Ever wanted to know how Human Rights Campaign does business? Now’s your chance! The massively wealthy non-profit has been working with Virginia’s Service Employees International Union.
As part of their collaboration, SEIU offered HRC volunteers space on their purple bus-based phone center, which they call the “Barney Bus”. It’s very high tech:
Instead of dialing a single number at a time by yourself, you put on a headset and wait while the computer dials for you. If you’ve ever had to call down a list of phone numbers, you know that you spend most of your time either waiting for someone to pick up or talking to answering machines. Things are different on the Barney. The Barney Bus dials several numbers at once, waits for a real person to answer one of the lines, and then immediately transfers the call to you. If an answering machine picks up, the Barney leaves a message recorded by one of the campaign staffers and moves on.
So much for Human Rights Campaign.
Matt
Um, I know we’re all supposed to hate the HRC around here, but this hardly sounds scandalous and terrible. In fact, it’s a pretty efficient use of technology for fundraising — if they hired more folks and paid for more phone banks for “human” cold-calling, I suspect Queerty would take them to task for wasting money. I love you to bits, but let’s try to be just a little bit reasonable, guys…
Rt. Rev. Dr. RES
I agree with Matt – a rather easy decision to make when one posts here.
The problem with a gentrified minority association is always the same. I can think of many minority associations in our two countries that sought change by begging, by cajoling and by compromising full equality for separate and unequal treatment in law.
In order to obtain access with the centrists willing to compromise, they must promise to betray their real friends and allies who support their full goals and hopes.
My prayer, truly a prayer, is that Americans will sooner than later obtain the same full and equal rights on a federal level that we enjoy in Canada.
Some day, like the Yalie non-Bonesman playwright who helped form ACT UP – around the world – will be joined by some American activists who will go to the streets and demand their rights under law.
In the interim, a dollar a year from each gay and lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and questioning person, their friends and families would certainly resource a true effort.
Bloggernista
It should be noted that this effort by HRC is a partnership with Equality Virginia to help elect pro-gay candidates to the state legislature. The only way that LGBT Virginians are going to be able to make any legislative gains is to get more fair-minded legislators in office. That’s what this effort is all about.
thatguyfromboston
This technology of which you speak is very standard call center technology. It’s very cost effective. Every non-profit that raises money through the telephone uses this technology.
Bill Perdue
I think the objection is not HOW the HRC raises its money but what they SPEND it on. It goes to pay salaries for self appointed ‘leaders’ , to not a few self-congratulating banquets, retreats and the like and to finance backstabbing liberal Democrats and Republicans.
The money could better spent to finance honest activist organizations like those who oppose the fraudulent, toothless Democrat version of ENDA. Among them are:
*National Black Justice Coalition
*National Center for Lesbian Rights
*National Center for Transgender Equality
*National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
*National Education Association’s Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Caucus
*National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Inc.
*National Lesbian and Gay Law Association
*Al-Fatiha Foundation for LGBTIQ Muslims
*Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders
*Gay and Lesbian Medical Association
*GLSEN – the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
*Immigration Equality
*Jewish Mosaic: National Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity
*Matthew Shepard Foundation
All of these organizations moved quickly and militantly to condemn the Democrat sellout of ENDA and will be part of the effort to find an independent voice for the GLBT movement as it breaks form the twin parties of bigotry, war and racism.