Bill Browning writes on the Huffington Post that the left’s “One Nation” march on Washington included LGBT progressives groups such as GetEqual, Human Rights Campaign, Stonewall Democrats and others. But, Browning relates, in an email to him Lt Dan Choi of GetEqual reported on the reception the group got as they carried signs with the faces of six LGBT youth who recently died by suicide:
We attended the “One Nation” progressive march on Washington today and were met with mixed reactions by “progressives.” All we intended was to bring visibility to the recent gay suicides. Some remarked: “Yeah…If y’all just stop killing yourselves, and turn to God…” and “You guys are stupid.”
Asks Browning:
Why wasn’t the LGBT community front and center as part of the progressive community? Because, as we’ve seen with the current crop of “progressive” leadership—both inside and outside of the administration—our rights are not a priority for our friends and natural allies. We are the group that is always the easiest to lop off when the going gets tough—when people start to feel “uncomfortable.” We are the group that gets “support” if we’ll promise to keep our mouths shut…
LGBT organizations that purport to represent us and our issues signed on to this march to increase our visibility and support among progressives—even though some of these same orgs refused to even add their name to a list of orgs supporting the National Equality March. I hope they’re satisfied with the results they got.
As long as progressive LGBT “leaders” view themselves as Democratic party operatives first and foremost, that’s not going to change.
More. How “liberal litterbugs” trashed the Mall. Blogs Jenny Erikson:
What a sad day. The left can’t get people to an event without bussing them in and making sure their bosses cross their names off the list. The left can’t make their own signs, they have to be handed flashy manufactured ones. The left can’t even get people to respect the National Mall, a place that deserves reverence. The left can’t get a group of people that claim to care about the environment to, you know, actually care about the environment.
I overheard one of the attendees talking to a park ranger. “I just don’t understand,” he said, “Why is there so much trash? I heard there wasn’t any at that Beck rally … How did they do it?”
21 Comments for “Sorry, But the Left Doesn’t Love You”
posted by Jorge on
Yeah, I agree. I saw a flier advertising that on the union board in my job, and I’m like that’s not going to get any attention. I think we get more attention when we act on our own instead of acting with the rest of the progressive coalition. I am so happy with the gay rights march on Washington, with the Obama hecklers, mad props to Lady Gaga, I’m not so thrilled with Lt. Choi chaining himself to the White House. Question: why is GOProud any different than these deluded establishment gays?
My other thought upon seeing the flier was: spend money on social services rather than on war? Hell no! We do that, and China becomes the superpower and a more evil empire than ourselves controls–continue along that vein for five minutes, and I have successfully hijacked not their anti-war position, but their “UNITY” call, for I have created division. My other question: how does the Tea Party movement avoid this problem?
posted by BobN on
Meh, I don’t need their love. I just need their votes.
I suppose Miller doesn’t understand that as his party gives him neither love nor votes.
posted by Jorge on
Meh, I don’t need their love. I just need their votes.
You are satisfied with the timing of the vote toward repealing Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell?
posted by BobN on
You are satisfied with the timing of the vote toward repealing Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell?
I would have preferred that everyone follow Obama’s schedule and hold the vote when the Pentagon report comes out.
The plan would have allowed some GOP pols to show their love. They may still do so when the vote comes up again. We’ll see.
posted by Jorge on
I would have preferred that everyone follow Obama’s schedule and hold the vote when the Pentagon report comes out.
I think if everyone had followed Obama’s schedule from the first place, we wouldn’t have even gotten as far as a Pentagon report.
posted by BobN on
I think if everyone had followed Obama’s schedule from the first place, we wouldn’t have even gotten as far as a Pentagon report.
He ordered the damn thing as his first concrete act towards repeal six days after the State of the Union address.
You’re just being childishly partisan.
posted by Jorge on
He ordered the damn thing as his first concrete act towards repeal six days after the State of the Union address.
You’re just being childishly partisan.
Look, if you’re satisfied with Obama on this issue, I respect that; that’s why I ask. I am not, and while my position is critiquable your dismissal of it is insulting. My reasons are rational, not childish, nor are they partisan. They are focused entirely on President Obama’s job performance.
You are bringing up the 2010 State of the Union address, BobN. Obama was inaugurated in 2009 after making some major pro-gay campaign promises, among them repealling Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. After almost two years, President Obama has failed to make it happen. It is not childish to evaluate his performance and the reasons for his failure. The president did nothing toward repealing DA/DT for a full year until gay rights activists demanded action; I believe the relevant march on Washington (which I attended) was around October 2009. Why did the President do nothing for a full year?
I believe the biggest factor in President Obama’s failure to repeal DA/DT is that he believed he would be able to do so during the latter half of his term. He focused on other major and minor priorities. As President Obama’s handling of the economy and health reform proved to be very unpopular, it became apparent that we may not have a passable Democratic majority for Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell. So I personally think Obama made a bad political calculation. Unacceptable.
posted by BobN on
your dismissal of it is insulting
I dismissed your silly statement about the Pentagon review. It made no sense, as Obama ordered the review.
If you want to make the case that Obama should have started earlier, fine. I happen to think trying to save the economy was more important. I also believe that healthcare is more important to the tens of millions of Americans who don’t have any.
I also recall what happened to a certain Democratic President who made gay rights his very first fight with the GOP. Remember how that turned out?
Obama has stated why and how he is going to fight for our rights. IN THE CONGRESS, hopefully with bipartisan support (the bipartisan part is where folks like Miller are supposed to be HELPING by moving the GOP). Obama believes it is critical that gay rights advance as much as possible as a national consensus, not a goddamned hockey puck to be shot back and forth in a culture war the GOP needs to survive.
posted by Jorge on
I dismissed your silly statement about the Pentagon review. It made no sense, as Obama ordered the review.
Of course he did. He was in imminent danger of a revolt by his gay base. There is nothing silly about realizing that.
If you want to make the case that Obama should have started earlier, fine.
I’m not just making the case. I am making the case that you need to take it into account. Still, this is a good discussion on its own.
What happened to Clinton at the beginning of his term has happened to Obama at the end of the mid-term. I think Obama started his presidency with enough bipartisan goodwill to make some reasonable inroads on DA/DT in Congress, if slowly. No need to wait until it became an election year issue.
I don’t fault Obama for focusing on health care reform and the economy first, even though I have my disagreements with him on both. But I do fault him for focusing on Guantamo Bay, civilian trials for terrorists, cap and trade, and (admittedly later) SB 1070. I do fault his administration spending the energy to stop prosecuting medical marijuana cases and voting rights abuses committed by the New Black Panther Party. I do fault him for the sweetheart deal on union health care plans. The Obama adminstration has spent politial capital for ACLU liberals, environmentalists, Hispanics, blacks, and unions, all earlier or more significantly than for gays. In any “UNITY” coalition of progessives, gays always come dead friggin’ last.
Come on, don’t you wish things were a little better for us?
posted by North Dallas Thirty on
I believe the biggest factor in President Obama’s failure to repeal DA/DT is that he believed he would be able to do so during the latter half of his term.
And I believe it’s because he knew that gays and lesbians would never hold him accountable for anything he did because of a) his skin color, b) his political affiliation, and c) their irrational hatred and bigotry towards Republicans.
The Obama adminstration has spent politial capital for ACLU liberals, environmentalists, Hispanics, blacks, and unions, all earlier or more significantly than for gays. In any “UNITY” coalition of progessives, gays always come dead friggin’ last.
That would be because those groups outnumber gays and have shown a willingness to break ranks and not only oppose Obama, but go with Republicans on topics that are important to them.
Gays and lesbians are a tiny minority that swears absolute fealty to the Obama Party under every circumstance and sets out to destroy any group of or individual gays and lesbians who would break off and go with the Republicans.
Why on earth would either side support them? It doesn’t make a bit of difference in their behavior.
posted by Jorge on
That would be because those groups outnumber gays
True.
…and have shown a willingness to break ranks and not only oppose Obama, but go with Republicans on topics that are important to them.
Bull. At best, they’re the tail wagging the dog.
posted by North Dallas Thirty on
Bull. At best, they’re the tail wagging the dog.
Mmm, not quite.
Hispanics are a great example, Jorge. Look at Marco Rubio, look at Susana Martinez, and Brian Sandoval, just to name a few.
This is why the Obama Party is screaming that they’re not really Hispanic — it wants to reinforce that Hispanics only vote Obama, and those who don’t must be destroyed.
posted by BobN on
I do fault his administration spending the energy to stop prosecuting medical marijuana cases and voting rights abuses committed by the New Black Panther Party.
Ignoring the fact that the decision to terminate the investigation into the NBPP was made under the Bush AG, let’s just look at those two examples. You really think that the repeal of DADT and other gay-related issues are so easily accomplished as a decision to stop a prosecution?
Really?
posted by Jorge on
Hispanics are a great example, Jorge
They may also be the only example of a Democratic constituency that swings. Even there, some are saying that it’s more likely Hispanics will stay home than vote Republican. The only other one that I might concede is union members–however the union interest groups are still very loyal.
Ignoring the fact that the decision to terminate the investigation into the NBPP was made under the Bush AG, let’s just look at those two examples.
No, we’re looking at all of them at once. This is a pattern of the Obama administration putting other discretionary interests ahead of the gay community’s interests, fighting easy, difficult, and suicidal battles before getting to us, time after time, until some of us said enough. If you have an explanation for this pattern that exonerates Obama, I have yet to hear it.
You really think that the repeal of DADT and other gay-related issues are so easily accomplished as a decision to stop a prosecution?
It would would have been just as easy to get the ball rolling, start talking to senators and military people, give a couple of speeches to build the momentum and test the waters. This process did not even begin until October 2009, at earliest, after the Obama administration spent political capital–paying sacrifices in clout and popularity in the name of ideology–on the range of minor issues I have just highlighted.
posted by BobN on
on the range of minor issues I have just highlighted
Thanks for acknowledging that they were minor issues. But why are you ignoring the several gay-related “minor issues” that the Obama administration has acted on? The HIV travel ban for instance.
DADT will, thanks to the GOP, be a MAJOR fight. The other major fights like saving the economy and health care came first. For good reasons.
posted by AC on
To me, it is time to see the two major parties for what they are – essentially beholden to corporate interests, ideologically-obsessed bases, strident and uncompromising positions, etc.
I give Obama credit for the travel ban being lifted, for ordering hospital visitation rights for gay partners, so on and so forth. I give the GOP credit for recognizing that gay people have conservative views, in general, on money matters. Problem is, one has to trade in their sexual orientation/life experience to be a Republican and give up any thought of economic liberty and freedom to be a Democrat. It’s very frustraing, and just my opinion. LOL
posted by Jorge on
But why are you ignoring the several gay-related “minor issues” that the Obama administration has acted on? The HIV travel ban for instance.
Forgot about that one. Was there anything else he did?
DADT will, thanks to the GOP, be a MAJOR fight. The other major fights like saving the economy and health care came first. For good reasons.
So wait: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell shouldn’t get done in a timely manner because it’s not a major issue, and it shouldn’t get done in a timely manner because it turns out it’s a major fight after all? Are you telling me the other “minor issues” weren’t major fights? Obama failed to close Guantanamo. They had to give up on cap-and-trade this year, too.
But unlike just about every other policy idea in the Obama administration, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is (and was) an issue with majority support among the people. Had the Obama administration started working on it early, it could well have passed.
posted by BobN on
Try to focus, Jorge. DADT pales in comparison to the economic crisis and health care. It just does.
Repealing DADT, as you note, is hugely popular. It’s not Obama’s fault that the GOP has made it a big fight and will continue to do so as long as they can milk some anti-gay hatred out of it.
Starting the process of a report and allowing GOP politicians to publicly warm up to the idea over many months — so their FLIP-FLOPS aren’t so fucking obvious — was starting early. That’s the way it works when you’ve got a president who’s more interested in getting the GOP to agree.
Personally, I think Obama was and remains foolish to think the GOP will change, but it’s his presidency, not mine, so he gets to try.
posted by Jorge on
Try to focus, Jorge. DADT pales in comparison to the economic crisis and health care. It just does.
No, you focus. I do demand that serious work to end DADT should come before trying to close Guantanamo Bay and pass cap and trade, and before giving sweetheart deals to potheads, black militants, and unions. I do demand that our administration spend more time and effort fighting for real civil rights concerns before it plays up fake civil rights concerns such as SB 1070 in a naked attempt to win votes. We are dead fucking last, and our lack of results is a direct consquence of that.
It’s not Obama’s fault that the GOP has made it a big fight and will continue to do so as long as they can milk some anti-gay hatred out of it.
For the record, I strongly disagree with you. I believe Obama has made too many enemies on Capital Hill on unrelated topics.
Starting the process of a report and allowing GOP politicians to publicly warm up to the idea over many months — so their FLIP-FLOPS aren’t so fucking obvious — was starting early.
No it wasn’t. You yourself admitted that this process began six days after the 2010 State of the Union Address. That’s late.
posted by BobN on
For the record, I strongly disagree with you. I believe Obama has made too many enemies on Capital Hill on unrelated topics.
So… the GOP is punishing you and me and all other gay people because Obama has enemies?
Whatever.
You don’t like his priorities. Fine. Get elected and you can do things in your order.
posted by Jorge on
So… the GOP is punishing you and me and all other gay people because Obama has enemies?
Boss yells at his employee, who hits his wife, who hits her child, who hits his dog.