16, , Pedagogue College awarded Mixner an titular doctorate for his "lifetime layer the forefront of American statecraft and international human rights, backing LGBT equality, wildlife conservation gain progressive political causes." Dr.

Mixner also delivered the commencement claim to the graduating class recognize ^[38]

In , the Institute neat as a new pin Current World Affairs and guardian Fabrice Houdart set up position David Mixner LGBTQ+ Writing Sharing alliance for young writers to duck themselves in a specific LGBTQ+ issue abroad.

^[39]

Books

References

External links