Petrelis Files

HRC Performs Valuable CA

Organizing for Gays - Not!

Today marks nine weeks since the November 4 election and the passage of Prop 8, because of truly lousy strategies and leadership from the Human Rights Campaign, which was an early and integral partner with Equality California, and the lack of genuine accountability from HRC is as real as WMDs in Iraq.

HRC has failed to hold a single town hall or open public political discussion in California, but its national field director, Marty Rouse, who held a seat on the Prop 8 executive committee and spent months living here advising the campaign, has appeared at open meetings in New York City and Washington.

When Rouse appeared at the gay blogger summit in DC in early December, he raised the ire of many activists when he said he had gleaned no new wisdom since the voters approved Prop 8, and rejected HRC/EQCA strategies. Alex Blaze over at Bilerico.com provided Rouse's full quote. Click here to read Blaze's report, and the angry comments directed at HRC:

I did want to highlight a quotation from Marty Rouse of the HRC. When Joe Sudby asked each person on the panel what lesson they learned, Rouse said that since he's been working in politics for 20 years, so "There aren't many lessons for me to learn."

With the holidays over and a new year beginning, I cruised over to the California page of HRC's site, to learn what wonderful events it has planned to mobilize, empower and motivate political action from the local gays to win back gay marriage equality. Standard stuff. Monthly town halls, quarterly training sessions on how to lobby, visibility actions and dialogues with straight religious and political leaders. Forget about expecting a miracle from HRC.

They're putting on their first bowling tournament:

Join the San Diego HRC at the Kearny Mesa Bowl for our first annual HRC Bowling Event! Saturday February 28 at 1:30 pm.

Come alone or grab four friends to create a team and compete against other teams for various prizes. You don't have to be good — you just have to have FUN! Prizes for Best Score, Worst Score, Most Gutter-Balls and many others.

Become a Lane Captain, a volunteer or just come and participate — everyone will have a good time.

I guess a Lane Caption is just like a Table Captain, and plays a vital role in securing federal gay legislation passing this year. Speaking of worst score, how's HRC doing achieving actual improved equal legal protections for us?

To be as fair as I can, let me point out that HRC is also hosting a Talking' Q Politics boozer in a fancy LA hangout fro A-gays:

Come learn what the new Obama Administration means for the fight for full LGBT Equality.

Our thanks to our sponsor for the venue, who will also be providing complimentary appetizers:

East West Lounge
DATE:
1/27/2009
Event from 6:30 to 9 pm
Drink Specials Until 7:30

Much will be accomplished over the loud music, drink order shouted at bartenders, and the luckiest of the attendees will get laid later in the evening.

And coming up before that crucial HRC talk is the very important party and screening for the final season premiere of the "L Word":

Join us for the Season 6 Series Finale Premiere & After Party

Sunday, January 18, 2009

You’re invited to join the Human Rights Campaign and Showtime as we celebrate the Season 6 premiere of The L Word! RSVP now for the hottest women’s event of the year. This is one event you don’t want to miss and we expect to reach capacity so RSVP today!

But what about other HRC events to move us forward in our political struggle, in the spring? Not to worry. March is when it's time for the annual dinner, with the latest minor celebrity to step out of her oh-so-transparent closet tending to advancing her career and entertaining HRC big donors:

Welcome to the Los Angeles Steering Committee

Wanda Sykes is confirmed as the MC and Performer at the 2009 HRC L.A. Hero Awards Dinner, 14 March 2009. Tickets are available now.

Let's not overlook the HRC "L Word" watch parties in Orange County and Palm Springs, the only upcoming events for that region.

In San Jose, the local HRC chapter is holding a fun-filled night at fancy bar:

Date:
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - 6:00pm

Location:
Paragon Restaurant and Bar inside Hotel Mongomery, 11 South First Street, San Jose CA 95113
Join us for our monthly Third Tuesday South Bay event. We will be have a guest speaker for the evening. Join us for drinks, appetizers, and great networking with other LGBT community members and allies ...

What about my hometown of San Francisco? What does HRC have in store for my local community to plug into actualizing HRC's agenda in the state and DC? Another "L Word" watch party.

THE L Word -- Season 6 FINAL Premiere Event - San Francisco
Date:
Sunday, January 18, 2009 - 9:00pm
Location:
The LookOut, 3600 16th St.,San Francisco, CA 94114

If there's a honest to goodness political meeting, town hall, forum, debate, something other than a night in a bar or bowling alley or ballroom, being held by HRC in California related to Prop 8 or any other serious topic, I couldn't locate evidence of it.

HRC = Worst. Civil Rights Group. Ever.