America's Growing Polarization and the Insanity of the Far Right

Watching the news some evenings truly makes one as WTF is happening to the USA? The willing embrace of ignorance by so many, the growing willingness to speak of and treat other citizens with contempt, if not open violence, and the efforts to dismantle the supports that created the middle class as are occurring in Wisconsin and elsewhere does not bode well for the USA's future. What happened to a nation where citizens lives are supposedly valued? Increasingly, we do not even see the pretense that such is the case. Instead, we see more and more hatred openly exhibited towards blacks, Hispanics, gays, Muslims - indeed anyone who doesn't fit the white Christianist mold. Yes, much of the blame for this atmosphere of national nastiness falls directly at the feet of self-righteous, self-congratulatory Christians - using that term loosely, of course, because their behavior is anything but truly Christian. I find it scary and admittedly continue to question when the day will come where I may choose to simply leave the USA and watch it self-destruct from some foreign nation where rational thought and the ideals supposedly embodied in the U.S. Constitution are actually put into practice (unlike here in Virginia). David Mixner has a post that while somewhat tongue in cheek looks at the growing divide and offers one proposal that sadly makes sense given what we are seeing in the national discourse. Here are some highlights:
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[T]he nation is polarizing and globalization is almost demanding that nations rethink their borders. Election after election since 2000 we have had cliffhangers between a choice of a theocracy or a progressive democracy. Battles over social issues, immigration issues and how we treat the poor and needy have only increased the divide.
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Why don't the blue states join Canada in a new confederation called the United States of Canada? . . . We'll have our energy located in Alberta which will become our new Texas. With a little practice we can pick up that peculiar accent and maybe make it a little bit more interesting. They already have baseball teams and we like hockey! Canada knows how to do Olympics and has great skiing.
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The Canadians spend near $30 billion for defense and the United States currently spends over $600 Billion. Think of the money we can spend on schools, the environment and high speed rail!
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The newly constituted United States of America (JesusLand) can relocate their capitol to either Atlanta or Dallas. . . . . They can spend all that money fighting useless "Christian Wars" and looking for non-existent nuclear weapons. At last they could have a theocracy with a formal national religion and a nation based on laws from the Bible. They can round up all those homosexuals and send them to that Canada place. "Y'all Pray, You Hear" can be the national motto. They can teach their kids in their homes and no longer have to pay property taxes for schools. Those in need....well, screw them....they should be working.
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Maybe, just maybe....we should consider it.......

The "Good People" Who Enable Anti-Gay Bigotry

There's a saying that bad things happen when good people do nothing to stop them. It's surely a true analysis in the context of anti-gay prejudice and bigotry. All too often our allies accept us but are totally unwilling to speak out and loudly condemn those who demonize us and even threaten us with physical violence. Being a gay accepting Christian or church denomination is a good thing. But something better would be a gay accepting Christian or entire denomination that is willing to go to the media and repeatedly call out the hate merchants and Christianists who wrap themselves in religion while providing justification for bigotry and the dehumanization of others. Too often our religious allies remain quiet out of apparent fear of offending some of the bigots that remain within their own flocks. But this sin of omission isn't limited to churches and their members, It extends across the public and most particularly to our elected officials starting at the very top in the White House. Weak kneed statements of support are in no wise equal to active condemnation of prejudice or real actions on pro-equality legislation. David Mixner has a good post on this issue. Here are some highlights:
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This holiday I was walking on West 47th Street just off Times Square when two guys came walking toward me. My guess is that they were in their late 20's but maybe a little older. They were well-dressed and seemed clean-cut and, frankly, harmless. As they approached me, they spat at me and said, "This is for you 'the King of the Faggots'." Whoa, I was totally taken back in time and I came to a halt at the force of the words.
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These guys felt they had permission to express their disgust and hate openly. That permission not only comes from the heated debate over the struggle for our freedom. Clearly there are those organized hate groups that actually encourage these actions. But we also can look to religious leaders who remain silent, the Pope who is on a LGBT witch hunt and yes, even our President who constantly says marriage is between a man and a woman implying that any other definition is just not normal and maybe even disgusting.
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The derogatory term had power. It hurt. It was degrading. The hate was scary. For a quick second, I felt dirty and very vulnerable. Don't get me wrong, it did not weaken my resolve to be a free man. In fact it is serving as a fuel so we can end such blatant hate in America. So to all those, gay or straight, who think it is cute to use the word "faggot" or "fag' either in joking or even self proclaimed empowerment......stop it.
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Every time a politician makes excuses for inaction or, like John McSenile, seeks to block equality, they are empowering hate and bigotry. The same holds true for every religious leader that allows hate groups like Family Research Council or corrupt hypocrites like Pope Benedict XVI to be the face of Christianity.

Granting Permission to Hate

I and many others have written of late about Christianists and others, including politicians like Barack Obama who allow anti-gay laws to be enforced, who by their actions (or inaction) send a continuous message to bigots that anti-gay hate is not only OK, but perhaps even the righteous thing to do. This message not surprisingly leads to anti-gay violence on the part of bigots and self-hate and even suicide on the part of L GBT individuals who hear the constant denigration. Truthfully, it sickens me and leaves me dumbfounded as to how people can be so cruel to their fellow man simply because they are different or "other." Such is even more the case as science and mental health knowledge has demolished the "homosexuality is a choice" myth - at least outside of the Kool-Aid drinking religious zealots and those who choose to remain ignorant by choice.

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Two columns do a remarkable job in taking to task those who continue to flame homophobia and give a wink and a nod to anti-gay discrimination and violence. The first is from The Missoulian on the eve of the 12th anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder.The second is a piece by David Mixner. As a parent, the last part of the highlights from the Missoulian hit home forcefully. Would that more parents and more religious leaders understand the harm and violence they do to their children and/or other citizens. First, highlights from the Missoulian:
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It's fair to say that more than one gay teenager has committed suicide in recent weeks after being harassed and bullied by peers. Like Tyler Clementi, whose death has been well-publicized, they finally succumbed to a hopelessness most parents cannot imagine. How can despair claim so young a life, we wonder. And how can some kids be so cruel?
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And so we ask: Where do kids ever get the idea that it's all right to harass and bully homosexuals? Let us count the ways.
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The U.S. government continues to enforce a "don't ask, don't tell" policy against gay and lesbian members of our military. They must keep quiet about their sexual orientation or risk being discharged - no matter how nobly or bravely they have served our country.
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One state after another passes laws to codify second-class citizenship for gay and lesbian Americans by preventing them from marrying or entering into civil unions. Recently, Florida tried to prevent gay couples from adopting, too.
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Religious leaders and conservative columnists preach the gospel of hate, declaring homosexuality a perversion in God's eyes and a danger to innocent children.
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So no, we cannot be shocked. We are, however, in deep denial. America continues to sanctify the bigotry that empowers the bullies. And when the bullies go too far, children die.
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No matter what your comfort level is with their sexual orientation, no matter what you've said to them in the past, they need you now. "When families go from never discussing this to saying ‘I love you and want to understand,' they are opening the door to hope," Ryan says. "One conversation can change how they feel about themselves, because they'll know they're not alone."
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She recalled the story of one father who struggled mightily with his teenage son's homosexuality - until his boy nearly died from alcohol poisoning. "He was carrying his son into the emergency room. His son was sobbing and said, ‘Papa, I'm so sorry to disappoint you. I just want to be normal. I want to be like the other kids.' " "His father's heart split open that night," she said. And that changed his son's life.*
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Reading that last portion literally makes me tear up. I was lucky - when I came out my parents accepted me fully. Even my generally difficult and not always overly loving dad. Would that EVERY parent could/would do so. David Mixner continues the message with these highlights:
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Over the last month, hate seems to be in the air. The news is filled with acts of violence directed toward LGBT citizens around the world. Everywhere we look we can see hate toward homosexuals pouring out of the woodwork. Suicides, torture, riots, fire bombings and beating all have taken place within weeks. We have witnessed an epidemic of our young killing themselves, mobs roaming the streets of Belgrade, Serbia chanting "death to homosexuals" and the unspeakable torture of three members of our community in the Bronx.
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Bullies feel free to push students to their death. Politicians use the results as a political football or, even worse, remain silent. Commentators, in a rush for higher ratings, escalate their rhetoric to extreme levels of hate without regard to the consequences.
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There is no question that some of what drives such open and unrestricted hate is that the closer to freedom the LGBT movement comes the more the haters will come out of the their closets. . . . even more important is that the haters have been given permission to hate. Anytime a candidate distinguishes us from the rest of America they are saying to other Americans we are different from the normal rules of civilized behavior. When elected officials say "marriage is between a man and a woman" they are sending a signal that full equality is wrong and should not happen. In a vacuum it seems like a harmless statement but in the context of an epic struggle for freedom, those words take on real power and give people permission to hate.
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When elected officials look the other way or remain silent those less in the know feel their hate is justified. . . . . Those who duck and weave politically to avoid standing by our side are giving permission to those whose hate against LGBT people is simmering under the surface. Many actually might believe that people will approve of their brutality. After all, even the most respected leaders don't believe we should have the same rights as other people. They preach tolerance but their actions and silence fuel the flames of intolerance.
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The time for compromise has long passed. You are either with us or against us. Our leaders must chose now and act accordingly both in words and in deeds.

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I cannot say it any better. I can ask, however, this question: President Obama, are you listening? So far, apparently not.

It's Time for Obama To Support Gay Marriage

On this coming Tuesday I am supposed to attend the local Democratic Party Committee meeting (which is chaired coincidentally by the First Vice President of the State Democratic Party, who I greatly respect) as a liaison for the LGBT community. Candidly, it's hard to be very enthusiastic given the national Party's betrayal of LGBT citizens and refusal to push through needed legislation like ENDA which would aid LGBT citizens in reactionary backwater states like Virginia. Barack Obama has now made it even harder to be enthusiastic given his mealy mouthed statement through a spokesman indicating that our "fierce advocate" doesn't support marriage equality. The overall situation leaves me tasked to generate support for a Party that has not supported me - it can only claim that it's not as bad as the other guys. In terms of the mid-term elections, I do support the local Congressional Democrat candidates because they HAVE voted the right way on LGBT issues on the occasions the weak kneed leadership in Congress has brought matters to a vote - e.g., DADT repeal - and co-sponsoring ENDA. Unfortunately, nonpolitical junkies in the LGBT community may not even know about these these candidates (Glenn Nye, Bobby Scott and Krystal Ball) and suffer from the malaise besetting so many in the Democratic Party base. Who can change this overnight? Barack Obama provided he puts aside his own prejudicial religious beliefs and stops kissing the asses of the Christianists. David Mixner has an excellent post on this "come to Jesus" issue that Obama cannot sidestep. Here are highlights:
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After the Proposition 8 historic decision came down on Wednesday, my email box was flooded with people from every walk of life issuing press releases praising the victory. The Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger couldn't be more excited for the LGBT community in our victory. Justice and equality was having a good day and everyone was basking in it.
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Well, not quite everyone. Our President, our fierce advocate, continued with a game of giving us begrudgingly congratulations in a tepid unemotional and uninspired statement while sending his minions out to make sure the entire country knew that he was against marriage equality. If there was anyone that should sit down and read this opinion it would be this son of an interracial couple who had to go to Supreme Court to obtain marriage equality.
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This game has to stop. The President is either with us or against us. If he is neutral, so be it but then stop hurting us by saying over and over how marriage equality is between a man and a women. He should pay close attention to the line in Judge Walker's decision that says,
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"Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. "
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With this case he could no longer hide behind the fact that the Attorney General would have to intervene against us. The case does not involve the federal government. The issue is here to stay. As much as they wish, they can't manage it politically for their convenience. Mr. President, that is no longer possible. The surge toward marriage equality is even going to be stronger in this coming Presidential election. In fact, the Supreme Court could even rule one way or another before the election.
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For the President, an enormous amount is at stake surrounding this issue and it goes far beyond marriage equality. Is the President going to seize this moment in history and become a great leader or will others have to lead him? Is he going to be remembered as Harry Truman or more like those Senators in the 1960's who walked a fine line attempting to appease all sides in that great epic struggle for civil rights?.
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Now is the time, Mr. President for you to lead, not tomorrow but today. We want you by our sides. If not, you will be the one that will always be remembered for standing on the sidelines without courage. With or without your leadership, nothing is going to stop our inevitable march to freedom.
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As always, David has a wonderful way with words. And what he says is true - does Obama want to be remembered as a bold leader or a cowardly follower?

Five Suggestions to Force Change

Once again David Mixner has an inspired post on his blog that lays out a strategy that I believe MUST be embraced by LGBT Americans if we are ever to see full equality in this nation. I fully support David's suggestions and even forwarded them to Senator Jim Webb's communications director as a message that we are TIRED of false friends. Clearly, the LGBT community must support only those Democrats who support us and we must be prepared for some years in the wilderness if we rightly allow false "allies" to go down to electoral defeat. It seems that nothing less will get the message across to faux "friends" like Barack Obama. With me, things are basically black and white so to speak: you are either with us in more than lip service, or you're against us and you can kiss my gay ass if you think I am going to be played for a sucker any longer. Better to oppose a known foe than have the blade stuck in your back between your ribs by a false "friend." Here are highlights from David's must read post:
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This much we know: ENDA is dead for this year and if you believe Congressman Jackie Spiers, it is dead for at least five years. The repeal of DOMA has seen almost no action. We were taken out of the healthcare legislation. Most likely we will be taken out of the Immigration Reform legislation in the name of 'a greater good.' DADT is increasingly looking grim with passage of even the compromise in question. The list of bad news can go on and on.
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The only question that needs to be answered "Is this acceptable to us two years into the Obama term?" And if not, how do we change tactics or escalate our actions in order to not leave our freedom in the hands of those who have chosen not to battle for them? Here are some ideas to consider:
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1. STOP ENABLING: Anyone who has been even near a recovery program knows that the worst action a friend can take to someone who can't seem to 'get it together' is to enable them by explaining away their actions. Tough love is required from the LGBT community toward the Democratic party. No more 'understanding' why they have put us on the back burner yet one more time. No more explaining by our national organizations why with 58 Democratic Senators, a Democratic House and a liberal Democratic President we have failed after all this time to move on the 'Big Three.' No more taking a tough line rhetorically and then telling them all is forgiven by giving them money, resources and praise. We have to stop giving them permission to hurt and disappoint us time and time again.
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2. DEMAND STOP LOSS: The President has the power today to issue a 'stop-loss' order until a military report is issued and the process to officially end DADT is begun. After all, they all say it is a given that it is over so lets not destroy anyone else's lives or dreams because the political timing is not right.
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3. JUSTICE AT JUSTICE DEPARTMENT: The Department of Justice has been a hostile place for the LGBT agenda. They have spent more time fighting our rights in court than defending them. While looking for ways to intervene in Arizona, they have not even attempted to be part of the Proposition 8 case. Surely, Attorney General Eric Holder can find ways to help with the vast organization he has at his disposal. His refusing to take a stand in Maine the week before the vote was unforgivable.
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4. MAKE WAY FOR NEW WAYS: Clearly the 'pretty please lobbying' we have be doing is simply not working. Never will we have better margins in Congress than we have had the last two years and we are ending up with almost nothing. We need to embrace new groups, new ways, and new ideas. Failing institutions should be held accountable and those who are pushing for full equality should be celebrated and supported. Organizations like Get Equal and the new exciting Friend Factor offer alternative tactics to support our traditional ways of organizing and demanding full equality.
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5. PRACTICE POLITICAL TOUGH LOVE: Every two years they throw the 'we are better than the other guys' and imply that if we don't support people in the Democratic party who haven't supported us then we will be the ones responsible for any conservative victory. Bull! It is their lack of courage, inability to lead and tepid inspiration that have created their own political fate. We must no longer support anyone who is not for full equality and that includes marriage equality. No longer support political committees that give money to those who vote against us. We must seek out those candidates who do support full equality (and there are a huge number these days) and give them our support. We also must be willing to support primaries in the future against those within the Democratic party who don't support us.

Cut Off Cash to Dems Not Supporting DOMA Repeal

A number of LGBT bloggers have been advocating that LGBT citizens stop making donations to the national Democrats until such time as some of President Obama's campaign promises are delivered upon. Some had coined this to be turning of the LGBT ATM machine - something that I support 100%. What is the point of helping fund politicians who then basically flip you the bird? Now David Mixner - who first called for the National Equality March - has come out with a similar statement that I hope people will act upon. Mixner's approach is that Congressional Democrats who have not signed on as cosponsor of the bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA") should not receive a penny in donations from LGBT Americans. Here are some highlights from David's blog:

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The critics of the National Equality March said we don't have any political staying power nor do we know how to effectively lobby. Let's prove them wrong. Below is a list of A+ supporters of New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler's "Respect for Marriage Act' which, if enacted, will repeal the loathsome Defense Of Marriage Act. There is simply no reason why every Democrat is not on that list and also some of our Republicans allies. If you see your Congressperson's name missing below, get a group of your fellow activists and friends and go see them in person. Call. E-mail. Refuse to contribute to any Democrat that is not on this legislation to repeal DOMA.

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Ironically, missing from this list are such obvious ones as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer , openly gay Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, DCCC Chairperson Chris Van Hollen and other key Democrats. Let's get busy. Ever Democrat must join this list and we must remain firm to not contribute to anyone who doesn't support this effort to repeal DOMA....even our friends.

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The following is a list of cosponsors of the bill to repeal DOMA (Is your member of Congress missing? If so, call them out on it):

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Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]

Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5]

Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1]

Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24]

Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]

Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31]

Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]

Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]

Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] Rep

Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]

Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]

Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]

Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11]

Rep Chu, Judy [CA-32]

Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11]

Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]

Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14]

Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2]

Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7]

Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53]

Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1]
Rep Delahunt, Bill [MA-10]

Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3]

Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14]

Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4]

Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5]

Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]

Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17]

Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]

Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]

Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4]

Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19]

Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36]

Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23]

Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1]

Rep Himes, James A. [CT-4]

Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]

Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2]

Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2]

Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]

Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15]

Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2]

Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]

Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4]

Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1]

Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15]

Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10]

Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1]

Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]

Rep Lewis, John [GA-5]

Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]

Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]

Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3]

Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]

Rep Maffei, Daniel B. [NY-25]

Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]

Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]

Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5]

Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4]

Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]

Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]

Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6]

Rep Miller, George [CA-7]

Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8]

Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5]

Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]

Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]

Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1]

Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]

Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4]

Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]

Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1]

Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2]

Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5]

Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15]

Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9]

Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34]

Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39]

Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3]

Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]

Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3]

Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16]

Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7]

Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1]

Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]

Rep Speier, Jackie [CA-12]

Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]

Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6]

Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21]

Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10]

Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5]

Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12]

Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20]

Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33]

Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]

Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]

Rep Welch, Peter [VT]

Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19]

Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]

Rep Wu, David [OR-1]

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Locally, Congressman Glenn Nye's name is conspicuously missing from the list. Glenn certainly courted LGBT donors in unseating GOP Congresswoman Thelma Drake. Glenn needs to understand that if he will not support us, then don't count on our money.

Obama Measures Falls Short

In a possible effort to try to avoid an embarrassing melt down at a LGBT fundraiser dinner for the DNC President Obama signed a memorandum to extend limited benefits to LGBT federal employees and their partners. While a step in the right direction, it is merely a measly crumb compared to candidate Obama's lofty campaign promises. No matter what he does after the fact, the DOJ brief in support of DOMA pretty much has expressed what the Obama administration truly thinks of LGBT Americans: our marriages are equivalent to incest. Rightly so, the anti-Obama and anti-DNC fall out continues to unfold. Here's one example via the InsiderOut blog group that I belong to:

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Bruce Bastian, a gay businessman and prominent donor who lives in Utah and is on the list of special invitees, not only said he no longer plans to attend the fundraiser, but also that he no longer plans to donate to the Democratic Party as a whole. “I will continue to support certain congressmen, congresswomen and senators whom I believe will continue to fight for our rights, but I don’t think blanket donations to the Democratic Party right now are justified, at least not in my book,” he said.

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Bastian, a major donor to many LGBT groups, said he sent an e-mail to the DNC on Wednesday saying he wouldn’t attend the event “because of the remarks on DOMA.” He found the filing “very offensive.” “The administration has said they have to support the federal government’s stance,” he said. “But in the brief, they go way beyond where they need to go to just defend DOMA. They basically go to terminology and language that you would expect from the Bush administration, not the Obama administration.”

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Bastian said the brief was the “tipping point” for him in his perception for how the Democratic Party supports LGBT issues. “The LGBT community raised a lot of money in support for Obama, and, I think he has to have the courage — well, not just him — but, I think the Democratic Party now has to have the courage to fight back, and when they do, they’ll have my support,” he said. Bastian said he would change his mind on the donations and his attendance if there were action on passing hate crimes legislation in the Senate and movement to repeal DOMA and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

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Bastian is but one of many prominent LGBT political donors who have decided to opt out of attending the big DNC fundraiser on June 25, 2009. I applaud these principled decisions and believe that a boycott of the fundraiser is the proper course of action. Obama and the Democrat Party need to be shown that they cannot depend on LGBT support and money if they refuse to deliver on LGBT rights initiatives. Here are highlights from America Blog on this point:

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I contacted top gay blogger Andy Towle today to ask if he'd be attending the big gay fundraiser the DNC was holding later this month with VP Biden as the special guest. Andy was on a list I'd seen of already committed attendees. Andy told me that he had already contacted the DNC to say that he wouldn't be attending at this time (yet another reason we like Andy and his blog). The DNC had planned to raise a lot of money from gay A-listers by coinciding this fundraiser with the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. Instead, the DNC may be about to witness Stonewall 2.0.

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Andy's news comes on the heel of word that veteran gay advocate, and longtime friend of Bill Clinton, David Mixner is pulling out the fundraiser as well. David wrote one hell of an essay this weekend about the hateful DOMA brief the Obama administration submitted late Thursday night.

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Here is a very long excerpt from David's essay: You fully need to understand the ramifications of this brief: it undercuts every conceivable argument that the LGBT community would use to fight for the repeal of DOMA. Right-wing nut cases can now just simply quote horrible stuff from this hateful brief and proclaim loudly it was filed by the Obama Justice Department. The President and his team have not only undercut this community but have damaged his own ability to repeal this hideous law given to us by President Clinton. With Democratic friends like these, God helps us.

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President Obama, even Dick Cheney is for marriage equality. Please don't try to placate us with actions already taken 16 years ago by President Clinton. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton might be able to help you find the way since she has already written a policy for your approval ending discrimination in her agency. This community is no longer interested in hearing one more time your personal beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman. We want you to rise above your own beliefs and hear you articulate a powerful vision of full equality for LGBT Americans.

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As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words and at this point in time the Obama administration's actions in supporting DOMA tell us all we need to know.