Signorile on HRC

[Brian_Expat]

As usual, Michelangelo nails it.

AT FIRST THOUGHT, it's difficult to understand how the Human Rights Campaign, the Washington DC-based gay group that employs slick and high-powered lobbyists, could stumble into the p.r. disaster it did in recent weeks. It only becomes plausible when you remind yourself that those who live on Planet Beltway often don't have a clue about what's happening back on Earth.

Soon after John Kerry's defeat, news leaked and spread via the gay blogs that HRC was axing its executive director, Cheryl Jacques, the former state senator who hailed from the bluest of the blue states and had been at HRC for less than a year. The group's board was sending her packing back to Massachusetts; the reasons cited were Jacques' supposed stridency—signing off on bumper stickers that said, "George Bush, You're Fired!"—and her post-election refusal to bend on the issue of marriage rights.

. . . snip. . .

Soon Jacques' friends and colleagues were telling the Boston Globe that HRC had indeed fired her because she refused to back down on marriage. One of her defenders is the former Massachusetts attorney general, Scott Harshbarger, who is also a former president and CEO of Common Cause in Washington. In an interview, he said that to those outside the Beltway, HRC's approach looks naive and self-defeating.

"But inside the Beltway," he said, "this is the entire problem. This is the problem that John McCain exposed four years ago when he ran for president to the shock and surprise of so many people inside the Beltway. It's why the Democrats were shocked by Howard Dean, because there is an inside-the-Beltway mentality in terms of being incremental, being so pragmatic and compromis, as opposed to being willing to confront issues and try to deal with them head-on. You might lose, but at least you make a case and fight them another day."

HRC is not your friend.

The whole article is worth a read and is at http://www.nypress.com/print.cfm?content_id=11796

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. From my experience...

Beltway pinheads need to be sent to live in the real world, 6 months a year. How they organize getting out of bed in the morning is an amazement.

And yes, I know of what I speak. Oh yes I do.

I will tell you this: Anyone from an inside the beltway organization ever asks me to do anything for them again, I am running the other way. I would rather eat worms. Buncha crazy people.

[Maat]

2. I hear you, Tandalayo.

And, O.P.(Original-Poster), thanks for the link. Another great column by Mr. Signorile.

I think that he is a very skilled writer.

I wanted to show my GLBTQ friends support after this past disgusting election, so I joined the HRC. I did it, in part, because I felt that Ms. Jacques was such a skilled spokesperson, leader, and example of a great American (who stands proudly by her principles). Now, I'm sorry I did. But that's O.K. I gave the minimum initially, like I do for every organization ... because I give them a year (any org) to see how things go down. Glad I learned quickly.

Now, I can try another one - looks like it is going to be the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. At least they seem to stand proudly by THEIR principles.

Or, maybe, I'll see what GLBTQ DUers recommend! I wanted to donate to an effective lobbying group. I want to support PFLAG too, but they are not so much a lobbying group. Oh well, I'll see what is recommended here.

[Duncan Grant]

3. Just the other day - I was arguing about this right here at DU .

Thanks for posting Brian, I enjoyed reading that. Loved the part about the NGLTF (http://www.thetaskforce.org/) letter to congress in response to the NYT HRC article.

I'm still waiting for someone to stumble into this thread and refute Signorile - and that's all I have to say about that! :evilgrin: