Pressure HRC: Demand Leadership From Obama
When I blog about federal bills, I’m usually talking about ENDA – I still think this is our number one priority on the Hill – but there’s another big priority that we need to move on now. We need a full repeal of the ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. My views on our current aggressive and misguided wars aside, the ban on gays serving openly in our military is one of the most disgusting and obvious examples of institutionalized homophobia we have in America. Its a symbol of everything wrong in our society when it comes to acceptance of gays and lesbians. We must have a full repeal this year.
Any effort to repeal it is about to get swept under the rug, unless HRC, our largest organization, steps up and demands the White House to take some leadership.
Unlike many of my fellow bloggers, I don’t go after HRC very often. I’ll be the first to say HRC has made some dumb-ass moves in the past, but I find it quite lazy to make them out to be monsters, the way most of the gay bloggosphere tends to do.
I have a confession to make. I’m a member of HRC. Not only am I a member, I sat on the Michigan Steering Committee for nearly five years. I was Membership and Community Events chair. I signed up thousands of new HRC members during my time. I still have a box of stickers in my closet. Oh, me and HRC are like *this.* Sometimes…
Please click the link to visit my latest post on DADT on Bilerico.com.
Does the HRC Speak for You?
HRC’s Annual Gala “Time to Shine” 2009 [PHOTOS]
FOF #1091 – Push or Pull? – 11.10.09
President Obama Finally Evolves On Marriage Equality 
2 Comments
Comments
Thanks for posting this Phil! I think this is a great idea, but is there a way to make it more inclusive and allow for everyone to blog about it?
I’m also wondering why HRC of all the GLBT rights organizations is being targeted? HRC does a lot more than work with the Federal Government, like this:
http://www.hrc.org/issues/best-places-to-work-2010.htm
Here is a comment from someone on your blog I think is worth posting here:
JM: If we want REAL change, we should be calling Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, and our Representatives NOW. Call (202)224-3121 to speak with these officials.
Yes, Fausto. Check out Americablog.com, Joe and John coordinated this “blog swarm” of HRC.
And you’re absolutely right, the law can’t get changed without Congress. The reason I was eager to participate in this blog swarm was not that I think HRC or the President have power to change the law at all. Its about building a chorus of voices united in saying one thing: THIS YEAR! Its strategy, but only part of a broader strategy. A nervous HRC might start putting harder pressure on the President. A nervous President may start making firmer demands from the Hill. Senator Levin said just this week that there was no clear plan coming from the White House and the Pentagon, so he was unsure when the process would start and how long it would last. Its time our Commander-in-Chief laid out the plan for them with the Pentagon.
But, in the end, its Reid and Pelosi that will be most responsible for seeing the DADT repeal come to a vote, and for this law to FINALLY end. But with a strong, coordinated chorus already assembled on our end, ready to come at them from all sides, there is no way they’ll be able to abdicate or postpone their duty. With HRC, the President and all of us united in the same voice-repeal it this year–they will be forced to act.
Thanks for pulling that phone number out, however, and posting it here!