Gay Rights Groups Launch Iraq Press Release Offensive!
Did you know gays in Iraq are being tortured and murdered? Yes, it’s true! Even if some of our nation’s leading gay “rights” groups have all but ignored the situation. The Human Rights Campaign is the disturbingly conservative gay rights organization that’s expert in issuing press releases. Like the latest one it just sent out regarding the murder and torture of gays in Iraq. You would think an organization as large and (supposedly) influential as HRC would’ve been leading the way in demanding action from the U.S. government to protect our brothers and sisters in Iraq. But that would get in the way of the theory that they’re a front group for the Democratic Party!
But word from HRC arrives that Joe Solomnese’s crew aren’t just sitting on their hands. They’re lobbying the State Department! Or rather, a consortium of advocacy organizations of which HRC is a member is lobbying. The Council for Global Equality — made up of Amnesty International, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Immigration Equality, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Global Rights, and, oh yeah, HRC — “has been in communication with the State Department in Washington, as well as the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, calling on them to investigate this critical situation and to intervene with the Iraqi government,” announces HRC’s website.
All of which has led noted HRC (and “Gay Inc.”) foe Michael Petrelis to congratulate the organization: “Thanks, HRC. Thanks for ending the silence from part of Gay Inc over the brutality facing our brothers and sisters in Iraq. I hope HRC will actually pressure the State Department on this matter, and will expend more HRC resources on global gay issues. Oh, and nice of HRC, like in the phony NGLTF condemnation piece, to give credit to us activists who hit the streets of NYC and SF recently for our queer family in Baghdad. Frankly, I’m shocked HRC has said anything about the situation over there for LGBT citizens, and that they did so while the much more progressive NGLTF is silent.”
As Petrelis points out, HRC’s item even acknowledges the work you average ‘mos have been doing: “Grassroots activists have organized protests in New York and San Francisco.” Well done, Little Gays! Through your cute web organizing, you’ve managed to raise more awareness and generate action than … um … HRC?
is this backbiting and snide tone necessary??
we raised a ruckus and HRC has slowly turned it is old bones in the right direction. This is a POSITIVE development.
I’m over the HRC-bashing by this site. No matter what they do all they get is crap. They are not meant to be the organization that does everything for every gay person in the world. They focus on Federal issues and that is their mission. But, apparently, are now responsible for every local, State, Federal and world-wide gay issue.
While it’s truly horrible what is happening to GLBT citizens in other countries, to expect HRC to shift its focus away from its core mission onto this is unrealistic and unfair (and, no doubt, would result in a Queerty post criticizing them for meddling in something outside their mission). If HRC does something incorrect, a negative post is fair and warranted, but the constant ad-hominem attacks really are ridiculous and undercut the validity of all your critiques of the organization. Give it a rest!
kurdistan
Human Rights Watch has nothing about this horror on their web site. Twitter @hrw to demand they act now.