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Gee, what is Michelangelo Signorile cooking up now? He’s got a provocative column up at The Advocate suggesting that the best way to get action from the Obama White House is to take to the streets. His view is that there seemed to be a lot of shuffling behind the scenes to find bones to toss to the community, with the HRC annual dinner and the NEM occurring on the same weekend — and it was quite a stark juxtaposition of insider LGBT politicos versus busloads of a new generation of activists and movement veterans weary of the White House’s excuses, dodges and head fakes about doing anything substantial on the long list of LGBT equality promises he made during the 2008 campaign. Mike:
First off, this administration responds to pressure, and unlike the previous Democratic administration, these White House officials cannot contain our discontent by going to groups like the Human Rights Campaign or politicians like Barney Frank (more on that and the reasons why farther down).
They want to keep LGBTs at arm’s length, but we continue to make that difficult, and we force them to move – ever so reticently – each time we have applied pressure.
Sure, it was dispiriting to realize that after electing Obama we have to make a lot of noise to get even a little attention, but hopefully we’ve gotten over that: They’re politicians, they must be pressured, and there is absolutely no downside to pushing them hard.
…The successes of the march began when the president decided to address our issues days before the march, agreeing to speak at HRC’s annual dinner. Just as he decided to commemorate Stonewall back in June, inviting gays to the White House after much public criticism of the administration’s dragging its feet, the president was responding to the marchers’ criticisms. The speech didn’t outline any new details on how the president would follow through on his promises, but he did spend a bit of capital just by speaking to a gay group – and doing so with much more passion than any time before, and saying a few things more emphatically- and sending a message via the televised coverage to the mainstream and to the opponents of LGBT rights.
He points out what else happened as the convergence of the two events approached, as the pressure rose inside the Beltway — coincidence or scrambling, you decide.
- Obama named an openly gay ambassador to New Zealand;
- Barney Frank goes on Mike’s show, declaring the march “useless,” and proceeds to repeatedly say variations of this wherever he saw a mic and the press;
- Senate Majority leader Harry Reid was feeling the heat so bad that his caboose was on fire, so he 1) wrote the WH demanding action on DADT, 2) endorsed the NEM and spoke with organizers, and 3) spoke out against the LDS spending its coffers on Prop 8;
- John Berry in the Office of Personnel Management reported that the WHe is talking to Sen. Lieberman about leading the repeal of DADT next spring;
- And ENDA, one of the most essential and anticipated pieces of legislation, is rumored to go up for a vote in House by year’s end and signed next year (good luck with that).
And there are more administration efforts to smooth over relations that Mike lists, but an interesting snippet of his piece deals with the fundamental truth out there about the role YOU, the readers the bloggers out there, and how the political game has changed, as our professional advocates protect access and party loyalty, some times at our expense. Take the leadership role Rep. Barney Frank, who plays, at times a pragmatic position, other times he’s transparently disarmed and scorns the impatience of the average LGBT citizen deeply affected by inequality. Mke’s caveat is that both HRC and Frank are deeply committed to equality, but from their perspective it’s a political chess game that the March and online activism that throws them off task.
The reason the administration can’t contain our discontent is less about this White House than it is about dramatic change in society, certainly since the last Democratic president was in office. With blogs, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, satellite radio, 24-7 cable news and all the other new media, it’s impossible for establishment gay groups or prominent gay politicians to contain us.…HRC has had a rough time since the beginning of the Obama administration, trying to figure out how to operate and how to utilize the grass roots and Net roots while also maintaining access. It’s been clumsy at best, disastrous at worst. Any objective critic would conclude the group has not seemed stable. It criticized the president early on regarding Rick Warren, only to fall in line as if bludgeoned by the White House. The group soon became a full-on apologist, with Solmonese going into a meeting with the administration last spring after concerns of White House inaction on LGBT rights mounted, and coming out and saying the White House had a “plan,” though he couldn’t tell us the details
You have to surf over and read the rest. Mike chronicles the embarrassment of Joe’s 2017 e-blast, the spin about the President’s speech, and the widening gulf in Beltway reality versus the grassroots that was laid bare in the media after that dinner. In the end, Mike thinks the only way to keep this Administration responsive is to be physically present again with another march, rather than allow HRC’s version of LGBT reality conveyed to the WH drive the action. What do you think?
35 Comments
I think he’s right.When’s the next march?
Agreed!I think we should march every 6 months. I think I could commit to that. March in DC, march in state capitols, everywhere.
Yes !Yes, he’s right on target. It’s time to stop worrying about offending “friends” in DC and put the pressure on. I think sometimes this whole thing is taken too “personally”, i.e. don’t want to offend or hurt allies. But this is politics and that’s the way the game is played. Politicians live in a world of pressure and trade-offs, it’s how they function, it’s how the game is played, it’s what they expect.
You don’t go into a checkers game playing by chess rules. This is politics, let’s play the game how it’s meant to be played and stop worrying about if it’s “right” or “moral” or high-minded enough. Do what works.
MehTalking head doing what he does. So what?
I’m sure someone could write an article about how great Obama and/or HRC has been for the movement. I’m sure HRC has press releases to that effect.
It’s great to think strategy, but the article is just a threading cherry-picked items that confirm his already long-held belief.
There’s mention of a gay ambassador to NZ that’s somehow because of the march, but no mention of the gay ambassador to India put in the first 100 days of Obama’s presidency (and the subsequent pro-LGBT Indian court ruling). HRC trumpeted that, but Signorile ignored it.
Moving on, is it really news that this administration or any politician (now or in any time in history) responds to pressure?
That’s one reason we have lobbying groups. Some disagree with this lobbying group’s (HRC) strategies. Again, not news.
And the idea that “inside-the-beltway folks don’t get it” is universal, certainly not unique to LGBT issues or even Washington, DC as a political center.
If the author is suggesting a plan of action (a march), then suggest it, and outline the goals. There’s no need to restate the obvious or use denigration of a lobbying organization as a motivational tool.
Hello…!
Yes because its not as if the President did not have anything else to worry about in his first few months in office. Its this arrogant sentiment that despite the HUGE problem he’s been dealing with since day one, he should have been more attentive to gay rights, that irritates the hell out of people that would otherwise be allies. Because you know, trying to prevent total economic collapse and the onset of a new Depression and other problem caused by his incompotent predecessor who essentially checked out of office a year early…was something he could do in his spare time.
PLEASE!
Never mind this myopic obsession with the President as the same folks completely overlook Congress…the body that actually MAKES the laws. I guess its easier to endlessly bitch about the President not being sufficiently supportive instead of mobilizing people to get Congress to get off of its collective behind and get something on the President’s desk.
Hunter don’t be part of the problemLead, follow or get the hell out of the way. I agree with Mike. We can and should plan for blowback from the opposition. We must push hard on the Senate for support of ENDA. It’s next in the legislative cue, and the opposition will ratchet up the rhetoric and pressure their reps. We have to push back. Big.
If he really…was that interested in forcing change, he would spend more time mobilizing people to focus their energy on Congress. Congress is the biggest roadblock (by design) to getting anything done. We don’t need a President governing by fiat. We need a Congress that actually acts in our interest.
The reality is that Obama will sign any pro LGBT piece of legislation that comes across his desk. The winning strategy is to persuade our congresscritters to stop pretending to be deaf, dumb and blind, and to get moving on legislation.
When you have a Democratic Congress and President, the real power is vested with Congress, because no President is going to veto the majority will of his party. Indeed, one might argue that that is one of the best things about the Democrats.
I agree somewhat about the legislative imbalance, Geeka lot of that was due to the influence of the Bush Administration on the Congress through Darth Cheney. I do think that Obama is trying to restore a proper balance to things
But this does take some getting used to.
Of courseWe have to force politicians to do their job. They tell us that if we want anything done, we have to force them to do it. They might squirm and whine, but I can’t believe that there are concerned citizens who actually think politicians are just going to “do the right thing” because we silently expect them to.
OF COURSE we will see nothing unless we raise a ruckus. Letting those who have a little bit of power and privilege tell us “just trust us” and “if you wait, we’ll get around to your issues” has never worked.
We Must CommitIt doesn’t make sense to sit back now. We are at the most pivotal political time in our communities history. We are finally standing up for ourselves and our families. This is not the time to rest and wait. This is not the time to trust any politician with our very lives. Let’s find new ways to make our struggle prominent. If we march again, lets target new cities that point out our enemies
(such as Michelle Bachman or any other pol that keeps railing against equality) Let’s march right into the heart of discrimination.
That will get their attention.
Absolutely!While I was a NEM nay-sayer until the last few weeks before the march, the event reminded me that the great differences in our movement are not “Beltway” vs. “Outside the Beltway” — I’ve lived almost my whole life adjacent to Washington; so, that isn’t the case. Instead, our movement is divided between those with the ‘fierce urgency of NOW’ and those who experiment with a vague political calculus — so, that’s what those blue-and-yellow mathematician stickers mean! — for ensuring our full equality under the law. NEM also reminded me of the first decades of AIDS in the U.S. when activists acted up to demand the attention and action of business and lawmakers: AIDS was killing our friends and families, and politeness and finesse be damned in speeding the availability of new therapies. Homophobia continues to kill us, often through the law; yet, some are willing to be coddled as a market segment or a voting bloc, while others are not content to acceptance anything less than full equality under the law NOW.
Why is this conversation one OR the other?It seems clear to me that we should be doing both – lobbying and protesting. I’m all for another march and completely agree with Michelangelo that we must keep up the pressure. But not just on the pols but on Gay, Inc. also.
The best scenario for a future march would be for Gay, Inc. to become supporters of the march – not criticizers or neutral parties. It really chaps my ass that HRC did nothing to help plan or organize the march, yet they had volunteers at the march asking for donations.
Let’s compare civil rights leaders Martin Luther King and Joe Solmonese. Can anyone honestly say that MLK would be applauding the president when tens of thousands of protesters were gathering for a protest. I don’t think so. MLK knew how to tap the energy of the grassroots and use it to apply pressure on the government. Solmonese, in my opinion, is still playing an outdated game – a game developed in the 1990′s. But things have changed, the game has changed and Solmonese is stuck in a bygone era. Why are we (at least some of us) having to pressure HRC to take a stronger stance – HRC should be pushing us to get more involved.
So I think we should be doing both – marching and lobbying.
one more point about MLKMLK was leading the marches outside – not hob-nobbing with the elite inside.
Joe Solmonese = Roy Wilkins to be exact!
I agreeWith your comment;
“The reality is that Obama will sign any pro LGBT piece of legislation that comes across his desk.” We have to get it to him.
One statement that was made at the March and has really stuck with me is, “if we don’t push, pressure and demand our equality now, and get legislation passed and signed into law with this President, this majority in the House and Senate, it may not happen in our lifetime.”
We cannot let this moment in history pass us by.
“This is our moment……”
Geek’s reheated, still putrid, dishonest, disgraceful steaming crock of bullshit….
If compulsive self-delusion were like the mythical version of compulsive self-abuse, Geek would have gone blind with two hairy palms long ago. Hold your noses while CSI-MB dissects the evidence.
OBAMBOT LIE #1: All of these LGBT issues were forced upon Obama once he took office. He never said anything to create such expectations but is being wrongly and unfairly pilloried for them now. Also known as the “Why Can’t You Just Leave Britney Alone Defense.”
TRUTH: BO spent so much time, effort, and energy smile fucking the LGBT community with promises during the fight for the nomination & office that Ellen, Melissa, Pam, Rachel Maddow, Hilary Rosen, the Advocate’s Kerry Eleveld, fill-in-the-blank could have birthed babies months ago. Sadly, virtually all his promises were still born.
OBAMBOT LIE #2: It’s all about Congress. The President is just a person with a pen. He/she signs or they don’t. He/she has no power, no influence, nor role in creating or championing legislation and social change. And Obama never suggested otherwise.
TRUTH:
OBAMBOT LIE #3: He’s too busy with more important things that affect the lives of every American.
TRUTH: He and his minions have found time to:
[a] Defend DOMA in court using the same kind of homophobic distortions [plus some new ones] used to pass it originally; even denying that it discriminates at all. (Their subsequent supplement brief did NOT withdraw this one.)
[b] Defend DADT in court using the same kind of homophobic distortions used to pass it originally.
[c] Continue to discharge gays day after day while ignoring legal authorities given him by Congress to stop them in times of national emergency.
[d] Remind the public (in his statement re Iowa Supreme’s decision) that he still opposes marriage equality.
[e] Invite gay families to roll Easter Eggs while ignoring their second class citizenship. It’s not just the Easter Bunny that was hollow.
[f] Host a belated Stonewall Anniversary White House celebration where LGBTs were served canapés, the beverage of their choice, and leftover promises found in the bottom of the WH fridge.
[g] Speak at the HRC Dinner where he brought his own dessert: Pie In the Sky.
[h]
Without question, those who advocate mass action as the only effective tactic are right. Obama has always been an open opponent of GLBT equality, beginning with the question the right wing places the most importance on, same sex marriage.
He caved on that question and continues to do so. He panders ceaselessly to the right, a fact that SciFi Geek wants us to forget. He wants us to ignore it when Obama jumps in bed with vermin like Donnie McClurkin and Rick Warren. He wants us to ignore Obama’s limitless ability to break his promises.
SciFi Geek says we’re arrogant for demanding our equality. And so say Ratzinger, der Papenfuehrer, Barney Frank, Pat Roberston and the bigot who runs the DNC, Leah Daughtry.
SciFi Geek wants us to ignore the fact that the failures of Obama and Congressional Democrats are a mirror of the failures of Bush and the Republicans. SciFi Geek cites the “HUGE problem he’s been dealing with since day one” but fails to note that Obama has made each of them much, much worse. In Iraq Obama’s ‘withdrawal’ from the cities is unraveling over the same question that led Bill Clinton and George Bush to attack and occupy Iraq in the first place. OIL.
In Afghanistan Obama continues to pursue policies that lead to the murder of large numbers of civilians by the occupation forces and enrage the Afghan street. Because of Obama’s megalomaniac illusion that can order attacks on a sovereign nation with impunity, Pakistan, long under the heels islamist militarists, is disintegrating into chaos. That’s very dangerous in a nation with nuclear weapons and competent delivery systems. Obama continues to support zionist ethnic cleasers who are killing Palestininas without letup.
Another ‘huge’ problem is the need for socialized medicine which Obama, a lap dog of the insurance industry, refuses to consider.
And on another front Obama launched the worst and most successful attack on working people since Clintons NAFTA when he forced the UAW to accept the gutted contract offered by management. At the same time he continues to pass out billions to finance companies who pass it along as bonuses, and not just for upper management. Obama is a lap dog of big business.
Obama’s grade so far is ‘failure’.
There is no reason not to push a mass actions of the kind being planned by unions, ourselves and the antiwar movement.
Cut the crap MichaelStop calling people without your Obama-reflux issue “Obamabots” and we’ll stop calling you a mindless fucktard windbag, got it?
It’s offensive, and it shows the weakness of your arguments because nobody who has argued with you repeatedly has actually had this mythical uncritical Obama worship that you’ve reached into your Hillary Clinton-John McCain propaganda book to find.
SciFi Geek has offered thoughtful, well-reasoned (and BRIEF!) arguments to support his position, while you just respond with one of your unbearably long posts, which I confess to never ever having made it all the way through.
The uncivility starts with you dude.
Personally, I don’t think Obama is a homophobe but politically he is. Or rather (to be more precise) I really think that the Democratic Party is as whole.
Geek is not always well-reasoned with black folks like me and Pam, to be honest, ish.
Perhaps…
if you “made it all the way through” one of my detailed, DOCUMENTED posts you would still not willingly be deepthroating Kool Aid in the Obama Borg Cafeteria, or at least not describe any of Geek’s ludicrous, disingenuous dissertations as “thoughtful, well-reasoned.”
Or was that a different Barack Obama [again] on Letterman last night?
But thanks for equating all of Obama’s LGBT critics with John McCain supporters, not to mention “mindless fucktard windbags.”
Reading comprehensionMichael, I didn’t tar ALL Obama’s LGBT critics with John McCain supporters, just you and the ones who use demonizing language one small step to the left of ni**er.
I note your homophobia also in accusing me of deepthroating Obama. Sadly, I have a gag reflex and that is not one of my talents. Interesting, though, because you are also making me gag.
The REAL “weapon” is not being discussed…
And was entirely missing during NEM.
It’s a myth that marches alone effect change, none more wrongly applied than to the 1963 “I Have A Dream” march on Washington.
The premeditated acts that had the most effect on the passage of the 1964 and 65 Civil Rights were nonviolent civil disobedience….disrupting the status quo and the lives of active supporters of or those indifferent to Jim Crow laws.
Add the fear of further rioting and the White House and Congress finally got off the proverbial dime that they’d been stuck on for decades. [Integrated interstate bus transportation and schools and legalized interracial marriage came through the Supreme Court.]
We’ll never remotely see enough gays willing to “riot,” but as black civil rights activists, gays who zapped the American Psychiatric Association into delisting gays as “mentally ill,” and ACT UP proved…relatively small numbers willing to participate in nonviolent civil disobedience CAN force change.
Go for it….
Now I’m a self-loathing homosexual racist?????
Classic, ish. Just classic.
I try not to get into this dumb shit but.can anybody criticize this man without being called “one small step to the left” of a racist or (in my particular case)a house nigg*r (who happens to be gay)?
I’ve been nothing but rationalwith you and Pam. Indeed, I have no problem with Pam (despite disagreeing with her on issues of tactics if not overall policy goals).
I however am not willing to sit and pretend that someone who’s shown as much irrational disdain for my ethnic community is making a rational argument.
What makes you think that (on my part, anyway)that I’m irrational? (Others can speak for themselves as regards the black community)
My personal criticisms of the black community are almost wholly experiential and most of them are not even based in homophobia.
I do resent the fact that many like yourself just assume that I should “get over it” (and I could define “it” as being a host of things). How do you think the president would have been treated if he grew up on the west side of Chicago or even the east side of Detroit.
I could actually tell you that.
Having said thatthere are plenty of times on this blog that I have defended the black community. Again, Geek…I do have a comment history.
Kevin…….I’m not sure I understand your comment.
Do you mean can anyone criticize Obama? Certainly. Rationally…as you do all the time.
Or do you mean anyone criticize me? They do all the time. I would never ever call anyone a “a house ni**er” even if I disagreed with them. Completely inappropriate and offensive language.
Oh you are outraged! In bold face!
I mean the president, ishShould have clarified.
But SciFi Geek has been on the verge of calling me that…as if I owe Obama specifically or the black community generally some sort of uncritical loyalty.
Hardly, Cartman…just amused…
…at the slimy depths you invariably slither to when you can’t respond with facts.
Can’t disprove the message, demonize the “mindless fucktard windbag homophobic racist McCainite” er messenger.
tip toes out of this thread…….not in the mood I’m in
“Cartman”Shall we add “sizeist” to your list since you again resort to fat jokes?
It’s not me failing to respond with facts. I have insisted that you refrain from using hateful demonizing language including “Obamabot” and all you do is pile on more invective.
And surely you’re not trying to impress me by showing David Mixner, whose name I just ripped to shreds on the disgusting “LGBT for Bloomberg” flyer I just received wherein Mixner endorses Bloomberg despite his coddling of NY State’s anti-gay republicans and his shamefully manipulative duplicity on marriage equality in our state (shall we not mention his dictatorial power grab). So nice company you keep.
Please, Mary, climb off the cross…
No one said anything about “fat.” Whatever else Cartman is, he’s primarily known as a shallow CARTOON character with a kneejerk temper that quickly hasn him sputtering nonsensical epithets. There’a a street in South Park with your name on it.
BTW it’s Obambot, not Obamabot, you know, as in robot, something incapable of thinking on its own, merely repeating in a endless tape loop what its programmer has fed into it.
And you and His Geekness predictably flip your own switches everytime. As Bill Maher might remind you, BO’s your President not your boyfriend.
You’ve dug your own pitGood luck getting out of it.