A call to arms.

For 40 years I have had the honor of participating in some of the great social movements of our time. Who can forget the fire hoses and dogs Birmingham, Ala., used against young African-Americans fighting for their rights or the horrible charge of police on horseback into the marchers at Selma? The images of thousands of anti-Vietnam War protesters being beaten senseless at the Chicago Democratic convention in 1968 are ingrained in the minds of millions.

Never will I be able to forget the shooting of students at Kent and Jackson State colleges. The power of hundreds of thousands of women fighting for equal rights and for the right of choice is a lesson in organizing for us all. The heroic story of Nelson Mandela leaving prison, becoming president, and forgiving his tormentors is legend.

Our community will always honor those who fought at Stonewall. We will never forget countless thousands who took care of those dying of AIDS while fighting for lifesaving treatments and justice. The members of our nation's military who came out and gave up their careers to advance our liberty are all heroes. The countless Matthew Shepards who have been beaten to death will always be in our hearts.

I come out of a history built on the greatness of others. I have seen nameless individuals change nations, performing heroic deeds in the face of death. Now it's your turn: The most important battle in the history of the GLBT civil rights movement is upon us. Future generations of young people will remember those who stand up now to be counted.

President Bush's effort to enshrine an apartheid amendment in our nation's most sacred Constitution--an amendment that will separate the GLBT community from the same rights, privileges, and benefits accorded all other Americans--could destroy decades of progress. But if it's defeated, we will take a major step toward finally achieving full rights.

The time is now, and the battle has begun. Some believe the timing--in an election year--is inconvenient. But history has shown that justice isn't patient. Rosa Parks simply refused to move to the back of the bus. The students of Birmingham couldn't wait because Lyndon Johnson was up for reelection.

Already there are new names on the honor roll of history, led by the thousands of people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds who camped out all night in the rain in San Francisco and reminded us that marriage is indeed a powerful institution. We will never forget the courage of Mayor Gavin Newsom, who placed his career on the line for our rights. We should honor the Log Cabin Republicans' Patrick Guerriero for taking on his president and most of his party with his powerful words against the constitutional amendment.

The time is now. The name game is over. It is not "domestic partnership." It is not "civil unions." It is marriage. As the Massachusetts supreme judicial court most eloquently reminded us, separate is never equal.

The only question that remains is, What will you do? No one gets to sit this battle out. To remain silent is to support the amendment. Not to register and vote is to shame and dishonor our heroes. To condemn those in San Francisco who make you uncomfortable is to play into the hands of our enemies.

You must be strong like never before. Some will tell you that it will never pass. Do you really want to take that chance? Others will tell you that we are breaking the law by marrying. Does history remember Nelson Mandela as a lawbreaker or as a hero?

The time is now. We must vote like never before. We must picket, get arrested, contribute money until it hurts. Any elected official who supports Bush's amendment must never again get our vote or our money.

The battle is here. Will you join the long list of history's heroes, or will you be silent? This is the moment that your community needs you more than ever before. You must stand up and be counted.

A D.C.-based activist, Mixner is the author of Brave Journeys: Profiles in Gay and Lesbian Courage.