Ed Farthing has announced that he will leave his post at Equality North Carolina. |
I’m saying good-bye. The time has been so short, yet it has meant so much to me and so many others. Alas, all good things must come to an end, so it is with great sadness that I bid good-bye…to Ed Farthing at Equality North Carolina (ENC).
Almost got you there, didn’t I? But, seriously, Ed Farthing is leaving his post at Equality NC and heading back to what he knows best — the law.
“Ed joined the staff when the organization was quite small. He made many friends for us across the state and many sacrifices to help us succeed,” Ian Palmquist, ENC’s executive director, said in a statement on the organization’s website. “We’re very grateful for all he’s done on behalf of North Carolina’s LGBT community and we wish him the very best in his new endeavors.”
Before joining ENC’s staff in late 2003, Ed served two terms on the organization’s board of directors. As co-executive director with Ian Palmquist and then as ENC’s political and grassroots coordinator, Ed contributed greatly to the organization’s fundraising program and its growing presence and influence in Raleigh and across the state. Last year, Ed decided to work from home in Hickory, building up support for LGBT equality in the western-most areas of North Carolina.
“I enjoyed my time at Equality NC and the opportunity to meet so many fantastic people across the state. I’ll continue my work with the local LGBT community and look forward to volunteering and continuing to support Equality NC in any way I can,” Ed noted in the online statement.
Although I had heard his name earlier, I didn’t get the chance to actually meet Ed until the summer before my freshman year of college. At that time a group of former and current Boy Scout leaders and members gathered together in the mountains of northwest North Carolina to “remember the old days” and share in our own belief that the Scouting program shouldn’t discriminate against folks like us. Ed was among the guys there. We all ate, told humorous tales of our times at summer camp and later went for a hike.
Since then, Ed and I have been good friends. Scouting, one of the many things we have in common, served as a good introduction for a relationship that has definitely been one of my most cherished.
I’m sure many people feel the same way when it comes to good ole Ed Farthing. I have always admired his political knowledge and wisdom. I’ve looked up to his ability to see beyond party lines and bring groups of people together in order to accomplish good.
I’ve also admired his tried and true Republican affiliation, never minding the fact that I’m a Democrat and, generally, just can’t stand the GOP in this state. But Ed has a way of working and talking with his Republican colleagues and elected officials that he could build at least some sort of relationship between them and ENC.
Ed is also a supporter of Soulforce, the organization I joined to support when participating in the Right to Serve Campaign targeting “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in 2006 and the Equality Ride and New York Right to Marry Campaign in 2007. Ed’s been a great friend and mentor. I know he’ll continue to be.
In his role with ENC, Ed just had a way with people — and money. I’m sure Ian and the rest of the ENC staff are going to miss him. I think the rest of the LGBT movement across the state will miss him, too. If I have anything to do with it, however, you can bet I won’t let Ed forget he’s still got business to do. Hey Ed, I expect to see you at some business guild meetings and some Pride events, you hear?
I’m sure Ed will stick around as he does his whole attorney thing. I wouldn’t expect anything less from a visionary and leader so deeply committed to equality. On behalf of the staff at Q-Notes and the countless thousands in the LGBT community of the Carolinas who stand with us: Thank you, Ed.
Correction
In my Editor’s Note of Jan. 26, entitled “Holy War: ‘a cause worth dying for’,” I commented on a quote attributed to Dr. Michael Brown published in the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Report. The Report now says their attribution was incorrect. Flip Benham of Operation Save America reportedly made the statement that referenced “the blood of Christ flowing toward the gates of hell.”
In addition, The Intelligence Report has amended another portion of the article in question (“Straight Like Me”), which I also quoted. The amended text reads, “One of the featured speakers [at the Exodus International conference] was Michael L. Brown, author of ‘Revolution: The Call to Holy War’ and a millennial Jew. On Exodus’ opening day, Brown made certain that his ex-gay audience understood that their lives were part of a religious and political battle. ‘You folks here, so many of you that have come out of homosexuality or are battling to come out, listen, you are right in the middle of the battle because if you exist, then this whole gay civil rights thing goes out the door,’ Brown said to applause. ‘That is why there is a pitched attack from hell.’ Five minutes later, Brown quoted from the Black Panthers and told the members of his audience that they need to develop a revolutionary mentality, including the maxim, ‘life as it is is not worth living, but the cause is worth dying for.’”
Q-Notes regrets these errors.
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