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Surely Organizing for America NC is going to use its resources in its upcoming get-out-the-vote messaging before the May 8 primary to tell people going to the polls on May 8 to vote against Amendment One.
Dear Organizing for America NC:
Tuesday, May 8th is election day in North Carolina. All the major Democratic candidates and office holders in the state oppose this discriminatory ballot initiative, as well as business leaders and public figures all along the political spectrum. DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is also on the record stating that this amendment is wrong for the state.
A little birdie told me that you have a last-minute Get-Out-the-Vote initiative planned — that presents a wonderful opportunity to tell people going to the polls to vote against Amendment One.
Back in March I attended a political action committee meeting of the Durham Committee of the Affairs of Black People, and encountered the new Organizing for America Durham field office rep. I introduced myself and told her that those of us against Amendment one were hoping the DNC and the President would step up and actively help defeat Amendment One. I was disappointed to hear this very well-rehearsed response:
“We all have to be on the same team and have to be on the same page so “our main man” gets back in office.”
The implication that asking for this was somehow in conflict with working to re-elect the President. I said, “yes we are, but I’m not asking for anything that the administration has already taken a position on. ”
She replied, “It’s a sensitive situation here.”
Yes, it is a sensitive situation – you know why? Because gay and lesbian couples, unmarried opposite sex couples, children, and victims of domestic violence are likely to suffer harms if this passes. Existing domestic partnerships granted by counties and municipalities will be eliminated. I know that the President is aware and concerned because shortly after the above incident, Cameron French, the Obama North Carolina campaign spokesman, issued a statement saying that the President specifically did not support the North Carolina ballot initiative.
We certainly do not want to see a repeat of the November 2, 2009 OFA get-out-the-vote e-blast to Mainers that did not mention that ballot initiative, Question 1; I know you are well-aware that the President did not take a public position on that referendum prior to that mailing as he has with Amendment One.
The fact that the President is on the record opposing it is why it will now come at zero political cost to him here in North Carolina, in this last window of opportunity before May 8, to remind voters in your upcoming e-mail of Barack Obama’s commitment to call out the discrimination that this Amendment represents is a priority. Doing so will show that he is taking the ethical and moral high ground represented by the “Hope” and “Change” that he ran on in 2008 — when the state delivered for him in record numbers.
Sincerely,
Pam Spaulding
Pam’s House Blend
A native North Carolinian and current resident whose family will face the harms of Amendment One should it pass.
NOTE: OFA has been contacted about this topic and the request has been made.
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- Organizing for America NC on the web
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ofa.nc
- Twitter: @OFA_NC
12 Comments
I don’t know that this is limited to more Obama homophobia. The states, especially like mine that usually votes GOP, can expect any help from Team Obama as to local party building or help with state and local issues. They certainly gave little the last election and nada since. What we have is thanks to Howard Dean when he was DNC chair.
No, what she wants for for everybody to be on their team, Obama’s team, not “the same team” which implies that we are working against our interests if we are not on team Obama. Obama is a political coward and an opportunistic bottom feeder, only interested in the fortunes of himself and those around him. Here’s how it works: You make promises, I vote for you and you win. You break or pervert almost every single one of those promises and I vote for somebody else. That clear enough to you? It’s supposed to be a two way street. Good luck in November buddy.
Don’t you mean can’t?
Standing on chair clapping!
Yes I do mean can’t. Thanks for catching the error.
Thought so. I see this sort of reversal all too often. I blame automatic spelling correction.
A clear, concise, and accurate summation of the Obama political machine that can be applied to every social issue.
Yep. Spell checker can do some weird things. But I am so klutzy I don’t need its help in screwing up.
Thank you Margret!
This is the bottom line – I vote for people that ACT the way I support, no maybe’s, no we’re marginally better than the other guy, no “it’s all about the SCOTUS”. You either support the majority views of your party (which happen to be the majority views of Americans) or you don’t get my vote.
Obama broke his promises to the American voters made in 2008, and lost his opportunity to be a “transformational” President (like the Reagan he professes to admire) and has turned out to be mostly a third Bush term. Bravo Obama, never has so much potential and opportunity been flushed down the toilet.
Let me add my well said. Don’t hold your breath waiting for Barry to make a principled stand, if he can’t do poetic rhetoric that he can immediately forget after his speech, he isn’t interested. He assumes the votes of everyone to the left of Ghengis Khan while he works the “centerists” between his corporate conservatism and the reactionaries of the Ryan/DeMint crowd.
Thinking about it, that’s probably why ObamaRahma was against single payer, or public option. There would be too many claims from the left for all the knife wounds he puts in their backs while they were watching his.
Closed mouths don’t get fed. Keep promoting the point that they should push against the Bigot Ballot through to the close of the polls.
Why would Obama come out in favor of marriage equality? He’s not gay.
Or do you have Obama confused with some other politician who takes action even when it doesn’t directly benefit him?