Michael Jackson’s death today is sad news. But it’s good news for folks like Gov. Mark Sanford, who will see a huge relief from the press assault that’s been tailing him for a week now and only growing more intense. As the 24-hour cable news cycle turns its attention to remembering Jackson, Sanford will get a free pass. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen with tonight’s gay DNC fundraiser.
As Queerty has been covering for more than a month, Vice President Joe Biden very shortly will welcome whatever’s left of the original, pre-boycott guest list at the Mandarin Oriental in Washington D.C. It will be followed by Monday’s closed door pow-wow with gay leaders at the White House.
Notes former President Bill Clinton adviser Richard Socarides: “Unless the president on Monday articulates a strong action plan, and is willing to do it with cameras rolling, it is going to go from bad to worse.”
JSP
Are you Canadian now?
alan brickman
PLEASE PUBLISH ALL THEY’RE NAMES..AND THE CLOSET ONES TOO!!…
SM
You know what is odd about history….it always seems to circle around and repeat itsself. MLK helped Kennedy become President with the African American vote. Once Kennedy became President, he got all wrapped up in foreign affairs and did not think MLK and civil rights issues were a pressing matter.
I’d study Martin Luther King Jr
Just think its so similar…
Movement Guy
I thought there was going to a list published of all those who attended the DNC tonight. Haven’t seen it yet.
Fitz
I also would love to see that list, organized by state or even region.
ChristopherM
@alan brickman:
“their”
dammit.
Wondermann
They raise nearly a milion dollars and it was a success. Time to put away our different and get on track…this haterade makes the rest of us look bad
Wondermann
million I meant
InExile
Anyone who donates to the democrats (DNC) should be tared and feathered.
Name(required)
Here’s the list as of 2 days ago of people that were still attending:
Suze Orman
Elizabeth Birch
Virginia Governor / DNC Chair Tim Kaine
Chairman Barney Frank
Representatives Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis
District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty
NBJC’s Alexander Robinson (while NBJC has said that none of their board of directors will be attending, it’s not clear what Robinson’s current role is with the organization, nor whether he has yet decided whether to pull out or not)
GMHC’s Marjorie Hill
Iraq Marine vet Brian Fricke (whom you may have seen on 60 Minutes)
Billy Bean
Former GLAAD head Joan Garry
Keith Boykin
Ray Buckley
Brian Johnson
Former SLDN head Dixon Osburn
Paul Smith
Krystal Ball
Konrad
It was a sold out event. No one walking in was the least bit shy about being there. In fact, they seemed to relish walking by the small, pathetic cluster of protesters outside.
A bad day for infantilism as a strategy for social change.
Wondermann
Time for a new plan…one that works. Listening to big-headed and foolish gay bloggers and relishing in knee jerk reactions didn’t prove anything.
Most folks still believe in Obama and the Dems, so it feels that this hissy fit was in vain
Cam
@Wondermann: You said “Time for a new plan…one that works. Listening to big-headed and foolish gay bloggers and relishing in knee jerk reactions didn’t prove anything.
Most folks still believe in Obama and the Dems, so it feels that this hissy fit was in vain”
______________________________________________________________-
Be as insulting as you want, but it was this “Hissy Fit” that got talk of ENDA being introduced, and got Federal Workers additional rights. What you don’t seem to realize is that the ONLY time gay rights have advanced is when we threw “Hissy Fits”.
Stonewall, that Mattachine society told gays to be quiet and not do anything to upset people, well no movement, then Stonewall happened and some beneficial changes occured.
Act-Up/Queer Nation – Gays had been asking for faster FDA approval on AIDS drugs, etc… and nothing happened, then ACT up comes along and not only got that going but their Silence = Death slogan also pushed new AIDS education to appear in schools.
Marriage – HRC and other groups tried to discourage couples in Hawaii and MA. from persuing marriage. Well Hawaii after some promise did not end well, but we got marriage in MA. and that is one of the reasons that we now have it throughout most of New england and Iowa.
So again, sitting in the back of the bus and telling ourselves that these seats are just as comfortable, while we wait for HRC to do our work for us, instead of realizing that they are much more interested in going to lobbying functions and playing dress up, is not going to get us anything. We threaten to boycott JUST ONE dem fundraiser and the Obama Administration mentions gays for the first time and moves on Federal employee rights, AND Barney Frank gets off his lazy sell out ass to introduce ENDA legislation.
Markie-Mark
You said: “time for a new plan…one that works.”
And that plan would be what?
Tony
Markie-Mark
You said: “time for a new plan…one that works.”
And that plan would be what
How about giving money only to individual candidates who support FULL EQUALITY, regardless of political party. That will wake up the Dems. And a lot of pure conservatives are in favor of full equality. The Dem party is full of ignorant religious homophobes.
TANK
@Tony:
They certainly are. Over forty per cent of democrats believe that homosexuality is immoral. Gill foundation tactics are some of the best–looking beyond party to actual allies.
SM
This has nothing to do with the fundraiser. But if you like writing letters, write one to Diane Benson of Alaska. She is an up and coming politician and she spoke out for you in a conservative state today~
—————
In 1945, Alaska passed civil rights legislation – first of its kind – 20 years before the rest of the nation. Many of the same arguments that you have heard were made in 1945 over racism. Some business owners and hotel operators felt their business rights were being denied by the bill – that they would somehow lose their liberty to choose who could be in their establishments. Had the bill not passed, it is likely that I would not be allowed in these chambers or in other establishments today. Back then, signs made clear their bias. “No Natives or Dogs Allowed,” or “Whites Only.” Alaska has a legacy as a result of that bill – one that should make all Alaskans proud. We have that opportunity again with this Ordinance.
Alaska’s Anti-discrimination bill did not create the mayhem that those opposed claimed would ensue. Neighborhoods were not over-run by lawless Natives. Lawyers claimed it would clog the courts with frivolous cases. It did not. Fear feeds hate, and in my life, in Alaska – I have been at the blunt end of racial discrimination. Denied service in restaurants; and sexually abused and brutalized at the hands of men who targeted young Native women. I wish the passion displayed here was also displayed to end sexual abuse.
I know the face of hate. Hate is a thing that is learned, and when those in opposition claim that their “Truth is not Hate,” well, they fail to remember that the same justifications were used and are used to first dehumanize a population by labeling them with such things as “dirty” or somehow inferior, and then to segregate or marginalize that population. In this case, as we speak, gays and lesbians are being brutalized and even killed – in Africa, in the Middle East, and yes, the U.S., and often with religious justifications. It starts with thinking that one group is somehow superior to another.
The Anti-discrimination bill in 1945 did not end discrimination – no law can, for as noted Tlingit civil rights leader, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and President of the Christian-based Alaska Native Sisterhood when asked if the bill would eliminate crime responded, “No law will eliminate crime, but you as legislators can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of this present situation, and speak your intent to overcome discrimination.” You as the Anchorage Assembly have the opportunity to speak your intent through this ordinance. If we truly want a better more civilized society, then we must make clear that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. In the name of humanity, I firmly urge passage.
Diane Benson
SM
As of June 26, 2009, there are 50 Democrats in the House whose positions on ENDA is undecided.
These are:
Bobby Bright (AL), Parker Griffith (AL), Vic Snyder (AR), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Allen Boyd, (FL), Alan Grayson (FL), Suzanne Kosmas (FL), Sanford Bishop (GA), David Scott (GA), Walt Minnick (ID), Bobby Rush (IL), Daniel Lipinksi (IL), Deborah Halvorsen (IL), Jerry Costello (IL), Peter Visclosky (IN), Joe Donnelly (IN), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Ben Chandler (KY), Frank Kratovil (MD), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD), Bart Stupak (MI), Mark Schauer (MI), Travis Childers (MS), Bennie Thompson (MS), Dina Titus (NV), Michael McMahon (NY), Scott Murphy (NY), Paul Tonko (NY), Daniel Maffei (NY), Earl Pomeroy (ND), Dan Boren (OK), Kathleen Dahlkemper (PA), Jason Altmire (PA), Christopher Carney (PA), Paul Kanjorski (PA), John Murtha (PA), John Spratt (SC), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Al Green (TX), Solomon Ortiz (TX), Henry Cuellar (TX), Gene Green (TX), Glenn Nye (VA), Bobby Scott (VA), Thomas Perriello (VA), Rick Boucher (VA), Gerald Connolly (VA), Alan Mollohan (WV), Ron Kind (WI), David Obey (WI).
10Best
Absolutely agree