Petrelis Files

HRC's Thin-Skinned Solmonese is Pissing Mad at Chris Crain

The former editor of the Washington Blade, Chris Crain, a man who does not tolerate the foolish leaders of the Human Rights Campaign or their lack of political accomplishments in Congress for gays, penned an opinion column for San Francisco's Bay Times earlier this month in response to an ad during the Super Bowl, one that angered HRC.

Crain opined:

The Human Rights Campaign was quick to condemn the ads, although they ought to be busy protecting our interests on Pennsylvania Avenue, not Madison Avenue.

HRC chief Joe Solmonese was characteristically patronizing, chastising Mars for not “knowing better.”

“If they have any questions about why the ad isn’t funny,” finger-wags Solmonese, “we can help put them in touch with any number of GLBT Americans who have suffered hate crimes.”

Well I, for one, am a gay American who suffered a broken nose and two black eyes for holding my boyfriend’s hand in the street. If that somehow qualifies me to speak, then let me say I am much less disturbed by Snickers’ goofy ad than by the gross overreaction of our overly earnest activists.

Now, a few week later, Solmonese has written a reply to Crain, appearing in today's Bay Times:

While I fail to understand it, I’m beginning to view his fascination with me almost as a badge of honor. In his most recent article, “No Snickers for Snickers” Bay Times, Feb. 8, 2007), Chris Crain, once again, misses the bigger picture. [...] Chris would be more credible if he commented on the facts rather than contorting them to suit his clear manic biases. [...]

He writes that HRC, “ought to be busy protecting our interests on Pennsylvania Avenue, not Madison Avenue.” Unfortunately, it is this “criticize for the sake of criticizing” mentality that shadows way too many of his columns. Does he not understand that our work to change hearts and minds in America is connected both politically and culturally? [...]

If Chris would stick to the facts, and not his personal motives, then his columns might be read with a little more credibility.

Giving Chris Crain a platform to spout his misguided rhetoric sets back the work of the entire movement. Criticism is fair game, but blatant misinformation causes disillusionment among members of our community and that isn’t just bad for HRC, it’s bad for all of us.

Hey Thin-Skinned Solmonese, printing a reasonable column from Crain that justifiably takes you and your increasing politically irrelevant organization, except to Democratic Party bosses who appreciate HRC lapdog status for Democrats, to task does NOT set back the whole gay community.

In case no one has explained this to you yet, Joe, HRC does not equal the movement and I see nothing in Crain's writing that is cause for disillusion.

Frankly, as someone who read many of the critical articles and editorials that appeared in the Blade when Crain was the editor, I believe he and his bias, if you can call it that, was to demand better of HRC and more achievements out of the millions of dollars the group raises annually, supposedly to advance gay equality in Congress.

The problem, as I see it, is that HRC and Solmonese believe they are above reproach and any criticism leveled against them is tantamount to betrayal, which is simply not the case.

Here are few recommendations for Solmonese and HRC: Start dealing honestly with the mounting valid complaints against your operations, develop a thicker skin and stop equating HRC as the entire movement.