Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Why is it hard for HRC to play tough with Obama?
I’m confused. Earlier in the week the Human Rights Campaign took President Barack Obama’s Justice Department to task for its dreadful defense of DOMA. Sure Joe Solmonese’s letter was slightly annoying but it hit most of the right notes. Yesterday after Obama signed a presidential memorandum that gave a few partner benefits—not health insurance—-to gay and lesbian federal employees, here is the tune the HRC decided to sing:
“We commend President Obama and his administration for taking this action to provide some basic benefits for same-sex partners of federal employees and his endorsement of legislation that would provide domestic partner health benefits.”
A rather timid response considering you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is pleased with what happened yesterday (heck the White House had a difficult time explaining the directive to reporters). And if meek was the way HRC wanted to go, why not at least say this “first step” does not remove the bad taste from the Justice Department’s DOMA justification.
Well I guess I shouldn’t be too cranky with HRC this morning. At least the organization didn’t do a Barney Frank and actually defend the White House and DOMA. Yeah you read right, the gay congressman from Massachusetts, actually thinks the Justice Department in its brief “made a conscientious and largely successful effort to avoid inappropriate rhetoric.” Yeah that riff about incest was so spot on (for any slow readers: that line is ironic).
While I’m on the topic of slow readers here is a private message to two “special fans”: yes I know I’m racist. I only go after white folk and never have said anything negative about blacks. As in never. To my other “special needs” buddy, presently I’m reading Details to upgrade my sartorial choices.
Another riveting observation!
We can all smell a Pulitzer in the wings!
Wear your hoodie Withers.
Clearly Withers and most of the posters on this topic did not see the live interview with Solmonese last night which is not remotely close to much of this drivel.
What a riveting article!!!
Can everyone smell a pulitzer in the wings for Withers.
Perhaps he will don a blue hoodie to accept it.
Of course HRC is spineless about Obama. I stopped renewing my membership and had to ask to be removed from their phone list long ago. This is their candidate–selected prematurely IMHO. A rush to judgment about Hillary forces them to defend the weaker candidate then and now! The man gives pre-election lip service–that’s all we got and all we can expect.
Joe is great at commenting on passionate items in such as calm manner. I admire that. Yes, I’m sure we would all like to start yelling and demanding our civil rights, but that’s more for the street protests versus the political offices. Which, by the way, start the yelling and screaming inside a political (or business office) and see how long you get to stay in there. I, as many others, frequently feel that the HRC is too laid back in many areas. Although they are the largest, they do not do it all. Other groups, such as the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force come into play with more on the ground and door to door efforts.
I think we look to the HRC to organize all of our communities interests and activities, and that is not what they are about. They are one of many groups with a particular focus.
Its tempting to want to “light a fire under his ass” to get some action, but ya have to realize, they’re not he only group out there.
HRC is so dead to me. I stopped donating last year. I only give money to Lambda Legal now. HRC hasn’t really don’t anything significant in years. They take credit for a lot of things they have little to do with. I think they need a change of management.
I’d like to see analysis of Frank’s comments. In his press release he defends the Obama administration in a fairly convoluted way, yes, but he also doesn’t mince words on DOMA. Frank’s been around long enough to know how things work and my gut says to trust him on this. There’s action going on behind the scenes and while it’s frustrating, we’ll probably never be privy to it. That said, we need to do OUR part and keep the pressure on the White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
One more thing: DO NOT SIT BACK AND LET HRC SPEAK FOR YOU. I have yet to see conclusive proof that they’re any good at it. Talk shows, maybe, but dealing with politicians…? Your personal action is 10x more effective than the action of any lobbyist organization. A movement of the people is what will get attention.
The HRC is like the NAACP and Urban League were in the Fifties. Respectable and bourgeois (what a great word!), and neither of those were especially good at stopping a full-pressure firehose from knocking down people singing “We Shall Overcome.” By 1964, it was Lyndon Johnson’s ego and MLK’s influence that combined to pass the Civil Rights Act. Which turned out to be lacking teeth. Which led to LA, Cleveland, Detroit and Newark catching fire. Which led to Black Power, and that segment of Black America who were tired of being nice and believing promises. It was black militants who forced the issue. Pretty words don’t stop literacy tests at the voting station. Pretty words don’t stop an employer from always picking somebody white over you, even though you’re better skilled. Pretty words don’t force a school to treat a bright student with black skin the same as a bright student with white skin. Each of those “petty” indignities became rage-inducing.
There’s a whole spectrum of players who seem to think that gays would never react with rage or violence. At least Gavin Newsom gives us that much credit (Prop 8 decision on anniversary of White Night Riots). Disenfranchised people have a tendency to get angry. If Black America hadn’t shown a willingness to riot and destroy, then don’t think for a minute that there wouldn’t be Democrats perpetuating the racist status quo. As for the GOP apologists who show up here, let’s recall that the GOP built its electoral success of the last 30 years on racist, xenophobic, semi-literate and religiously-prejudiced voters who couldn’t abide blacks being equal under the law.
So that’s my opinion. The HRC is about pretending to achieve change from the inside, when the truth for a lesbian couple in Arkansas is that the HRC is a co-opted enemy potentially even more dangerous than Mike Huckabee. This isn’t a time for nice. It’s becoming a time to settle accounts. The HRC, the DNC, the Democratic Party and Barack Obama all owe us, and we’re not interested in any more IOUs. Pay up, bitches.
I am very disappointed with the president on gay rights issues as well as ending the wars. I am also disappointed in the HRC for its tepid response to the lack of any progress from our democratic party. All I can do is hold on to my money and use my vote more wisely. Would I vote for a Sarah Palin over Obama? No but I will vote for a third party. I don’t think we’d be any worse off if McCain had been elected, same thing. I’m over blindly voting for the democrats unless I see action from them individually. I don’t see Barbara Boxer pushing for gay rights legislation ant therefore she will not get my money or vote. I’m a fag, not a pansy.
Withers,
When I saw Somonese light up light a star struck kid when he spoke of his discussion with Obama that told me all I needed to know. Play the video and check it out.
Joe can not play hardball in that kind of situation. The charm offensive by Obama makes Joe an easy mark. Too bad but he will be ineffective in his current state. I would rather put my money on Mike Rogers.
The HRC are “lobbyists”, not “activists”. The time is long past when they were prepared to fight hard and loud for the cause of LGBT rights. Instead nowadays they’re all about having “connections”, getting invited to the right DC society functions and networking.
It’s just a career for them, and like many people in the same business (and lobbying is a business) they’re mostly thinking in career terms.
Solomonese is scared that if he gets too nasty with Obama then he won’t get invited to events at the White House anymore. The lack of effort, indeed the almost subtle anti-gay undercurrent of the Obama Administration, is less important than access. After all, career opportunities abound for those willing to play the political game.
I’m not sure who I am more disgusted with right now, Obama the talking head or Solomonese, Obama’s cooing Yes man.
Obama’s LAME gesture is as worthless as his words are and, apparently, so is HRC.
We quit our HRC membership back in the Bush-era when they sent out their enews that they were backing W.’s plan to privatize Social Security. (yes, that’s fact. look it up)
I’ll repeat – I miss Elizabeth Birch.
HRC’s contribution to the LGBTQ’s?
Cute T-shirts and bumper stickers.
I have never understood why the HRC is held in such high regard by the GLBT Community. It must be because they have somehow managed to stay there for so long. But in my opinion they are a really bad joke. I have absolutely no respect for them. Year after year they have kissed the asses of homophobic Democrats and jumped up and down at being fed a couple of crumbs off the table – second hand crumbs at that. Their kowtowing to the elite is a disgrace, and to my mind, have caused us a lot more harm than good. They really make me sick. I wish we could get rid of them. Decade after decade they have been a walking embarrassment. I would go farther than Withers: I do not understand why anyone takes this ridiculous organization seriously. I really wish we could get rid of them.
The HRC is getting exactly what it deserves for supporting this pro-apartheid candidate.