That the question raised by Washington Blade reporter Chris Cain in this piece. Cain's answer to his own question is yes and he does a through job of supporting it.
After Dean's screw-up on The 700 Club program last week, where he misstated the Democrat's 2004 platform position on marriage, the Human Rights Campaign chief Joe Solmonese slammed Dean's "serious lack of leadship" on the issue of same-sex marriage.
This week, however, Solmonese is quoted on the issue in an HRC press release saying "Voters want candidates focused on soaring gas prices, a healthcare crisis and national security, not putting discrimination in the United States Constitution."
As Cain points out in his writeup, this mirrors a release issued earlier the same day by the Democratic National Committee. In that release, the Democrats criticize Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for ignoring First Lady Larua Bush's suggestion over the weekend that the issue of same-sex marriage not be used as a major campaign issue. The Democrats pointed out, accurately I believe, that the Republicans are using the Federal Marriage Amendment to deflect attention from their own shortcomings as the 2006 elections approach.
Good politics is one thing but, as Cain points out, that strategy is harder to swallow when it is coming from a civil rights advocacy organization. It seems that the HRC's main strategy to oppose the Family Rights Amendment and state issues regarding same-sex marriage is to downplay their importance.
If I'm a gay or lesbian person who has been donating funds to and supporting the HRC expecting them to fight for my right to marry my same-sex partner, I would feel underserved at best and sold out at worst. I know I would want a little better approach than "Nothing to see here, we've all got bigger problems."
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Bravo! I totally agree. HRC is a hard one to figure. They have some seriously intrusive fundraising tactics and once you have donated, they never leave you alone. They seem like the right-wing groups I used to be a part of. But I digress.
ReplyDeleteI think the HRC should re-think how they do things or they are going to lose support, financial and otherwise, to groups like the NGLTF.
Sharone
The Washington Blade has had it out for HRC for years, and this is just the latest example.
ReplyDeleteYes, the press releases are similar, but so what? Is it wrong? Isn't the US Senate wasting its time on a gay marriage ban instead of on issues that are of immediate concern to Americans?
I guess I'd be a little more open to this argument if it weren't for the source...
Hmm... I think it's all just for "distraction" causes.. the gov. is always a step ahead.. remember!
ReplyDeleteby the was..
does anyone know how to contact ovi web development? cause the only thing they have on their site is thir logo! :(
thx