Congress Lets GLBT Community Down.....Again

Posted on Street Prophets

The hate crimes bill is dead for this congressional session, being dropped by the Democratic "leadership" of the House. There will likely be no attempt to provide legal protection for the GLBT community from hate crimes until the 2009 legislative session since Congress surely does not have the courage to take up such a sensitive matter in an election year.

Here is the CNN report.

I backed the Democrats after they bailed on transgender people when they were dropped from ENDA (the Employer Non-Discrimination Act), supporting their strategy of at least passing something for GLB people, but they completely screwed the hate crimes bill up and helped no one in the process.

I didn't have expectations nearly as high as some folks when the Democrats regained control of Congress in the 2006 elections, but I didn't think they would show such imcompetence and cowardness either. The "leadership" has made a lot of noise but delivered little of consequence in nearly a year of power, and I see no reason to believe anything will change before the 2008 election, if at all.

The pervasive attitude in both houses of Congress seems to be a desire to obtain power, then do whatever it takes to keep it. There is a diminishing emphasis on doing what is right, replaced by obeying the results of polls and focus groups, positioning for the best sound bites and controlling news cycles. Protecting the rights and needs of minorities like the GLBT community from the tyrany of the majority does not even show up on the radar of far too many senators and representatives.

As I have studied the politicial landscape in regards to the GLBT community and their struggle for equality over the last 2 1/2 years, it has becoming clear to me that issues like same-sex marriage, employment non-discrimination, and hate crimes protection, must be gained at the local, grass-roots levels. There are still people in local and state legislatures that actually care about people and work to make their city/county/state a better place to live. A politician has less to lose at that level, making it easier for them to deal with issues of right and wrong vs. political expediency. There are people in these legislative bodies, such as where I live in Montgomery County, Maryland, that will work toward truly equal rights for all and protect minorities that can not protect themselves.

I believe advocates need to spend their time and resources in this fertle political field. Regional groups like Equality Maryland, with support from national organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, can get things done in some regions, which is clearly not a realistic possibility in the halls of Congress.

Can these national organizations, especially the HRC, eat a bit of humble pie and work more at the grass roots levels? Instead of trying to reel in the big fish, can they be content going after some smaller ones, focusing on smaller but very attainable rewards? I hope so. If something consistently doesn't work, good leadership changes tactics and seeks a more effective approach.

While I'm not a politician or professional advocate, I do have a passionate belief in the rights of the GLBT community. That passion leads me to believe that our national and regional advocacy organizations need to table their own agendas and recent hurt feelings to work together for the good of those who they are advocating for. I think the approach I suggest is worth their consideration.

While they are working on changing laws, members of the GLBT community and their allies need to work on changing hearts. Whether it be by writing a blog, sharing your story to educate potential allies, or just living a life that can be consiered worth emulating, everyone can play a role in moving toward GLBT equality.