Silence of the Lame: Gay IncMute on Obama, WH Zaps
Why am I so critical of the Gay Inc orgs GLAAD, HRC and NGLTF, other than the usual reasons of they have miserably failed to deliver much-promised change and fierce advocacy?
It is for things like their silence today over the courageous disruption of activists from the GetEqual org last night demanding President Obama spend some political capital repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell.
Click here to check out LA reporter and blogger Karen Ocamb's comprehensive coverage, with lots of text, some pics and vids, of the action.
Then there is the same silence from the orgs regarding the arrest today of six gay military personnel, both veteran and current active, at the fence of the White House. Click here for some mainstream news coverage, and here for blogosphere coverage.
Here we have two glorious activist zaps, on both coasts, pushing the envelope to have our supposed fierce advocate and friend in the White House make good on his various promises to our community, made when he was campaigning for the Oval Office, and neitherGLAAD, HRC nor NGLTF can be bothered to issue statements on the action. Yet not a single word, as of 3:30 pm SF time as I write this, from GLAAD, HRC, or NGLTF on their respective web sites about zaps.
However, all three orgs today distributed statements mourning the death of African American pioneer and civil rights and women's advocate Dorothy Height, who also supported the gay rights struggle for equality. Check out the releases from GLAAD, HRC, and NGLTF noting the passing of Height.
I think it's great the Gay Inc orgs recognize the importance of Height's tremendous advocacy work for all Americans, but is it asking too much of the orgs to also be able to make statements on the same day about the importance of the advocacy of today, being carried out by gays?
It's inexcusable that these orgs are silent about the GetEqual zaps against Obama in Los Angeles and arrests at the White House.
6 comments:
Thank you, Michael.
Gay, Inc. puts its relationship to the Democratic party before service to the LGBTQ liberation agenda. In-your-face direct action can upset the smooth operation of horse trading and career advancement for the Beltway Boys and Girls. Angry liberals might not help pay-off the HRC mortgage if HRC embarassed the Democratic leadership. Yeah, this is the same leadership including Obama that plans to do zilch on our issues both before and after the election. Unless forced to do something under threat of continued harassment and boycott of their precious election.
You're learning what black, women's etc. groups have learned the hard way-- it's a one way street. You give 100% of your support to the Democratic party and keep silent when they fail you, and in return they support your agenda 50% of the time, or 30%, or 10%. But don't ever think that you might strategically support the other side once in a while-- they're evil! Only the guy who stabbed you in the back is your friend!
Zaps? What is a zap? Is that a new term in the gay community?
I too have been disappointed repeatedly by HRC and NGLTF and their partisan advocacy. Both are liberal organizations that happen to have some gay issues and frequently get involved in issues that are of no real concerns to the gay person who is apolitical. However, I do want to point out that GLAAD does not fit this description, they almost always stick to working towards positive portrayals of gays, especially in the media such as television and movies. For them to highlight someone for gay support is quite consistent with their mission. I just wanted to point out that GLAAD is about the only gay advocacy organization that I have been able to locate that is mostly non-political (and to note that I am not affiliated with any of the organizations listed in the article, left or right side and I found this via Glenn Reynolds).
We need your honesty for our community. The more we lie to ourselves, the more we lose our standing in this society. Being a Democrat does not dismiss one's bigotry, President Obama.
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