White House Continues to Snub LGBT Americans

Earlier today the White House held a conference call with DNC's gay caucus in an apparently very lame effort at damage control. Interestingly, as John Aravosis reports at America Blog, one of the questions was:

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"What are we going to do about the blogs?"

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Truth be told, other than taking concrete action to deliver on campaign promises, there is nothing that can be done to shut down the LGBT bloggers who are holding Obama and the DNC's feet to the fire for real, substantive action as opposed to scattering a few crumbs that benefit only a small percentage of LGBT citizens and families. Like it or not, Obama cannot control the LGBT blogosphere and the spotlight that is being focused on Obama's disingenuous double speak on LGBT equality issues.

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Meanwhile, the DC fundraiser being put on by the DNC is spiraling downward as attendees bail and the Service Members Legal Defense Network ("SLDN") announces its plans for fielding a demonstration on the 25th outside the Mandirin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C. Here is the SLDN's statement:

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SLDN will be outside boycotting the National Democratic Committee (DNC) LGBT event in Washington this Thursday. We will be wearing and handing out buttons with number 256 We will be wearing and handing out buttons with the number 265, representing the number of service members who will have been discharged this week since President Obama was sworn in. We do not, nor would we want to, dictate how members of our board or our Military Advisory Council make their political views known. However, I understand that two board members are attending the DNC event. I also understand they will be making their own spirited and creative statements once inside the room.

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Adding to the circus nature of the event, reporters and photographers from the Washington Blade will be inside the DNC event documenting who is attending and arguably throwing the rest of the LGBT community under the bus.

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As a post this afternoon by a guest blogger on Bilerico-DC noted, a growing effort is being made to divert LGBT dollars from the DNC to make it clear that LGBT votes and money cannot be taken for granted. Here are a few highlights:

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I created a Facebook page entitled "DNC Boycott" - and it states "until 'our' leadership decides to lead on the issues important to US - on health care, education, a cleaner environment, job creation, getting us out and keeping us out of wars, equality for all to include marriage for all - then we will not give our time, nor our money."

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Be mindful of where you spend your money. Is it going to fund a politician or an organization that is not speaking for you, or going to those who have less than a minute with the Prez while being served a cocktail? Even if they keep saying that more time is needed...needed for what??? As we have learned, there is never a good or convenient time for civil rights to be asserted and obtained.

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Think about the options. For those who say that the Dems are at least better than the Repubs...are they really?? Who has and continues to receive money from the very same organizations that they now want to regulate - the banks, the healthcare companies, etc. As a friend recently reminded me, there are other parties - like the Green Party who has a great LGBTQ platform that a friend drafted. Competition is and always will be a good thing. Or, declare yourself an independent - and make them come looking for you and how you are thinking about voting.

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In an upcoming post on this blog and on Bilerico-DC I will be suggesting some alternate places to donate money until such time as the Congressional Democrats and President Obama deem us worthy of real efforts to make us full and equal citizens.