I opened an email announcement sent by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, with the subject line:these colors dont run Independence Day special. I felt as if I were struck by one of the lightning bolts that had been igniting the skies the past few days above my western Massachusetts town.Initially I thought perhaps an right-wing organization had ripped off the mailing lists of queer and trans community members to co-opt our movement by employing similar imagery and textual phraseology used by those who oppose us. Related True allyship means honoring the spaces marginalized communities carve out for themselves Theres a difference between standing with us and standing in front of us. Along with the ad for a rainbow-winged eagle shirt, HRC attempted to explain with words highlighted in a vivid yellow why members of our communities needed to purchase this product in recognition of Independence Day: Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today A fierce rainbow-winged eagle with a sassy attitude, this graphic is about reclaiming the imagery of America, the description read, adding that the image affirms our countrys resilience and reminds MAGA supporters that we belong and were NOT backing down.I get HRCs intent to communicate that members of our community certainly have a right to exist, to remain here in the United States as welcomed and respected participants with equal rights and privileges. The impact this email missive had on me was initially shocking, which soon turned to resentment and scorn that an organization supposedly representing LGBTQ+ people would, like those on the extreme right, promote aggressive militarist iconography under the banner of These colors dont run. This is neither reclaiming the type of imagery we should be using to represent the United States, nor is it reclaiming the phrase used in toxic masculinity to justify aggression, bullying, and violence.Yes, I understand that These Colors Dont Run! is an expression some people in the military use to assert that the United States of America, through the flags red, white, and blue, does not retreat from challenges and confrontations. The phrase has also been co-opted by members of the MAGA movement to express their intention of taking back the country to its far-right extremes.But I am often reminded of the insightful words of one of our leading poets and essayists,Audre Lorde, who warned: For the masters tools will never dismantle the masters house. They may allow us temporarily to beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. Placing rainbow wings on a predatory American eagle is tantamount to relinquishing our social change challenges and past victories based on our dedication to the philosophy of nonviolent resistance.Must we surrender our values in this age of ever-increasing violence at home and abroad? Is this the price we must pay to maintain the rights we have worked long and hard to earn? Must we embrace the dangerously sharp-clawed eagle to advance the revolutionary change we need to make the nation live up to its promise of liberty and justice for all?Yes, queer and trans assimilation certainly has its limits. But critical questions must be addressed: Do we even want to assimilate into a corrupt system as it currently exists, where inequality prevails, where property rights hold priority over human rights, where the wealth and income gap ever widens, and where marginalized groups are blamed for causing these problems? Much has certainly been gained over the years as our visibility has increased and our place within the culture has become somewhat more assured. But I also cant help but feel that something very precious has been lost.Our early excitement, though by no means our ability, to fullyrestructurethe culture, as distinguished from mere reform, seems now to lie dormant in many of our political organizations and communities.LGBTQ+ identities alone are not sufficient to connect a community or fuel a movement for progressive social change. We must, therefore, look beyond ourselves and base our communities and movements not simply on our identities, but also on our shared ideals. We must come together with like-minded people who share similar political philosophies and strategies.This is my vision of a movementfor social change. HRC certainly does not speak for or represent me, my goals, or my ideals.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.