Petrelis Files

The Human Rights Campaign is running a full-page black and white ad in this week's Bay Area Reporter. As is their habit, HRC singles out Congressional Republicans, three of them, as homophobic extremists who must be demonized. For sheer tokenism, the ad cites one minor Democratic member of the House in league with the trio of GOP devils.

I don't have a problem with HRC spending money to criticize GOP leaders, and the occasional Democrat, for idiotic comments and maneuvers against queers. But what does irk me about HRC's BAR ad is that it asked San Franciscans to join the group to take on the men in the ad, and none is from either the San Francisco Bay Area or California.

First of all, HRC doesn't bother to explain how voters who don't live in the states or districts of these politicians will somehow have influence over them. Does HRC truly believe a GOP Senator from Oklahoma or South Carolina will pay any attention to letters or pleas from queers in the Castro? If they do, can HRC produce evidence that it last year persuaded any extremist in Congress to change because queers from San Francisco lobbied him or her? I'd love for the group to educate me about their effectiveness through such campaigns.

Second, why is Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat from California, omitted from HRC's ad? Perhaps our national lobbying group has forgotten Feinstein's comments against marriage equality for queers, basically blaming us and our issues for the reelection of George Bush, days after he won a second four years. She felt marriage equality was an issue that was horribly too much, too fast, too soon for America. Many gay Democrats across the state viewed her statement as extremist and harbor ill feelings towards her, even threatening to withhold money and votes when she's up for reelection.

Third, I wish HRC would simply come of the Democrat Party closet and once and for all declare their true identity. HRC is a Democratic organization of people who also identify as gay and lesbian. This latest ad is another thinly veiled piece of partisan propaganda masquerading as gay advocacy for all of us. HRC would do itself a great favor, something that may also benefit the larger community, in dropping their pretense of being bipartisan. If there were truth in advertising required of HRC propaganda, the following would always appear in the copy. "The Human Rights Campaign is the largest Democratic national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the county."

Finally, the ad isn't touted anywhere on HRC's web site, which I find odd since whenever they launch an educational or outreach effort like the ad, a news release is circulated and posted on their site. Not this time.

Here's the full text and description of the HRC ad.

^^^


TAKE THEM ON!

"If a person wants to be publicly gay, they should be teaching in the public schools."

- Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
The Post and Courier
October 4, 2004

"Marriage has traditionally been between a man and a woman ... We don't need a few judges trying to redefine marriage."

-Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC)
The Robesonian
March 3, 2004

"If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything."

-Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Associated Press
April 22, 2003

"Lesbianism is so rampant in some of the schools in southeast Oklahoma that they'll only let one girl go to the bathroom. Now think about it. Think about that issue. How is it that that's happened to us?"

-Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
Associated Press
October 11, 2004

[Next to each quote is a washed out b/w photo of the politician.]

The anti-LGBT extremists are only getting more aggressive. And so is the Human Rights Campaign. Like never before, we're going to take them on in the media, in the courts, in the states and in Washington, DC. Don't let discrimination be the last word.

We are ready. Are you? Join us.

Working for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equal rights.

202/628-4160

www.hrc.org

Human Rights Campaign