SOUNDBITES — “Over the course of 29-years, I estimate, the Human Rights Campaign, and all its affiliates and permutations, has raised a minimum of $250,000,000. A cool quarter of a billion dollars. That’s a lot of money to raise and spend over almost three decades. Back in March, the Blade reported that HRC’s current budget is $41 million, and the group’s annual revenue has hovered in that neighborhood for 3-4 years, so I believe a $250M budget over more than a quarter-century is within reasonable fiscal expectations. And what federal successes do LGBT Americans have to show for all that dough? A memo signed yesterday by President Obama. Great photo-op for Spineless Solmonese. Oh, and all that HRC money has gifted us a nice building in Washington, and a great fundraising rubber chicken dinner circuit and bric-a-brac merchandising operation that primarily benefits the Democratic Party.” —Gay and AIDS activist Michael Petrelis [Petrelis Files]
Michael Petrelis
HRC ‘Raised a Minimum of $250 Million’ For ‘A Memo Signed Yesterday,’ ‘A Photo-Op’ & ‘A Nice Building in Washington’
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Steve
Oddly, enough, I just received a fundraising letter from HRC in the mail today…I’m trying to think of something appropriate to write on it in l lieu of my credit card number. Any suggestions?
Ben
Over the same period of time, Focus on the Family raised over $750,000,000.00, not to mention all the other groups opposing equailty for LGBT Americans. What is your point? If HRC raised less money would that make you happy? Are you claiming that HRC is solely responsible for all our defeats in Congress? Are you claiming that HRC has no right to take credit for any of our successes in Congress? Perhaps you are saying that fair-minded Americans shouldn’t support HRC. I disagree. HRC isn’t perfect, but our battle for equality is better served with them, then without them.
What’s with this fixation on the HRC building? Since moving into their own HQ, I would imagine HRC saved a signficant portion of the original purchase price (wasn’t it around $12 million) on rent and pass-through charges. Let me guess: you don’t have a finance background?
And another thing, what’s wrong with those black-tie dinners? They aren’t my favorite (and thankfully HRC sponsors hundreds of low-cost event annually), but for thousands of LGBT folk, those dinners are their only opportunity to be open and honest about who they are in a safe environment.
galefan2004
I think some things didn’t make the list…
How about the defeat of two amendments to ban gay marriage in the US Constitution?
How about DADT? Which while far from perfect was a great step forward from the gay witch hunts that were common practice before DADT became law.
What do you honestly expect them to do when a good deal of this nation still believes that 1) gays can change 2) gays don’t lack political power 3) gays can not be defined by any distinguishing characteristic?
The process is going slow because of stupidity and uneducated bigots as well. It doesn’t simply rest on HRC.
mmmhmmm
For most of the past 25 years, the focus on gay rights has been at the state level, where there HAS been tremendous progress, based in large part on HRC’s efforts. I understand the disappointment that more has not been done on the federal level, but the strategy of securing rights in friendly states was working, I believe. Now that we have Democratically-controlled white house and legislature, we expect all our federal rights overnight? Believe me, I am impatient and frustrated, too, but you also have to be practical. I’m disappointed with Obama, and we should express our disappointment with Obama, but let’s not turn on ourselves and on our own advocates.
Cam
We should have spent that money hiring one of the big gun lobbying firms in DC like Aiken/gump, Alcalde and Fay etc… hell, Vivkie Eismen met with McCain twice and got him to send an innappropriate letter to the FCC in support of a campaign donor of his. Just imagine what she could have done with 10 million of our dollars? HRC employees are professional gays, they aren’t necessarily any good at Lobbying.
Cam
@mmmhmmm: You said “For most of the past 25 years, the focus on gay rights has been at the state level, where there HAS been tremendous progress, based in large part on HRC’s efforts.”
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HRC for over a decade has pressured people to drop lawsuits for gay marriage because they said that it would hurt the cause and upset people. In that time they did nothing at the state level, they are not good at grassroots orgainzing. If they had had their way the lawsuits that got us marriage in MA would NEVER have been filed. They asked those couples to drop the case, just like the asked the same of the couples in HAwaii etc… I understand that they have marketed themselves well but please don’t buy into their line that they have ever done anything for local grassroots organizations….unless of course spending a fortune and throwing a party where they invite Rosie O’Donnell to speak counts as Grass roots.
wondermann
@mmmhmmm: if others would stop a think like you, we could be making progress
wondermann
and think, I meant
Brian Miller
HRC apologia is HILARIOUS.
They cannot point to a single prominent or even meaningful policy accomplishment in their entire history — state or federal.
Civil unions? That was GLAD. So was Massachusetts marriage and Iowa marriage and CT marriage and NH marriage and ME marriage (along with local groups there that had nothing to do with HRC).
Well, they did do the 2000 March on Washington. Remember that fiasco?
Oh, and they sank a great deal of their people into “running” the “highly successful” No on 8 campaign in California… not exactly an accomplishment.
HRC does NOTHING. Hell, its defenders’ insistence that raising money in and of itself is a good thing is evidence of that.
“Well the righties raised $750 million, we HAVE to beat them!” To do what?!? Pay $300K salaries? Build new office buildings in fancy parts of DC? Sell key chains and stuffed animals at high prices from storefronts in P-town and the Castro?
HRC has no point, no function, no utility, no use, except as a way for the Democratic Party to take our money and blunt our concerns. It’s a wallet-draining program for the politically naive.
Midtowner
Love all the HRC bashers…if you don’t like them so much start your own organization and see what you can do…yeah didn’t think so…
schlukitz
@Ben:
“(wasn’t it around $12 million)”
Umm, actually, they paid $9.8 million for the building and invested another $18 million into renovations making the current valuation of the building $28 million.
Then there is the 30 year mortgage with Lord knows what the interest rate might be, property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance and upkeep.
The rent they had been paying for their previous headquarters probably looked like a piece of cake by comparison.
$28 million invested in income producing property, would have garnered them not only a headquarters with all expenses paid, but a healthy income as well.
And one doesn’t need a finance background to figure that one out. But, when one is spending money they do not have to earn, why should they have to concern themselves with such mundane things as earning their keep or getting the most for their expenditures?
There’s always more what that came from. Right?
InExile
@schlukitz: Not any more! Some of us have wised up to their little game! NO MORE $$$$$ !!!!!! Unless they grow a back bone, then maybe???
schlukitz
@InExile:
And a hard-on for the Prez. LOL
Phoenix (Outloud, Proud, And Unbowed In The Face Of Adversity)
@ Steve,
How about, “Sorry, I can’t send you any money. I sent it all to Lambda Legal. You know, those people who actually get shit done.”
Sam
I don’t usually agree with Petrelis, but I’m right there with him on this one.
@Ben: The point isn’t that we want them to raise less money. It’s that we’d like them to actually do something useful with the money they raise.
@galefan2004: Bullshit on HRC “defeating” federal marriage amendments. Those were NEVER going to pass, with or without HRC. Don’t you realize how hard it is to amend the US Constitution?
So basically, with $250 million, HRC has defeated an effort that would’ve failed anyway and gotten us Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Well, THAT’S money well spent.
@mmmhmmm: What, exactly, are HRC’s efforts on the state level? Wait for the locals to do something and then put out a press release claiming credit? That’s pretty much all they’ve done on the state level (at least up until 2006 – and even that recent state work has been very minimal).
@Brian Miller: Iowa was actually Lambda Legal. But I get (and agree with) your point.
glennmcgahee
Any rights or progress we make will be through the courts. But its the Obama administration blocking our access to them now. That shameful policy stint by the Dept of Justice should never have seen the light of day. If this is any indication of what we can expect from the Democrats, then its time to really hit your State Representatives hard. Remember the AA Congressmen/women who were threatened by Obama supporters when they supported Hillary? They were told that they would find candidates challenging them for their seats in Democratic Primaries if they didn’t fall in line behind Obama.The threats worked and they switched their support. We can and should do the same. At the same time, if your Rep is a supporter, let them know you recognize that and thank them. Its all local.
glennmcgahee
BTW, HRC is a lobbyist group. You remember how Obama states he will not allow lobbyists to dictate or influence anything in his administration. The financial, pharmacuetical and Insurance lobby turned out to be OK, but ours? Not so much. The politicos just want our money in return for nothing.