It’s just fine with the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest Democratic apologist group, if President Barack Obama completely ignores the gays in tonight’s State Of the Union address. Given that HRC’s chief flack Fred Sainz already revealed the organization’s 2011 strategy (“do nothing”), it’s not like he and his slacktivist bosses are going to expect anything from, nor push the president to do much in the way of highlighting the remaining civil liberties LGBT Americans lack.
“The State of the Union is just that,” says Sainz. “It is not an exhaustive accounting of all the administration’s priorities or responsibilities over the year.” Hah! It sort of is. But it’s also the place where Obama signals to the nation and world what his administration’s priorities are in the year to come. No mention of the gays and, well, we feel left out. Rightfully so. Adds Sainz: “There are plenty of other speech opportunities that the president has over the year. … I just don’t think that this is a speech that we should put all our eggs in this basket.” Yeah, leave some announcements for HRC gala dinners! Otherwise what are the A-gays in tuxedos going to applaud?
Or maybe Sainz knows Obama has no plans to mention things like marriage equality/DOMA in his address, and is preemptively laying the groundwork — in a pre-apology — so Obama doesn’t get attacked by The Gays for ignoring them this year. You know, because it’s not like the ongoing plight of you people is worth addressing in a speech called THE STATE OF THE UNION.
And if Obama says something about ENDA or DOMA or UAFA or HIV/AIDS? Then five seconds later our inbox will be slapped with an HRC release, tangentially reminding everyone it’s this Gay Inc. group that’s responsible for nudging Obama. Also: Donate now!
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christopher di spirito
Joe Solmonese has his nose so far up Obama’s rectum that it’s a miracle he can breath.
Kyle
According to them, we already got the historic DADT repeal thanks to this Pres.,so I guess we should give him a break? Pres Obama said we should hold his feet to the fire, and we are…
justiceontherocks
I’m trying to think of something useful HRC has EVER done.
Nope. I can’t think of anything.
reason
To say that they are doing nothing is incorrect, they are shifting towards things that the government can do without legislation. Putting DOMA in the State of the Union would not only be futile but would be pandering granted that they know that they can’t get a repeal passed in congress. Contrary to some peoples beliefs when the president puts something in the STOTU he plans to actually accomplish the particular goal. He put DADT in the previous address becuase he planned to get it done and did. Something that they just did recently and provides a blueprint of how they are going to handle GBLT matters in this new environment is the proposed rule changes that will ban lenders form using sexual orientation and gender identity to determines someones eligibility for loans http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2011/01/in_another_nod_to_gays_feds_ta.html . There is also a host of other things in the works, they have already completed a comprehensive study of where equality could be advanced and they are working on how such things will be implemented. This idea that we need to be mentioned in the state of the union like some sort of shot-out is ridiculous, in that scenario the whole speech would be nothing more than shot-outs to the millions of interest in the country. The speech should focus on jobs and economic growth, and if any of you have looked at your portfolios as of late you will see that things are on the upswing. The other focus should be on reducing debt, and make future generations more competitive in this growing global environment.
justiceontherocks
@reason: Silly me. Of course they have done something: fabulous cocktail parties.
Worst lobbying group in history. Zero accomplishments. Reviled in the community and not taken seriously on the Hill.
One word for you “Reason”: tool.
Cam
“”Given that HRC’s chief flack Fred Sainz already revealed the organization’s 2011 strategy (“do nothing”)”””
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Oh, so their strategy is no different then their 2009 and 2010 strategies were. Until of course the calls for Solomnases resignation came out. Funny just how fast they mobilized after that.
David
HRC need to disband. They are an embarrassment to the gay community. They are nothing more than a useless gaggle of Gay Uncle Toms who do not seem to give a shit about our civil rights struggle.
If you donate money to HRC, stop now. Donate instead to an equality group which, you know, believes in equality.
Casey
Gays are already too overrepresented.
justiceontherocks
@Casey: Casey must be an HRC board member.
B
“It’s just fine with the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest Democratic apologist group, if President Barack Obama completely ignores the gays in tonight’s State Of the Union address.”
Before commenting on it, wouldn’t it make sense to wait a few hours for the actual address?
President Obama signed the DATD repeal about a month ago. If he doesn’t say anything about it, it would probably be to talk about things they might conceivably be able to accomplish – he can’t go on forever.
There’s no way a DOMA repeal will get anywhere for the next two years – the House of Representatives has a Republican majority and that party is in bed with the religious right wing. Any anti-gay legislation coming out of the House will be killed by the Senate, and if the senate doesn’t, it will be vetoed by the president. Similarly, any pro-gay legislation introduced in the Senate will either be filibustered or killed by the House, leaving nothing for the president to do about it. The result is obvious: gridlock.
Danny
Remember to organize locally. It has the biggest impact.