Guess what? Folks are still not satisfied with the small, careful steps Obama's adminstration is making for the LGBT community. So they are going to continue protesting any and every DNC event.
Here's a press release for the Boston one
As we've all seen, we've gotten more in the past 6 days for the LGBT community than we have in the past 6 months. Once this firestorm of criticism and public pressure began over the repugnant DOMA brief, we began hearing that the Hate Crimes bill may pass very soon. Then once the boycotting began of the DNC fundraiser in Washington, DC, we then learned about the relocation benefits memorandum which seemed to be a direction reaction to the boycott.
Money talks folks and we have a HUGE opportunity here.
Putting on this protest will be emblematic of a larger issue at hand for the Obama administration and the Dems. No longer is the protest singled out just in Washington, DC, but now they're spreading. If the Obama administration and the Dems want to tamper down frustrations, the only way for them to do so will be to take concrete strong action to pass substantive LGBT civil rights measures. Let's make them do it!
Ok I get it, but will these protests lead to anything truly productive?
Yes, money talks, we know this. However, this is the ugly truth: The Dems will get their money regardless!
Not all of us agree that Obama has betrayed us. Please remember this reaction is not shared by the majority of the LGBT community. More and more folks are seeing a different side of this argument and standing firm with Obama.
Also Obama's win has clearly reinforced fundraising power in the Black and Latino communities. In fact, these groups raised tons and tons of money, which could rival the LGBT money power. And remember, there are LGBT communities of color who will already feel alienated by the same groups launching these protests. So in some ways, they may not be so quick to join in the party.
And if we withhold our money...What are we going to do with it? With no clear idea in sight, we could be wasting resources.
The protests, in my opinion are based from misconceptions, misinformation and assumption. We have to come better than this. But it remains to be seen if this makes a powerful difference.
2 comments:
I'm quickly developing the opinion that it's almost a necessary step in gaining what we all know will come to pass. We do need to be more vocal in a lot of ways. When people are still censured at they're jobs simply for being gay and out and some fundamentalist claims sexual harassment because it offends they're sensibilities. Well, things just aren't right. I don't really look at this as an "Obama" issue. The President is a busy man and is doing a job no one with any sense would want. But I think on some level he really approves of this. If we continue to stand up for our rights we'll get them. Think about how far we've come, and yet how far we still have to go with racism alone. It still exists, but every year, with every generation it gets better. I really think the LGBT community will continue to experience things similarly.
Hugz
Where were all these protesting folks 8 years prior?
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