AMERICAblog: Two more drop out of DNC fundraiser over DOMA brief: VT's State Senate Pres. and wealthy Dem donor, Bruce Bastian. Where is NGLTF, GLAD, NBJC, GMHC?
rduke
· 5 months ago
Remember when W lied to the nation and invaded Iraq. Then people with common sense protested it and were silenced with "shut up and support the troops"? Now in retrospect the entire nation realizes we should have never invaded Iraq.
The gays are hearing "shrill", "you're losing support", "you're turning people off", "you're losing straight allies".
Keep fighting the good fight John and thank you for standing up for what is right even when people who are supposed "allies" are trying to silence your voice. You are right to do what you are doing. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
nicho
· 5 months ago
Just a note to all the apologists -- paid and volunteer -- would Obama have let a white supremacist write a brief on affirmative action? Would he have let a neo-Nazi write a brief on a case involving Jews? Then, why did he let a very visible Mormon be the lead counsel on a case involving gays.
The Mormons have a stated mission to destroy gay marriage and gay rights. They have invested millions and millions of dollars in this effort. This is clearly a conflict of interests. Simpson should have recused himself from this case as a matter of honesty -- but then honesty is something completely foreign to Mormons. Lying is part of their theology.
Rob Mule
· 5 months ago
.
Eric
· 5 months ago
I just want to let John Aravosis know that I'm proud for his stand. We need more John's in this world. Enough is enough. You go John!
J.P. Jones
· 5 months ago
Many posters have asked about contact info for the people scheduled to attend the DNC-LGBT shindig (and some have questioned the alphabet soup of acronyms) so I've compiled as many e-mail addresses and phone numbers as I could find of those people announced in the Andrew Tobias e-mail. Those with an asterisk next to their names have already announced they are pulling out. It would be nice to send them a thank you note, which also has the advantage of letting them all know that we're paying attention, in case anyone thinks they might slip in at the last minute if the brouhaha blows over - as if! By the way, my e-mail to GMHC could not be delivered because their mailbox is too full to accept any more mail. Good work, friends!!
Virginia Governor / DNC Chair Tim Kaine Official Site of the Governor of Virginia 804-786-2211 former DNC Chair Howard Dean Chairman Barney Frank 202-225-5931 Representative Tammy Baldwin Write to Representative Baldwin 202-225-2906 Representative Jared Polis 202-226-7840 *Vermont Senate President Pete Shumlin senprespt@leg.state.vt.us 802-828-3806 District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty app.dc.gov *David Mixner *Richard Socarides *National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Rea Carey rcarey@theTaskForce.org 202-393-5177 *Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Marty Rouse www.hrc.org - scroll to bottom of home page and click on “contact us” 202-628-4160 *Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) Alan Van Capelle prideagenda@prideagenda.org 212-627-0305 Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Mary Bonauto gladlaw@glad.org 617-426-1350 National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) Alexander Robinson rsnowden@nbjcoalition.org 202-319-1552 Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) Marjorie Hill press@gmhc.org 212-367-1000 The Victory Fund Chuck Wolfe www.victoryfund.org - click on “contact” in upper right corner of home page 202-842-8679 *Towle Road Andy Towle Iraq Marine vet Brian Fricke (whom you may have seen on 60 Minutes) Billy Bean BillyBean.com - Billy Bean Contact Joan Garry comments@joangarry.com Keith Boykin publicity@keithboykin.com Ray Buckley office@nhdp.org 603-225-6899 Brian Johnson bjohnson@theTaskForce.org 202-639-6331 *Corey Johnson Dixon Osburn Paul Smith (Lambda Legal National Co-Chair) members@lambdalegal.org 212-809-8585 *Bruce Bastian Mitchell Gold (founder - Faith in America) brent@faithinamerica.com 828-612-4682 Krystal Ball running to unseat a conservative Republican in Virginia Krystal Ball for Congress - scroll to bottom of home page and click on “contact”
Seansmith
· 5 months ago
Thank you for this, I was planning on doing it yesterday but got swamped with work.
This is our time to make our voices heard folks, let's do it.
Jeffreyxyz
· 5 months ago
Last night I called Marjorie Hill (GMHC) and she answered the phone! and I had a pretty long conversation with her. She was quite cold when I asked her to please pull out of the fundraiser. I asked her if she had been getting a lot of calls like this and she said "no." (Let's change that: 212-367-1248) She said she "is concerned about a lot of things: HIV funding, funding for minorities"... and some other things--I can't remember exactly, I was so surprised to have gotten through to her so easily. I told her we are all concerned about those things, too. And she said "sometimes she wonders if that is true. She doesn't see much evidence of that." And she went on about how she thinks so many of us are too "single issue" in our focus. And I said "but if we don't stand up for ourselves, no one else is going to do it. That is what has become so clear in the last few weeks". And we talked some more and I ended with "please join with the vast majority of the gay community who are fed up and will not give any more money to the democrats as long as they treat us this way." And she was silent and then we said "goodbye". She needs to hear from more of us today.
Greg
· 5 months ago
I was personally solicited by Andy Tobias and was one of those who gave 1K already, but couldn't attend. I have asked for my money back, but so far Andy hasn't responded. Not that I expected him to. He's just thinking: sucker. Which, I guess, I am.
An_American_Karol
· 5 months ago
You're not a sucker, Greg.
rickwla
· 5 months ago
Greg, If you paid your donation with a credit card, call the company and dispute the charge. Tell them that the reason is that you won't be able to attend the event, have asked the organization to credit your card, and they have refused. I've had good luck with my credit card company many times over disputes such as this.
Colin
· 5 months ago
Dear Governor Kaine,
Thank you for your recent invitation to become one of President Obama’s Presidential Partners. Bad timing!
Rather than receive regular briefing updates, a personalized certificate and a copy of the Inauguration Speech I would prefer to have EQUAL RIGHTS. I would prefer to have at the very least a “fierce advocate for gay rights,” in the White House.
Right now it appears that I have neither.
I wish that could write you the check for $1,000 to help you to fight for the many causes and positions that we both believe in. However, I realize that I need to divert those dollars to organizations that will truly advocate and fight for my civil rights. What a waste and huge disappointment that I need to expend my dollars and efforts lobbying a Democratic President who has so far let me down and not lived up to his word, rather than supporting him.
Please tell the President that if and when he acts in way that shows he recognizes that providing ALL Americans with equal rights is a “need to do” not just a “nice to do,” I will be happy to once again provide him and his party with my financial support. Sincerely, Colin Pearce
Frank Probst
· 5 months ago
Could you please post contact info (phone numbers and e-mail) for each individual on the list AND the organizations they represent? I give money to several of these groups, and I have no problem at all calling them up and telling them I've got my hand on the spigot. Thanks.
larrydavid
· 5 months ago
NY Senator Gillibrand pledges to sponsor bill to repeal DADT:
I went to the Mitchell Gold web site and emailed them saying they should cancel on going to the DNC fundraiser. Next is Keith Boykin (publicity@keithboykin.com) and Billy Bean (through the contact link on his site.) If Suze Orman has the balls to cancel, so should these other cultural figures.
Seansmith
· 5 months ago
I just finished emailing all the ones I didn't get a chance to yesterday.
Everyone, keep at it.
Pender
· 5 months ago
Maybe they should make a sort of picket line, complete with an enormous inflatable pink rat.
MichaelS
· 5 months ago
THIS IS A FANTASTIC SUGGESTION! If I could be there, I would! John, how about stirring the pot for a picket line? Let all these supposed good Dems cross a civil rights picket line! Big rat and all. Think of the press (and the shame!) it would generate generate for all our Obamapologists... and mnaybe even the WH (not holding my breath).
Father_Time
· 5 months ago
Maybe a Homo-Hetro Hooligan corus line armed with ripe tomatoes?
Indigo
· 5 months ago
This is a helpful development. Now we can easily sort out the Aunt Marys from the activists.
judybrowni
· 5 months ago
CONTACT INFO for some of the attendees at DNC fundraising bash:
contact our out LGBT representatives on the Hill to ask them why they still plan to hold the event in the wake of lack of leadership re: DADT repeal and the horrible DOMA brief and 2) do they see anything problematic about financially supporting a party that runs for cover when our issues come up on the Hill.
Rep. Barney Frank: 2252 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515 tel: (202) 225-5931 fax: (202) 225-0182
Rep. Tammy Baldwin 2446 Rayburn Building Washington DC 20515 (202) 225-6942 Fax (202) 225-2906 Email Form
Rep. Jared Polis Washington, DC Office 501 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 p. 202.225.2161 f. 202.226.7840
Okay, I've gathered contact info for some of the attendees above, feel free to add more: but unless John publishes those contacts in a diary, it's useless for me (or anyone else) to go to the trouble if they're only going to get lost in a comments thread.
TheAngryFag
· 5 months ago
Suze also is on Twitter @SuzeOrmanShow and she does respond to tweets.
Blueflash
· 5 months ago
Thanks for the number. I called regarding Suze Orman (already called the others) and spoke with Amanda Urban who had me call 610 280-0798. Called that number and spoke with a very snippy woman who told me Orman has no plans to attend.
fredndallas
· 5 months ago
Judy..Thanks for the research and information. I'm using it -- and any other that is added.
Raka
· 5 months ago
First of all, here's another e-mail address for someone who's still planning to attend the fund-raiser: joan@joangarry.com. She's the former head of GLAAD. That address is listed on her blog, so it's not private info.
Second of all, tmax, your argument is ridiculous. Obama claims that he opposes DOMA and finds it discriminatory. At the same time, he allows his DOJ to support DOMA and argue that it is not discriminatory. If you don't see a strategic problem with that, then I'm sorry for you.
expedito
· 5 months ago
Joe and Americablog - thanks for providing an example of what "fierce advocate" means. The fundraiser has Joe Biden (voted for DOMA) as guest speaker and DNC Chairman Tim Kaine (who broke promises and signed anti-gay legislation into law as Governor of Virginia). And clearly there are a lot of people who purport to be representing us who are most interested in their own agenda - partying with other A-Gay Elites, and hobnobbing and being photographed with influential politicians.
Bruce Bastian is totally correct in deciding to give only to individual candidates. The DNC is only interested in electing Democrats, and often they'll support the least progressive candidate in primaries because they think conservative Democrats have a better chance of winning the general. What good does it do us to have a Congress full of Democrats who are no better than Republicans on issues that affect our lives?
sullivan
· 5 months ago
Shame on Mitchell Gold!
blackjack00801
· 5 months ago
Do we know for sure that Marty Rouse is still not going? It doesn't augur well that HRC president Solmonese was at the signing last night. If Barney Frank can do a 180 I suspect anybody else can as well.
Considering how long the news about the brief has been out, the dropouts from the fundraiser seem to be coming very slowly. Didn't the brief come out a week ago today? To the extent I'm correct, then that's an average of one dropout per day, which is not very high.
I have a feeling we're going to find that there are a lot more "gays who have no self-respect and don't think we're worthy of full equality"--read: gays who like to be recognized as being A-list--than we realize. And if you're A-list and want to show it off, what's the harm in a photo opp such as the Blade is providing? On top of everything else, Barney Frank has told them the brief is okay...
rduke
· 5 months ago
I'm hoping they were just waiting to see how Obama would respond. Now they know. Everyone should be cancelling at this point.
dcinsider
· 5 months ago
Mary Bonauto is one classy lady. Read her post on Pamshouseblend to understand how she ticks. Also, it appears that the Obamanoids at DOJ rejected GLAD's efforts to meet and discuss DOMA, and how it could be interpreted to extend DP benefits. Obama's people REFUSED to even meet. And OPM, which is run by a gay man (and hopefully not a "Barney Frank gay", the moral equivalent of the Jewish Nazi), has alos refused to sit down with gay legal gropus and address DOMA legal issues, including OPM's continued resistance to implement 9th Circuit orders to extend DP benefits to court employees. Obama, Berry, Frank, Baldwin, and Polis have a very brief window here to crrect a massive amount of wrongdoing and repugnant bahavior. If they don't, they we need to dump their sorry asses at the next election, even if it means electing their enemy. I'd rather know where I stand with an enemy than to be betrayed repeatedly by a "friend."
Indigo
· 5 months ago
There are ways to escape the clutches of the DNC. I haven't donated for years and just a few weeks ago I received a "final reminder" letter, telling me my name would be dropped from the list if I didn't reply. I didn't reply.
I feel a little bad about that now because I don't have a reply envelope to tell them I won't give them any more gay dollars because of DOMA and the like.
I don't plan to change my registration though. This too shall pass and, as I've said before, I'm with Will Rogers, the Depression Era humorist who said, "I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat."
caphillprof
· 5 months ago
My hope is that the Saturday Night Live cast will have Barack, Biden, Hillary and Barney Frank reenacting Seinfeld's "Not that there's anything wrong with that."
nicho
· 5 months ago
Wow -- For the people who are still attending, this is going to be the most expensive wake they ever went to.
Dan W.
· 5 months ago
John,
Thank you so much.
This offensive legal brief, signed off by Obama's appointee, Tony West, in Obama's Department of Justice is outrageous. The President's refusal to even criticize it is beyond the pale.
I hope whoever is going to a protest outside of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel next Thursday night will note who is still attending and take pics so that we can all know who the scabs are.
Joe Millraney
· 5 months ago
I was upset when they argued and passed DOMA in the first place. This latest salvo is just more of the same with different faces pitching the same old rhetoric, and frankly I'm getting tired of it. I wanted to know when the Democrats are doing to take on 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' seriously and send it up in flames like it should have been years ago.
yawn
· 5 months ago
I'm very happy that people are still pulling out of this and not falling for the stunt Obama pulled last night. I'm also much happier to support organizations like PFAW and Lambda Legal rather than MoveOn or HRC.
Butch1
· 5 months ago
The others still on the list, need to decide who's side are they on. As I said yesterday, the Obama camp is trying to divide and conquer us gays by throwing a few scraps our direction and complaining to everyone else, when we don't fall to our knees thanking him, that we are ungrateful. If one can get the media to frame us as spoiled and undeserving, the administration can wash its hands and exclaim that they tried to be friends with us and look how we are being treated. When you have "gay leadership" helping the administration with that scenario, it's time to reevaluate our relationship when them and those who have promised us they would support us for our vote.
Wren Margaret
· 5 months ago
I'm curious as to why Biden is the big draw here. He is positively anti-equal marriage and has stated unequivocally that marriage should be only between a man and a woman. So I wouldn't have been going even before this DOMA travesty.
Just what part of that is ok?
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
Never presume that the A-listers are motivated by the same ethical arguments as you & I are. Access and face time - and a picture or two in MetroWeekly or The Blade (the gay rags of record in DC for those not familiar) - are something to talk about at Duplex or Town or in Rehoboth the weekend after.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
It will be a mark of shame to be in those rags the next week.
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
I'm going to be outside that biznitch to represent. I'm so flaming mad.
Thank you. That's been driving me crazy at two blogs. Also, I'm astounded that there's an organization that hasn't hit me up for money.
cloudphreak
· 5 months ago
I'm sending a letter to Gov. Kaine, but somehow I doubt he will pull out of his own fundraiser.
guest
· 5 months ago
Might help to have contact info up for all of those organizations. Polite yet pointed phone calls never hurt.
GLAD: (617) 426-1350
Nat'l Gay and Lesbian Task Force: 202.393.5177
GMHC: 212-367-1000
NBJC: (202) 319-1552
BRUCELEIMSIDOR
· 5 months ago
While I admire Barney Frank very much, I cannot agree with him that we should continue to contribute to the Democratic National Committee. I will probably be forced to vote Democratic, but not one penny olf my money nor one minute of my time will go to support an organization that has deceived us and is now working to deprive us of our rights.
Steve_in_CNJ
· 5 months ago
his comment "there are a lot of people who aren't boycotting" was good for a couple of laughs. :D
but seriously, i don't know if i can really fault him. he is introuducing inclusive ENDA next week in the House and if that passes, i predict all will be forgiven.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
Forced to vote? Is there a gun to your head?
NO GAY VOTES
NO GAY DOLLARS
Trust me, they want to stay in power much more than you don't want a republican in.
KerrynowCampau
· 5 months ago
Come on Howard Dean.....do the right thing
SCLiberal
· 5 months ago
I don't understand why Dean is even a Democrat given how he's been treated in the past by the party.
fredndallas
· 5 months ago
For the same reason many of us have been, despite it being an increasing invitation for abuse. At some point though, something has to give.
Bostonian_Queer_in_Dallas
· 5 months ago
Gee I'd cancel the caterer and waiters for this right about now. Sounds like the event is going to be DOA.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
Contact Food & Friends and House of Ruth too.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
Joe: Could you at the bottom of your post:
List what all the acronyms stand for.
DOMA, GMHC...
There are about 10 of them flying around right now....and I'm getting confused.
rduke
· 5 months ago
I am very pleased that there are some gays out there willing to stand up for what is right!
This was amazing: "The administration has said they have to support the federal government's stance," he said. "But in the brief, they go way beyond where they need to go to just defend DOMA. They basically go to terminology and language that you would expect from the Bush administration, not the Obama administration."
But this is the best yet: Bastian said the brief was the "tipping point" for him in his perception for how the Democratic Party supports LGBT issues.
BINGO! We are getting screwed by the Democrats...AGAIN!!!!
Wake up people.
Landon Bryce
· 5 months ago
Andy Towle reported a couple of days ago that Corey Johnson, who works with Towleroad, won't be going. Should he be crossed off on the list?
John Aravosis
· 5 months ago
I did not see that. If you can confirm it with a link, I'm happy to - I can't find it on Andy's site
"I wrote DNC Treasurer Andy Tobias (who is a friend outside of any professional relationship we have) and told him that I did not feel at all good about the lack of movement within the Obama administration on LGBT issues and given the content of the Department of Justice brief I could not attend in good conscience. My colleague, Towleroad's political director Corey Johnson, is not attending either."
tigergrrldc
· 5 months ago
"more Bush than Bush." LOLOLOL! Yeah, this is turning out to be Bush's 3rd term. Spit!
Raka
· 5 months ago
Here's a more direct phone number to the Executive Director's office at Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC): 212-367-1248. (Their switchboard is VERY difficult to get past so I want you to be able to cut to the chase.) The ED is Dr. Marjorie Hill, a fierce activist on LGBT issues. So be respectful. But firm. She needs to pull out of this event.
Eric
· 5 months ago
Thanks to people posting contact information here. We should all contact as many potential guests as we can and encourage them to sit it out.
And another huge thanks to everyone at Americablog. Your clear insight on this debacle has been completely inspiring.
postdamnit
· 5 months ago
I for one will be very interested in seeing who shows up to support this DNC event. As I donate to several causes listed, I will take note and cease any further donations to any organization that attends this blatant attempt to take our money.
NO GAY RIGHTS, NO GAY $$
Daniel Villarreal
· 5 months ago
We should start a campaign to pressure the remaining people on the list not to attend. I don't think we need to threaten them with a withdrawal of support if they do, but maybe an e-mail campaign letting them know how much they could help send a message and assist the larger movement by refusing to go. Does Americablog wanna get behind the momentum and help push the final people on the list? I'm confident we could at least convince two or three more attendees to drop out.
woodroad34
· 5 months ago
Iraq Marine vet Brian Fricke (whom you may have seen on 60 Minutes)? He would give money or lend his name to a party and President that helped destroy his rights to be in the military? Wow! Spousal Abuse.
ashley Bell
· 5 months ago
i think HRC, NGLTF, GLAD, NBJC, GMHC et al should have a competing fundraiser, the same night, so that the money still goes where it needs to go, but there will be a message sent, and an alternative event.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
No, the money needs to got to individual candidates and to places like Americablog.
NONE of these people started backing out of going till John A. made it an issue.
tmaxPA
· 5 months ago
I'm a bit confused. We're liberals, right? One of the things we believe in is that everyone deserves an avid defense from their lawyer, regardless of the circumstances. So here we have gov't lawyers doing what they're paid to do, which is to vigorously defend a particular position (not to agree or disagree with it). It is for the judges to decide whether incest or pedophilia have any bearing on the issue; we should not expect the lawyers to simply fail to raise the argument.
Just like with some of the 'Obama is now saying' crap from the Gitmo cases, too many liberals are showing themselves just as willing as right-wingers to subvert the rule of law and ignore the requirements of justice in order to arrive at their desired ends, now that they feel they have the power to do so.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
tmaxPA wrote: "It is for the judges to decide whether incest or pedophilia have any bearing on the issue; we should not expect the lawyers to simply fail to raise the argument."
And if the lawyers compared/mentioned beastility and necrophilia in the brief...that would be ok....cause the lawyers are ""just doing their job""?
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
Please read down this thread or look through one of the numerous other threads in the past week to understand that "we" liberals are not advocating for Obama to ignore the law. As John has explained in excruciating detail, Obama has discrete political and process options at his disposal to address the fundamental inequities [dare I say, unConstitutional] in DOMA ... that Obama committed to overturn. WRT the DOMA brief, Obama's DOJ had a range of LEGAL options for filing the brief. Obama's DOJ took the most toxic, offensive, and inconsistent option. Don't confuse statutory requirements (which aren't being broken) with strategic intent (about which Obama is violating his commitment).
nicho
· 5 months ago
You're not helping. The lawyer in this case works for the Obama administration. So, if his offensive language is "avidly defending" the administration, it means that this is the administration's official position. That's bad.
gaydem
· 5 months ago
I sent an e-mail to Keith Boykin asking him to consider NOT attending and showing solidarity with those who have already made this decision.
I wrote to Billy Bean and asked him to withdraw from the event.
melchore
· 5 months ago
I just did the same thing. Used his website. Just can't believe he would attend after being a baseball player and hearing homophobic remarks all around him.
sukabi2
· 5 months ago
just to play devil's advocate here, there are a couple of huge benefits to the Obama DOJ brief .... 1)the wording of the brief was so offensive, it is guaranteed to make the change to DOMA, DADT and other discrimatory laws happen that much faster... and 2) it also "outs" more of the holdover Bush appointees, making it much more likely that they will be "asked" to resign..... maybe that was the plan
nicho
· 5 months ago
Nope, sorry, not buying it.
The language merely reinforced the language coming from the hate groups. They are absolutely giddy that Obama agrees with them and they are already using his words to ramp up their attacks on us. They are pumped.
Also, why would the Bush holdovers resign? They are being allowed to work their "magic." They may take some shit, but it they can promote the fascist agenda, why would they resign?
Meanwhile, the Democrats are deserting us in droves. When Barney Frank stabs us in the back, you know we're screwed inside the beltway. And this after the gay community defended the shit out of him during his hustler scandal.
sukabi2
· 5 months ago
The biggest problem in getting ANYTHING done for "the people" has been the inbred nature of our political process... if you think there has been a major political party that has had the back of "the people" in the last 40+ years, you haven't been paying attention... another thing this brief does is expose how thoroughly out of touch with "the people" the folks on the hill are, and exactly who your friends are -- and who will sell you out for a buck...
The change for all of this is going to have to be forced by the folks OFF the hill, not brought by the folks ON the hill... which is why the brief will be effective in making the change happen sooner rather than later.
Do you think folks would be dropping out of a major fundraiser and fired up for CHANGING IT NOW if the brief was a mealymouthed defense of DOMA, or would the urge to "wait a bit, and give 'em a bit more time" be the response?
Rob Mule
· 5 months ago
This "superstar" nonsense that lards this intramural alphabet soup squabbling further pigeonholes our movement for the broken, hole-crazy desert wanderers of the old steam-powered media... Not that the DOMA language wasn't and still remains revolting...And not that winger Senators can keep their 'little senators' trousered....But, I remain confused over just why, beyond the legalities of full equality, we want to emulate aspects of blinkered str8 society???
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
It's not the emulation ... it's the equal access to benefits. Unless there is some major wholesale overhaul of medical, social security and trust/estate law in the US, the only game in town is to have equal access to the privileges and rights AND responsibilities of citizenship that others (who *choose* to be married) enjoy. My partner and I have been together for over 11 years. He is a federal employee working in [hugely ironic] proximity to the signer of the Presidential Directive. Doesn't mean bupkis, 'cause we can't designate our Social Security benefits to the other.
Rob Mule
· 5 months ago
As I said "full equality" but you don't appear to have understood... My partner and I have you beat by a year...Unlike your Fed employee partner with, I assume, health insurance, mine had both intense personal issues and zero health coverage. Even if we disagreed and were different, which we are not by much, your misunderstand as opposed to slash and burn approach wouldn't win many converts.
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
Appreciate the clarification and lament that we can't provide universal health coverage, but I don't understand your reference to emulating str8 society. Because the rights we're looking for are taken for granted by str8 society and they're the only rights on the table if we want to live in the US, it is impossible to emulate str8 society ... they never had to fight for them. I don't think that slash-and-burn [although I'd disagree that's what we're doing] was our first approach. We already worked hard and gave our money to and voted for a President that made a personal commitment to do exactly the opposite of what he's now doing. I would also say that America *is* converting and is prepared; our gov't is not. I'm not sure where I misunderstood your point.
Rob Mule
· 5 months ago
Basically in the context of the comment and the dialog here in this space "emulate" connects to marriage as opposed to full rights civil union and the alphabet soup of gay special interest persons so often a topic of late. I fully agree our society is moving in a direction to our liking and that Washington is still mired in the old alpha male goo but I disagree with your characterization of rights and who exactly fought for them (both str8 and gay). The gay movement has advanced partly due to our own fabulous selves but also due to the fact that large chunks of str8 society saw parallels to other historic struggles and, quite simply, recognized the prejudice and unfairness that hobbled some of their own family, friends and selves. Your unfounded assumptions about rights “taken for granted” is an aspect of a slash and burn approach.
danolgb
· 5 months ago
Barney Frank is now backtracking on his criticism of the DoJ and the Administration. He even goes as far to say that the language in the brief isn't offensive, that he hadn't read it when he first commented. I'm just amazed. Is he so caught up in beltway politics that he can't see anything outside?
Indigo
· 5 months ago
Barney Frank, in gay slanglish, is an Aunt Mary. You've heard of "Uncle Toms"? Well . . . there you have it. Aunt Mary's been in office far too long. Hello, Massachussetts? Got that? No more Aunt Marys, please.
MichaelS
· 5 months ago
"The president of the Vermont State Senate, who helped secure marriage equality and was supposed to be an honored guest, dropped out yesterday." GREAT. Now why is the president of the US Senate still attending?...
Andy Buck
· 5 months ago
Another note for tmax: The administration itself now basically admits that it isn't obligated to defend federal statutes every single time. Even MSM outlets like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal seem to recognize that fact. And who else but you is claiming that a vigorous defense had to include bigoted talking points that are guaranteed to be used against any future effort to overturn DOMA? Concern troll much?
Seansmith
· 5 months ago
Let's continue posting all contact information for all the gays still going to this.
Hit them with letters and phone calls telling them that this is the line in the stand - they're either with us or against us.
lee
· 5 months ago
This is sadder still. My partner and I have long term care insurance thru John Hancock - they allow partners to have policies. I'm a federal employee, so I happen to know that the fed LTC contract was just given to a new company. Guess who - yep, John Hancock. This must be how they're accidentally getting around DOMA.
Blueflash
· 5 months ago
Canceled my monthly donations to HRC this morning after seeing Solomonese last night talking about the crumb throw as if it were a gift from God ( no mention on his part of the SUBSTANTIVE promises made to our community by Obama or that we won't be fooled by this ploy). Peeled their little equality sticker off my jeep too. Still searching through GLAAD's endless maze of a website for a contact number to nix them too ( you'd think a civil rights movement that has organizations with websites that cover everything under the sun would have accomplished a bit more by now). My money now will be going to focussed regional causes like keeping gay marriage legal in Iowa and Maine, not these venal boot-licker behemoths like GLAAD and HRC. Way to give our opponents what they need, Solomonese, to batter us as whiners who are never satisfied.
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
OK, so help me understand the mechanics of this debacle, so that we can anticipate longer term way forward.
Have we established that Bush moles in DOJ are largely responsible for authoring the DOMA brief? While we may have focused on US Attorneys at DOJ who were refused jobs because of their political beliefs, there were any number who employed because they held certain beliefs. Do we know who these people are? Is the administration not ferreting them out because they don't want to be accused of the inverse Bush litmus test?
Just like with the SCOTUS appointments, was the insidious nature of the DOJ hiring by Bush intended to create this dogmatically anti-gay/-progressive output from US Attorneys for years to come??
Roy
· 5 months ago
Paul - I think you're digging a bit deep, though I understand where you're coming from.
The buck doesn't stop at Jr. attorneys, it stops at Obama's desk. Don't fool yourself that he's not playing your community for political gain.
DC Insider
· 5 months ago
Keep the pressure up more GLBT organizations will be announcing that they are also dropping out on Friday. Stay tuned.
Dogtags
· 5 months ago
Please post any info on the protest/picket line to the fundraiser where we can find it. It's worth marking my calendar for.
Lamarheaps
· 5 months ago
Wow, not one comment bashing Utah. I stand all amazed. Bruce Bastion is the man!
Muzikal203
· 5 months ago
I'm glad they are still pulling out, way to show that it's going to take more than a memo to shut you guys up! Some people say the LGBT community and its friends are being self-destructive, well they are listening to us now, aren't they? I just read on the Huffington Post that the administration is looking for a way to count same sex unions in the Census. Well that's all well and good, but MOST of them can't get married or even a civil union, do those couples not deserve to be a part of the Census?
rduke
· 5 months ago
I would never want to depend on such strong "allies" to help me obtain my equal rights. People silencing us don't give a damn about our lack of rights. They only care that we stopped giving money to their preferred party.
Ron
· 5 months ago
Maybe John could get all of us an email address for the people still planning on attending so we can ALL encourage them to rethink attending.
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
Shame I'm using my limited time on this matter rather than helping President Obama with Healthcare.
nicho
· 5 months ago
He's going to sell us out on healthcare too. So, you might as well spend your time on this.
Steve_in_CNJ
· 5 months ago
devote 30 minutes a day to each. :)
HereinDC
· 5 months ago
Shame I have to spend any time on this matter.
Steve_in_CNJ
· 5 months ago
Alas. :/
Blueflash
· 5 months ago
Shame that our fierce advocate in chief and the first black president seems not to understand that our energy could be and would be put to other ends if we weren't perennially mired in the basic struggle for legal equality.
Steve_in_CNJ
· 5 months ago
the rest are hoping and praying the event is cancelled so they don't have to make a spectacle of dropping out or attending the wake.
tlsintx
· 5 months ago
so "glad" Mary Bonauto won't go. she is such a shining star in the fight for equality and a legal heavy hitter.
spin70
· 5 months ago
As a resident of DC I'm disgusted that Mayor Fenty is still on the list. For those of you who live in the District, I encourage you to call the mayor's feedback line by dialing 311. There is no excuse for the mayor of this city to support the DNC given recent events.
PAULinDC
· 5 months ago
I'll be outside the Mandarin next week, but what's an effiective strategy for maintaining the momentum toward attaining our equal rights? I understand that we'll see who attended the wake and who didn't and support those who demonstrate a commitment to do the right thing.
Beyond that, we have an external marketing challenge in framing our rightful claim. Now we have two rhetorical enemies: the Democratic Party, who may be making an intentional, craven move to foment internal discord with the gays; and the right-wing pols and pundits who are happy to latch on to the theme that was unfortunately woven into the DOJ brief.
What's the move-after-next?
AR_HillBilly
· 5 months ago
Actually, I think everyone on the list SHOULD attend . . . . the protest line in front of the Mandarin. That way they can all, at one time and in one place, tell the DNC and the Public exactly where they stand and why (via the news cameras covering the event).
mml34
· 5 months ago
The DOJ must file it's legal brief re: the MA challenge to DOMA by June 29. This is a suit brought on behalf of gay couples legally married in MA who have been denied fed benefits because of DOMA, and is regarded by everyone as the most promising challenge to DOMA.
Perhaps someone has already suggested it, but... we should start planning NOW for large scale protests across the country IF the DOJ comes out in support of DOMA (as they did in the CA case last week).
nicho
· 5 months ago
Made all the more interesting as it will coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots which began June 28 and went on for several days.
You know this brief has already been written. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the White House to see what they're doing about this.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
I support the activities that persuade people not to attend this fund raising event. I wonder, has there been a well-worded, logical plea, such as:
"Because Obama seems to be backtracking on the promises he made to the LGBT community, and the Democrats have not done much of anything either, we are asking that you not attend this fund raising event. We are using this a leverage to motivate Obama and the Democrats to action on our issues."
Or did we just hurl the shrill "Obama says our relationships are the equal to incest" bomb at attendees? (Just to clarify, I agree with John that the incest comparison was awful. And I have called Obama a homophobe).
Calling anyone who attends the DNC fund raiser a 'turncoat' is creating enemies out of friends. It is the binary Bush-think disease: If it isn't black, it must be white.
Not One Nickel - obviously I agree. Calling our friends enemies? I don't agree. I disagreed with Barney Frank AND John about the Transgender/ENDA issue. Do I think that because of this one issue John and Barney are my enemies? Nope. When I was a student, I learned that I could screw-up 10% of the time and still get an A grade.
Tell me, how many friends do you still hang around with that betray you in real life.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
I can disagree with people about most issues without thinking they are betraying me. How often do you change friends, once a week? Grow up.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
What about when the issue is your freedom and equality?
You would stay friends with people like that that proclaimed your equality was subject to discussion and denial?
Would you express how "disappointed" you were, but still go to a party they invited you to as long as you agreed that your partner was just "your friend" for the evening?
Same mentality. Kicked puppy indeed.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
Nobody I know disagrees about my 'freedom and equality.' We do disagree about what we need to do to obtain those rights.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
Selling you out is not a disagreement. It's betrayal.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
You're hopeless. We can continue this conversation when you grow up. Until then, don't bother to engage me.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
You're on a public forum, if you don't want me to engage you then don't post.
I pulled my head out of the sand long ago, let us know when you manage.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
Ok, Fidel.
Death to anyone who doesn't agree with the way you think we need to fight for our rights because they are BETRAYERS and OUR ENEMIES.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
Yes, cuz that's exactly what was said.
So we're hysterical, shrill, and now communists because we don't agree with you.
You're such an infant.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
hey, I'm not the one making everyone submit to the 'betrayal' test, little Ricky.
nicho
· 5 months ago
There's a huge difference between disagreeing with someone and betraying someone. You seem to be conflating the two ideas. I often disagree with my friends. However, if one of them betrays me -- he's gone.
rkwright
· 5 months ago
So, if your friends promise you x y and z if you give them a b abd c and they do not live up to their arangement, you still keep them as friends? With friends like that you certainly do not need enemies.
nicho
· 5 months ago
I did both. And, i object to the use of the word "shrill." It's an insult. Right up there with "hysterical" and other slurs.
Gary SF
· 5 months ago
Well good for you, but you are too easily insulted. If you can't see that some of the posts here are shrill and hysterical, then you have lost all sense of objectivity.
I suggest that you grow a pair.
Gridlock
· 5 months ago
The only person being shrill here is you, Mary.
fp
· 5 months ago
Don't Donate directly to the DNC, they just waste your money. Donate to Acorn instead...
That's the same status we have in 30 states. Our bigoted opponents have latched on to marriage (they're only trying to "protect" it) because that's the one aspect of gay civil rights where popular opinion is still in their favor, but the innocent little Christofascist lambs have somehow found the time these past forty years to keep it lawful in 30 states to fire (and not hire) an employee based on sexual orientation.
Matthew Rettenmund
· 5 months ago
I think it's great to boycott the event and let the DNC know that no further money would be forthcoming until action is taken. However, I do think referring to people who are going as turncoats or as having "no self-respect" is not helping the cause. People do things differently. Maybe their way of handling this is not yours or mine, but they're not working AGAINST us. I think it's a better idea to persuade people not to attend rather than to issue a crazy-sounding threat that they'll be videoed and catalogued and shamed (mainly because if they do wind up attending, it's not like they'll be sneaking in).
Again, though, I personally would not attend or donate at this time and I let Andy know that.
naschkatzehussein
· 5 months ago
I wish all of you the best of luck with this. I don't have an iron in this fire, but whenever Obama or some Democratic surrogate sends me a request for money, I reply that my money is going to the ACLU and Amnesty International from now on to fight him in the courts. It's a waste of money for us progressives to fund the Democrats.
ScottLanter
· 5 months ago
What is certain is that any other community would have been OUTRAGED! Had Jews been called "pigs" by Obama or Latinos called "wetbacks", there would have been intense protest. The Obama Administration called gays child rapists, beastealists, and incestuous. We must at least show an ounce of pride like any other community and reject this Administrations hateful lies.
usagi
· 5 months ago
And please remind those people with the spare thousand now that there's an important electoral fight coming up in Maine. How about they send it there to protect marriage equity where it exists?
brainypirate
· 5 months ago
Wow, more people I've never heard of dropping out of a fundraiser I'd never be able to afford!
scottinsf
· 5 months ago
You may not have heard of them but a lot of us, including the DNC, have. Don't dismiss what they represent to the DNC : $Gay ATM$.
Paul
· 5 months ago
One thing that gets the Obamabots notice is when the gay ATM machine is threatened to be shut down. Obama has insulted and slandered gay people over and over again. The man is all talk, no action. Does he think we're that stupid not to see his latest stunts of giving us benefits that we had for years and put a fancy ribbon on them and act like they are new? The man is Elmer Gantry, a political snake oil salesman and gay would be well advised to not give another dime to him or the DNC. We knew the Republicans were our enemies, and to the Democrats all I can say is with friends like you we don't need enemies. I will support individual Democrats who walk the walk, there are a few out there. But not another dime to Obama or the DNC.
hagdoc
· 5 months ago
I will be outside the DNC fundraiser with a sign saying "this is $1500 you ain't getting" and invite anyone else who has decided not to go to the benefit to join me. I am mad as hell and want the DNC to feel the sting of losing GLBT money. And not only our money, but that of our parents, our friend and our coworkers---all the people we energized to vote the Democrats back to power. However, and with all due respect to Joe, whose reporting all week has energized so many, and to those in our community who've had enough, it does us no good to spend any time flaming our own folks and calling them "turncoats." If some people feel the need to still go in and sit at a table with people who are doing nothing to protect their rights and feel that is the best way to advocate for change, then that's their choice and I am wasting NO time dishing them. I think they're very mistaken but all the ones I know are good people who dedicate their lives and money to helping. And yeah---if the same thing happened with the Jewish community there'd still be well-intentioned folks who would pay to go. Let's keep the flamethrowers focused on our enemies, so they stop laughing at us while we waste time fighting with our own folks.
One Butch
· 5 months ago
I can't believe the person who compared Barney Frank to a Jewish Nazi. That comment makes me angry on so many levels.
All Comments
The gays are hearing "shrill", "you're losing support", "you're turning people off", "you're losing straight allies".
Keep fighting the good fight John and thank you for standing up for what is right even when people who are supposed "allies" are trying to silence your voice. You are right to do what you are doing. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise.
The Mormons have a stated mission to destroy gay marriage and gay rights. They have invested millions and millions of dollars in this effort. This is clearly a conflict of interests. Simpson should have recused himself from this case as a matter of honesty -- but then honesty is something completely foreign to Mormons. Lying is part of their theology.
You go John!
Virginia Governor / DNC Chair Tim Kaine
Official Site of the Governor of Virginia
804-786-2211
former DNC Chair Howard Dean
Chairman Barney Frank
202-225-5931
Representative Tammy Baldwin
Write to Representative Baldwin
202-225-2906
Representative Jared Polis
202-226-7840
*Vermont Senate President Pete Shumlin
senprespt@leg.state.vt.us
802-828-3806
District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty
app.dc.gov
*David Mixner
*Richard Socarides
*National Gay & Lesbian Task Force Rea Carey
rcarey@theTaskForce.org
202-393-5177
*Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Marty Rouse
www.hrc.org - scroll to bottom of home page and click on “contact us”
202-628-4160
*Empire State Pride Agenda (ESPA) Alan Van Capelle
prideagenda@prideagenda.org
212-627-0305
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Mary Bonauto
gladlaw@glad.org
617-426-1350
National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) Alexander Robinson
rsnowden@nbjcoalition.org
202-319-1552
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) Marjorie Hill
press@gmhc.org
212-367-1000
The Victory Fund Chuck Wolfe
www.victoryfund.org - click on “contact” in upper right corner of home page
202-842-8679
*Towle Road Andy Towle
Iraq Marine vet Brian Fricke (whom you may have seen on 60 Minutes)
Billy Bean
BillyBean.com - Billy Bean Contact
Joan Garry
comments@joangarry.com
Keith Boykin
publicity@keithboykin.com
Ray Buckley
office@nhdp.org
603-225-6899
Brian Johnson
bjohnson@theTaskForce.org
202-639-6331
*Corey Johnson
Dixon Osburn
Paul Smith (Lambda Legal National Co-Chair)
members@lambdalegal.org
212-809-8585
*Bruce Bastian
Mitchell Gold (founder - Faith in America)
brent@faithinamerica.com
828-612-4682
Krystal Ball running to unseat a conservative Republican in Virginia
Krystal Ball for Congress - scroll to bottom of home page and click on “contact”
This is our time to make our voices heard folks, let's do it.
She said she "is concerned about a lot of things: HIV funding, funding for minorities"... and some other things--I can't remember exactly, I was so surprised to have gotten through to her so easily. I told her we are all concerned about those things, too. And she said "sometimes she wonders if that is true. She doesn't see much evidence of that." And she went on about how she thinks so many of us are too "single issue" in our focus. And I said "but if we don't stand up for ourselves, no one else is going to do it. That is what has become so clear in the last few weeks".
And we talked some more and I ended with "please join with the vast majority of the gay community who are fed up and will not give any more money to the democrats as long as they treat us this way."
And she was silent and then we said "goodbye".
She needs to hear from more of us today.
If you paid your donation with a credit card, call the company and dispute the charge. Tell them that the reason is that you won't be able to attend the event, have asked the organization to credit your card, and they have refused. I've had good luck with my credit card company many times over disputes such as this.
Thank you for your recent invitation to become one of President Obama’s Presidential Partners. Bad timing!
Rather than receive regular briefing updates, a personalized certificate and a copy of the Inauguration Speech I would prefer to have EQUAL RIGHTS. I would prefer to have at the very least a “fierce advocate for gay rights,” in the White House.
Right now it appears that I have neither.
I wish that could write you the check for $1,000 to help you to fight for the many causes and positions that we both believe in. However, I realize that I need to divert those dollars to organizations that will truly advocate and fight for my civil rights. What a waste and huge disappointment that I need to expend my dollars and efforts lobbying a Democratic President who has so far let me down and not lived up to his word, rather than supporting him.
Please tell the President that if and when he acts in way that shows he recognizes that providing ALL Americans with equal rights is a “need to do” not just a “nice to do,” I will be happy to once again provide him and his party with my financial support. Sincerely, Colin Pearce
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/6/18/743961/...
Next is Keith Boykin (publicity@keithboykin.com) and Billy Bean (through the contact link on his site.) If Suze Orman has the balls to cancel, so should these other cultural figures.
Everyone, keep at it.
John, how about stirring the pot for a picket line? Let all these supposed good Dems cross a civil rights picket line! Big rat and all. Think of the press (and the shame!) it would generate generate for all our Obamapologists... and mnaybe even the WH (not holding my breath).
FOR SUZE ORMAN
Suze Orman email:
https://www.suzeorman.com/igsbase/igstemplate.c...
Suze Orman's agent:
Amanda Urban, International Creative Management
(212-556-5600)
Suze Orman Public Relations Contact
Kristin Bouton
Suze Orman Media, Inc.
610-280-6902
kristin@suzeorman.com
DUMP DOMA PETITION:
https://secure.pfaw.org/site/SPageServer?pagena...
contact our out LGBT representatives on the Hill to ask them why they still plan to hold the event in the wake of lack of leadership re: DADT repeal and the horrible DOMA brief and 2) do they see anything problematic about financially supporting a party that runs for cover when our issues come up on the Hill.
Rep. Barney Frank:
2252 Rayburn Building
Washington, DC 20515
tel: (202) 225-5931
fax: (202) 225-0182
Rep. Tammy Baldwin
2446 Rayburn Building
Washington DC 20515
(202) 225-6942 Fax
(202) 225-2906
Email Form
Rep. Jared Polis
Washington, DC Office
501 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
p. 202.225.2161
f. 202.226.7840
Okay, I've gathered contact info for some of the attendees above, feel free to add more: but unless John publishes those contacts in a diary, it's useless for me (or anyone else) to go to the trouble if they're only going to get lost in a comments thread.
Second of all, tmax, your argument is ridiculous. Obama claims that he opposes DOMA and finds it discriminatory. At the same time, he allows his DOJ to support DOMA and argue that it is not discriminatory. If you don't see a strategic problem with that, then I'm sorry for you.
Bruce Bastian is totally correct in deciding to give only to individual candidates. The DNC is only interested in electing Democrats, and often they'll support the least progressive candidate in primaries because they think conservative Democrats have a better chance of winning the general. What good does it do us to have a Congress full of Democrats who are no better than Republicans on issues that affect our lives?
Considering how long the news about the brief has been out, the dropouts from the fundraiser seem to be coming very slowly. Didn't the brief come out a week ago today? To the extent I'm correct, then that's an average of one dropout per day, which is not very high.
I have a feeling we're going to find that there are a lot more "gays who have no self-respect and don't think we're worthy of full equality"--read: gays who like to be recognized as being A-list--than we realize. And if you're A-list and want to show it off, what's the harm in a photo opp such as the Blade is providing? On top of everything else, Barney Frank has told them the brief is okay...
I feel a little bad about that now because I don't have a reply envelope to tell them I won't give them any more gay dollars because of DOMA and the like.
I don't plan to change my registration though. This too shall pass and, as I've said before, I'm with Will Rogers, the Depression Era humorist who said, "I don't belong to an organized political party, I'm a Democrat."
Thank you so much.
This offensive legal brief, signed off by Obama's appointee, Tony West, in Obama's Department of Justice is outrageous. The President's refusal to even criticize it is beyond the pale.
I hope whoever is going to a protest outside of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel next Thursday night will note who is still attending and take pics so that we can all know who the scabs are.
Just what part of that is ok?
GLAAD - Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
GLAD: (617) 426-1350
Nat'l Gay and Lesbian Task Force: 202.393.5177
GMHC: 212-367-1000
NBJC: (202) 319-1552
but seriously, i don't know if i can really fault him. he is introuducing inclusive ENDA next week in the House and if that passes, i predict all will be forgiven.
NO GAY VOTES
NO GAY DOLLARS
Trust me, they want to stay in power much more than you don't want a republican in.
Could you at the bottom of your post:
List what all the acronyms stand for.
DOMA, GMHC...
There are about 10 of them flying around right now....and I'm getting confused.
This was amazing:
"The administration has said they have to support the federal government's stance," he said. "But in the brief, they go way beyond where they need to go to just defend DOMA. They basically go to terminology and language that you would expect from the Bush administration, not the Obama administration."
But this is the best yet:
Bastian said the brief was the "tipping point" for him in his perception for how the Democratic Party supports LGBT issues.
BINGO! We are getting screwed by the Democrats...AGAIN!!!!
Wake up people.
"I wrote DNC Treasurer Andy Tobias (who is a friend outside of any professional relationship we have) and told him that I did not feel at all good about the lack of movement within the Obama administration on LGBT issues and given the content of the Department of Justice brief I could not attend in good conscience. My colleague, Towleroad's political director Corey Johnson, is not attending either."
And another huge thanks to everyone at Americablog. Your clear insight on this debacle has been completely inspiring.
NO GAY RIGHTS, NO GAY $$
NONE of these people started backing out of going till John A. made it an issue.
Just like with some of the 'Obama is now saying' crap from the Gitmo cases, too many liberals are showing themselves just as willing as right-wingers to subvert the rule of law and ignore the requirements of justice in order to arrive at their desired ends, now that they feel they have the power to do so.
"It is for the judges to decide whether incest or pedophilia have any bearing on the issue; we should not expect the lawyers to simply fail to raise the argument."
And if the lawyers compared/mentioned beastility and necrophilia in the brief...that would be ok....cause the lawyers are ""just doing their job""?
kb@keithboykin.com
The language merely reinforced the language coming from the hate groups. They are absolutely giddy that Obama agrees with them and they are already using his words to ramp up their attacks on us. They are pumped.
Also, why would the Bush holdovers resign? They are being allowed to work their "magic." They may take some shit, but it they can promote the fascist agenda, why would they resign?
Meanwhile, the Democrats are deserting us in droves. When Barney Frank stabs us in the back, you know we're screwed inside the beltway. And this after the gay community defended the shit out of him during his hustler scandal.
The change for all of this is going to have to be forced by the folks OFF the hill, not brought by the folks ON the hill... which is why the brief will be effective in making the change happen sooner rather than later.
Do you think folks would be dropping out of a major fundraiser and fired up for CHANGING IT NOW if the brief was a mealymouthed defense of DOMA, or would the urge to "wait a bit, and give 'em a bit more time" be the response?
Not that the DOMA language wasn't and still remains revolting...And not that winger Senators can keep their 'little senators' trousered....But, I remain confused over just why, beyond the legalities of full equality, we want to emulate aspects of blinkered str8 society???
My partner and I have you beat by a year...Unlike your Fed employee partner with, I assume, health insurance, mine had both intense personal issues and zero health coverage.
Even if we disagreed and were different, which we are not by much, your misunderstand as opposed to slash and burn approach wouldn't win many converts.
I fully agree our society is moving in a direction to our liking and that Washington is still mired in the old alpha male goo but I disagree with your characterization of rights and who exactly fought for them (both str8 and gay).
The gay movement has advanced partly due to our own fabulous selves but also due to the fact that large chunks of str8 society saw parallels to other historic struggles and, quite simply, recognized the prejudice and unfairness that hobbled some of their own family, friends and selves.
Your unfounded assumptions about rights “taken for granted” is an aspect of a slash and burn approach.
GREAT. Now why is the president of the US Senate still attending?...
Hit them with letters and phone calls telling them that this is the line in the stand - they're either with us or against us.
Have we established that Bush moles in DOJ are largely responsible for authoring the DOMA brief? While we may have focused on US Attorneys at DOJ who were refused jobs because of their political beliefs, there were any number who employed because they held certain beliefs. Do we know who these people are? Is the administration not ferreting them out because they don't want to be accused of the inverse Bush litmus test?
Just like with the SCOTUS appointments, was the insidious nature of the DOJ hiring by Bush intended to create this dogmatically anti-gay/-progressive output from US Attorneys for years to come??
The buck doesn't stop at Jr. attorneys, it stops at Obama's desk. Don't fool yourself that he's not playing your community for political gain.
Bruce Bastion is the man!
Beyond that, we have an external marketing challenge in framing our rightful claim. Now we have two rhetorical enemies: the Democratic Party, who may be making an intentional, craven move to foment internal discord with the gays; and the right-wing pols and pundits who are happy to latch on to the theme that was unfortunately woven into the DOJ brief.
What's the move-after-next?
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/17/743...
Perhaps someone has already suggested it, but... we should start planning NOW for large scale protests across the country IF the DOJ comes out in support of DOMA (as they did in the CA case last week).
You know this brief has already been written. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the White House to see what they're doing about this.
"Because Obama seems to be backtracking on the promises he made to the LGBT community, and the Democrats have not done much of anything either, we are asking that you not attend this fund raising event. We are using this a leverage to motivate Obama and the Democrats to action on our issues."
Or did we just hurl the shrill "Obama says our relationships are the equal to incest" bomb at attendees? (Just to clarify, I agree with John that the incest comparison was awful. And I have called Obama a homophobe).
Calling anyone who attends the DNC fund raiser a 'turncoat' is creating enemies out of friends. It is the binary Bush-think disease: If it isn't black, it must be white.
Not One Nickel - obviously I agree. Calling our friends enemies? I don't agree. I disagreed with Barney Frank AND John about the Transgender/ENDA issue. Do I think that because of this one issue John and Barney are my enemies? Nope. When I was a student, I learned that I could screw-up 10% of the time and still get an A grade.
http://www.notonenickel.blogspot.com/
You would stay friends with people like that that proclaimed your equality was subject to discussion and denial?
Would you express how "disappointed" you were, but still go to a party they invited you to as long as you agreed that your partner was just "your friend" for the evening?
Same mentality. Kicked puppy indeed.
I pulled my head out of the sand long ago, let us know when you manage.
Death to anyone who doesn't agree with the way you think we need to fight for our rights because they are BETRAYERS and OUR ENEMIES.
So we're hysterical, shrill, and now communists because we don't agree with you.
You're such an infant.
I suggest that you grow a pair.
Again, though, I personally would not attend or donate at this time and I let Andy know that.
However, and with all due respect to Joe, whose reporting all week has energized so many, and to those in our community who've had enough, it does us no good to spend any time flaming our own folks and calling them "turncoats." If some people feel the need to still go in and sit at a table with people who are doing nothing to protect their rights and feel that is the best way to advocate for change, then that's their choice and I am wasting NO time dishing them. I think they're very mistaken but all the ones I know are good people who dedicate their lives and money to helping. And yeah---if the same thing happened with the Jewish community there'd still be well-intentioned folks who would pay to go. Let's keep the flamethrowers focused on our enemies, so they stop laughing at us while we waste time fighting with our own folks.
Please come to protest. If you're already coming, please say hello!