Andrew Sullivan is sad. Sad that more of you wanted to see Lady Gaga speak at the National Equality March rally than attend the HIV/AIDS Memorial Ceremony over the weekend. Also making Andrew sad? Incensed? Infuriated? That HRC’s Joe Solmonese continues to give Barack Obama a free pass.
That 2017 thing, which Solmonese had to “clarify,” indeed gave the president until his last day in office to be judged. This, from a man who claims his organization represents the entire LGBT community. Which has Sullivan calling for heads: Joe Solmonese must resign.
Listen up, Joe, because those cries are going to get louder so long as your inaction remains on high.
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Brian
Yea Andrew! Well said.
Cam
Actually his point about the name actually hits an issue I had recently. I was discussing some gay issues with a very supportive straight woman friend. She said “Well you can’t expect HRC to do that much, they have a lot they have to cover.” I said what else besides the several gay issues was there. And she said “Hey, they aren’t just about gay rights, thats why they’re called the HUMAN rights campaign, She had no idea, she thought that they were a civil rights organization that happened to be very gay friendly. So his point about their name, again, seems very on target.
Mike
And Andrew has done what exactly for equality??
Cam
No. 3 · Mike said…
And Andrew has done what exactly for equality??
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Well I think the guy is a bit of a pontificating blowhard, but he was writing books calling for gay marraige ages ago.
Mike
Cam: I know…only because he thinks Civil Unions hurt heterosexuals…not because he thinks gays deserve the right to marry. He thinks to separate the two diminishes marriage for straight people.
Of course, Andrew also thinks that perfectly acceptable for ALL marriages to be open relationships.
He’s also opposed to ENDA and The Matthew Shepard Act.
And he also thinks gay men should experience the “freedom” of cacthing the bug.
Cam
Hi Mike,
Ugh, I hate to be put in the position to defend the guy but a quick internet search brings up many things he has written on Same Sex Marriage, here is an exceprt from his letter to David Frum back in 1997 that appeared in SLATE magazine. I doesn’t seem like he thinks gays don’t deserve the right to marry outside of any benefits to straight people…..
….Here are a few of the advantages of same-sex marriage for the society as a whole that I have laboriously spelled out: lower rates of promiscuity among gay men, more stable homes for the children of gay parents, less trauma in families with gay offspring, lower rates of disease transmission, more independent and self-reliant members of society, etc., etc. These aren’t appeals to sympathy; they’re arguments that same-sex marriage would be good for all of us–and for conservative reasons to boot.
Your only point that makes coherent sense is that marriage is about enforcing traditional gender roles, and that same-sex marriage would further erode these roles. I think you may have a point there. The image of two men or two women in a marriage could, I think, be a vivid symbol to many heterosexuals of what true equality in a marriage could be about, and it could help many heterosexual women further realize their dignity and equality in a relationship of mutual love and commitment.
Fitz
I think we are making a mistake to look for a single charismatic leader for all of us. None of us can manage that. This guys certainly doesn’t represent my views, nor does Joe Mayonaise.
Scott NYC
HRC should have a “going out of Business” Sale. They do NOT represent the LGBT community – they represent themselves and their paychecks.
hardmannyc
Sullivan needs a good stylist before he goes on air. Seriously, he looks like a street person.
AlwaysGay
I agree with everything Andrew Sullivan said. I’ve said for months Joe Solmenese should resign because he’s weak and incompetent. If you tailor your message to what heterosexuals want of you than you get the status quo; being silly, docile and subservient for heterosexuals.
Aa
I’m with Sullivan. Reading that letter from HRC was like a slap in the face. The so-called leading gay lobby group shouldn’t be making excuses for Obama when people are being fired by Obama on a daily basis, when gay Americans lack basic citizenship rights. That is so freaking unacceptable.
I’m glad HRC finally put it in words that they aren’t interested in lobbying for gay rights, so gays in the US can stop sending checks. Shut ’em down. If you’re going to get what you want you need to lobby hard and lobby every day. No compromises. Use the Israeli lobby groups as a model. Someone doesn’t support repealing DADT when 75% of the country does, they’re a bigot. Plain and simple. Make them accountable.
Aa
@hardmannyc – he looks like an aging stoner in that poncho. But of course, he is. I don’t care what he looks like. He’s a wonderful writer, always has been. Even when he’s making badly thought-out points (and he does sometimes) I can’t help but admire his verbal talent.
Andrew
HRC has spent $300 million in 29 years. We have NOTHING to show for it. Please STOP giving to HRC.
schlukitz
My feelings are exactly the same as those of Andrew Sullivan.
I am sad, incensed and infuriated>
Oh…and did I mention that I am extremely pissed off?
Dump Joe
Oh Andrew Sullivan, you big angry bear, you rock my socks!
Bring me the head of Joe Solmonese (metaphorically) and replace him with some who will demand more than cocktails from our President.
HRC is soooo 2000-and-late
$300 million and NO results. Bye HRC.
scottyboo
HMMM, doesnt Joe Solmonese have 338,000 reasons a year to make sure that it takes until his retirement to get equal rights?
Mark-n-Dallas
The National Equality March did more good than HRC has in the last 5 years.
STOP GIVING HRC OUR MONEY.
Jim
Andrew Sullivan = Loser
Phil Reese
That’s right! Listen to the former editor of the New Republic!
Brett
So, again, Andrew proves that what’s most important to everyone is his own soundbite. What a sad waste of intelligence. Angry, angry, angry. Talk about poster child for self loathing.
Wolf49
The distinction that is really important in the structure of small matter is whether atoms are bound together by those Heitler-London forces or whether they are not. ,
Crazy82
Presidential Medal of Freedom. ,