National Stonewall Democrats goes ‘on Hiatus’

Interesting news, gang.

The National Stonewall Democrats is going on a break.

The organization suspended operations last week, but plans to come back in 2014.
Dallas Voice talked to Executive Director Jerame Davis about the changes:

“A lot of decisions are being made,” Davis told the Voice. “It’s likely our office will be closed for most of this year.”

Davis continues to work as an unpaid volunteer and will use the current office in Washington, D.C., at least through the end of the month. 

Local and state chapters will continue to operate normally. Stonewall Democrats of Dallas President Omar Narvaez said his group’s regular monthly meeting is Jan 15. He described the Stonewall as very grassroots, operating from the bottom up, and said locally nothing will change. 

In an email to members in early December, Davis warned the organization was facing a $30,000 deficit and might be forced to close if the money was not raised.
Davis became executive director of National Stonewall Democrats in December 2011 and inherited the organization’s debt. 

“We’ve never raised enough money out of dues alone to keep the organization going,” he said. 

Most memberships come from the local Stonewall organizations. When a member pays dues to the local group, $10 is passed along to national. Davis said some groups are not passing along membership money.

I hope this temporary, we nee this group for the long haul. By 2014, I'm sure they will be back on track

National Stonewall Democrats address the Iowa Caucuses

National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis issued the following statement:

"The Iowa caucuses paint a sad and desperate picture of today's Republican Party.


"Mitt Romney has been running for president for 5 years and yet 75% of Iowa Republicans would like anyone but Romney to be their standard bearer. Last night, Iowa scraped the bottom of the barrel and came up with Santorum - a dyed-in-the-wool culture warrior hell-bent on imposing his warped moral values on the rest of the nation. Of all the clowns in the car, they picked the most virulently homophobic and least qualified of the lot.


"Rick Santorum's political career should have ended when Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly rejected his unhinged right wing lunacy in 2006.
He will never be the nominee - let alone president - but thanks to the Iowa GOP, we will now be inflicted with a few more weeks of self-righteous sanctimony and rank piety before the Santorum surge finally fizzles.


"Ron Paul's radical following delivered him a solid third place finish proving that a past filled with racist, homophobic, and anti-semitic remarks and crackpot libertarian reductionism is not a barrier to broad support in the GOP. Unfortunately for Romney, that rabid following means Paul will be around to spoil Romney's ascendance for some time to come.


"This circus stands in stark contrast to President Obama's steadfast leadership and drama-free style. If Republicans don't want to find themselves in political Siberia this November, they'd better clean up this mess quickly and start repairing the serious damage this process is doing to their brand."

Sen. Evan Bayh tells a Bad, Bad AIDS joke.

This man has lost cool points before, but this mess takes the cake.

In his speech at a fundraising event, Bayh told this joke...


If you couldn't hear it, here's the transcript:

So I'm walking through the airport and people were kinda being nice and making eye contact and a couple come up and say hello. This one person runs up all excited and I'm prepared to say "Hello," and he says, "Senator Bayh! Senator Bayh!"

I said "Well, yes?" and he looked at me and said, "Do you have AIDS?"

[audible gasps]

I said, "Huh?"

He said, "Yeah. Do you have AIDS?"

I was dumbfounded. I didn't know what to say.

He said, "I've got a letter I want to give you, do you have someone I can hand this to? Do you have an aide with you?"

[laughter]

So you never know what people are going to say.

[more laughter]

Many of you have asked me... You've got to be prepared for about anything, you know?

As you saw in the clip, Bayh says he was misunderstood. What do you think?

source

What's the best Method to fight for our Rights?

The recent Harold Ford Jr. debacle has heated up some discussions on how we should address politicians, as well as, how we should fight for our rights.

If your not familiar with the issue, Ford spoke at a Stonewall Democrats event in NYC. However, he was attacked by several gays, screaming and shouting during his speech. The aftermath of that event, caused several LGBT leaders, activists and bloggers to condemn the protesters' actions.

Then on the flipslide, several LGBT peeps felt this is the best way to deal with lying politicians and the slow process on our issues.

But what is the best method? Is there a 'best method'?

I struggle with this because I'm all for protesting. I think it's a great way to convey our frustrations. However, when it's destructive, the point is muddled.

For example, there's already a backlash from the Ford drama. The mainstream media folks are labeling the protesters as "rude", "vile", "tacky". And this issue has trickled down to other minority groups who are seeing this as an unnecessary attack on Ford.

Still, this method could sent a message that 'we don't take no jive'. This could be the wake up call to any politician who wants our support.

For me, I think the Ford drama hurt more than helped. But on the other hand, folks now know you can't play with our emotions.

I would love to hear from y'all about this.

Harold Ford Jr. vs Some Angry Gays

Okay, I know folks don't like my ex-husband, but this is ridic. Please watch HF at the Stonewall Dems event at NYC.






My personal opinion? This is was not cute and this may work for him. Knowing spin doctors and politics, this could be his golden ticket. Especially, when Sen. Diaz is playing the gay abandonment card. This could spin into Harold's hands.

Now, I not for the man, but I can see this being a negative tag at us.

The Power, y'all need to be smart and not stupid.

Harold Ford Jr. addresses the NY Gays

I will say this, Harold enjoys conflict. And he's about to face it head on with the Stonewall Dems.
He's meeting with them in 2 weeks and it's been described that he's walking into a lion's den.

"I don't think he's aware of what the gay community is like in New York," said Marty Algaze, a veteran of both LGBT and Democratic politics. "He's walking into a lion's den."

"...A lot of people don't like him, and I have a feeling they're going to be a little hostile," Algaze continued. "If somebody asked me if I was supporting him, I would say: 'No. I'm supporting Sen. (Kirsten) Gillibrand. This is a good opportunity for the club and the community to hear what he has to say, not just these sound bites he gives on TV."

"He gets rid of the issue really quick and then changes the subject. It's time for him to be grilled on these issues and see what he really knows."

And a group, called The Power, plans on "confronting" him. Here's the facebook invo:

On Wednesday, February 24th at 6 p.m., The Power invites you to join us in confronting anti-LGBT Senate hopeful Harold Ford, Jr. when he addresses the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City at the LGBT Community Services Center at 208 West 13th Street (between 7th & 8th Avenue). Be there early and invite all your friends to stand united against his lies.

Now Ford lives in New York, the state with the largest LGBT population in the country, and is on the verge of mounting a Democratic primary challenge against Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who has established herself as one of the most outspoken advocates of LGBT equality in the Senate, endorsing The Power's petition to expand the Civil Rights Act to include LGBT people, declaring her support for same-sex marriage, and leading the fight to end Don't Ask Don't Tell.

Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, Ford says that now he supports same-sex marriage. While our movement depends on people changing their opinions, we do not need people who lie to us and take us for granted. In fact, we need to show such people we won't tolerate them. Ford has also been lying about his record on a woman's right to choose, so much so that Planned Parenthood actually issued a statement insisting that he stop calling himself pro-choice.

It is imperative that the LGBT community turn out next Wednesday to confront Ford and to demonstrate to the Democratic Party and Ford's fat cat donors (most notably Maureen White and Steve Rattner), that we will not be taken for granted, that we will not be lied to, and that after the election of 2008 we can recognize the difference between someone pandering for our endorsement and someone who is truly a fierce advocate.

That's cute, announce your plans so you can get busted.

I tell you, sometimes the gay activists cause more of the drama than the haters.