Human Right's Campaign = Massive Failure

I have long been disgusted with the Human Rights Campaign which calls itself the largest LGBT rights advocacy group - most likely by cooking its "membership" numbers to include anyone in the history of the world who donated a dollar or attend and HRC function - yet seems to never deliver anything to the community out side of HRC staffers like Joe Solmonese (pictured) who draw nice salaries. Straight ally, Jane Hamsher of Fire Dog Lake has a post that takes HRC to task for its massive fail. Pam Spaulding in a separate post joins Jane's chorus and correctly identifies HRC as more of a Democratic Party cheer leading squad and fund raising vehicle than any sort of real LGBT advocacy organization. Despite its huge budget compared to other LGBT organizations, HRC has delivered nothing over the last almost two years. First some highlights from Jane Hamsher's piece:
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The White House chooses “friendly” groups who won’t force them into uncomfortable positions to represent the concerns of various constituencies. The Center for Biological Diversity isn’t invited to the Tuesday Common Purpose meetings, the Sierra Club is. If choice groups want to express their concerns to the White House, they have to go through NARAL’s Nancy Keenan. And when the White House wants to interact with LGBT groups, they communicate with (and through) the HRC.
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HRC covers Obama’s left flank. They are the principal communicators with the White House, and they’re not communicating. They use their clout and resources to marginalize LGTB activists who criticize the White House, branding them as “extreme” and “irrational” within the community. They clearly see their roles as Democratic operatives who insulate the White House from the heat being applied at the grassroots level, and use LGBT issues to advance the Democratic Party’s agenda
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This week, NYU Law School will host a forum entitled “The Log Cabin Republican Victory Against ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Are Conservatives the Most Effective LGBT Advocates?” It’s undeniable that the right/left alliance has been extremely important in the fight for LGBT rights. By using these moments as little more than an opportunity for demagoguery and self-promotion, the HRC is only making matters worse.
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Jarrett has had oversight of LGBT issues within the White House for two years. Her lack of awareness of the dynamics within the LGBT community is something the HRC bears direct responsibility for. If the HRC, as chosen messengers, see themselves as Democratic Party advocates within the LGBT community rather than LGBT advocates to the administration, what recourse do activists have to get the President’s attention, other than chain themselves to the White House and heckle him at public events?
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Pam Spaulding is equally strident in her take down of HRC. Here are a few highlights:
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When the progressive allies of our community (who are dealing with the failures of this administration to properly address myriad issues) are blogging about how rank and blatant the LGBT shell game is that is going on, it really is game over. Joe and Co. at HRC have pulled the wool over the eyes of no one (save the die-hard Obama supporters) during these last two years.

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And this is why we have written criticism about this WH and Gay Inc. on the Blend at length and in detail for quite some time. What is extremely trying is having to deal with apologists who want to, in advance, blame the messenger for reduced turnout at the polls or suppressing voter interest.
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Ahem -- it's the actions of those purportedly working on our behalf in the WH and lobbying the Hill that have let us down.
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HRC continues to churn out nice press releases and e-blasts, and focus on NOM and other non-legislative matters, hoping to distract from the very fact that its DADT repeal strategy has failed; we're left with only the courts moving the ball forward, and a Senate that has no chance of passing the weakened measure in the Def Auth bill that doesn't even stop the discharges. ENDA is dead for this year, DOMA's going nowhere (other than becoming an issue because of DADT).
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Does the HRC board believe in accountability and performance? This year presents a challenge -- if they've been paying attention at all. There are really "no excuses" left, to use a phrase appropriated by HRC for its campaign from The Dallas Principles to sell more T-Shirts.