Thursday, September 16, 2010

LGBT Civil Rights Vanishing on New DNC Web Site

Last evening as the LGBT liaison to the Hampton Democratic City Committee, I received an e-mail from the committee chairwoman telling me about and giving me the link to the supposedly new and improved DNC web page. I clicked the link and went to the site, signed in and low and behold, the "civil rights" page has been apparently sanitized in the minds of spineless DNC operative to removal all reference to the repeal of DOMA. You know, that same federal Defense of Marriage Act that our "fierce advocate' in the White House heretofore claimed needed to be repealed while campaigning. Every time I manage to rally some enthusiasm for putting forth efforts to elect local Democrats , the DNC and/or the White House does something else to throw Teh Gays under the bus yet again. Pam Spaulding with her usual wit and ability to get to the point has this to say:
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Jesus, the tire tracks on my back are really smarting today. The DNC has apparently boarded the bus that is driving over LGBTs and the immigration reform folks today with a lovely revamped site on "Civil Rights" that's, to be charitable, going in the the wrong direction. I can't help but cringe at the bitter irony of the logo: Change that matters.
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The DNC page disingenuously states as follows: "Civil Rights are not just abstract principles. They represent nothing less than our ability to provide for ourselves and our families and to live free from discrimination or persecution. For decades, Democrats have fought for these values, working to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to fully participate in our society-to live in a place where there are no second-class citizens, where each of us can go about our lives without fear of discrimination." Nice words (and that's all we've heard from the White House), but a further reading of the PR piece quickly shows that second class citizenship is deemed to be fine and dandy for LGBT folk. Pam Spaulding continues saying:
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Wait - what happened to one of the promises candidate Barack Obama made during the campaign -- repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act? Nowhere, people. Not a priority, not on the list anymore. I guess that went up in smoke with the whole "full civil unions" (where's that going to come from?) hoo-hah.
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And tell me what is a "sensible way" to repeal DADT? It sure can't be by giving troops freepable surveys to fill out, non-confidential feedback e-boxes, and asking spouses what they think about enlisted homos moving next door. I guess "sensible" is whatever Bill Gates approves of.
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This situation is so damn sad -- and unnecessary from a PR perspective if you want to at least string along LGBTs to open the gAyTM. They aren't even trying anymore.
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LGBT Americans have apparently been written off. And my fellow City Committee members wonder why I'm not a happy camper? Why don't the powers that be at the DNC just go ahead and spit in our faces? The DNC agenda of alienating the party base has just ticked up a few more notches. I do not understand it. The DNC seems Hell bent to goe down in defeat come November 2, 2010, inspite of all of the GOP missteps.

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