WP: Gay Activists Refuse to Bargain Away Rights

[kskiska]

Dozens Tell Lawmakers They're Against Any Plan to Pull Back From Fight for Equality

Dozens of prominent advocates for gay rights sent a letter to every member of Congress yesterday stating that they would reject any plan to bargain for equal rights, and specifically decried a report that the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay political organization, was planning to "moderate" its positions and would possibly support President Bush's plan to create private Social Security accounts.

The letter, titled "Where We Stand," was released by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) in response to an article in yesterday's New York Times. The article quoted officials from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as saying that, in light of defeats for gay rights in the Nov. 2 election (including the bans on same-sex marriage passed in 11 states), the organization decided to place less emphasis on same-sex marriage and more on "strengthening personal relationships." One HRC official was paraphrased as saying that the group would consider supporting Bush's efforts to partially privatize Social Security in exchange for the right of gay partners to receive benefits under the federal retirement program.

The letter, signed by more than 30 gay rights leaders, states: "The New York Times today reported that some in the LGBT community are ready to pull back on our struggle for freedom to make everyone more comfortable politically, or willing to bargain away the rights of others to make a deal for themselves. Specifically, the notion was advanced that we could make gains at the expense of senior citizens by privatizing Social Security. . . .

"We specifically reject any attempts to trade equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, a group that includes many elders, for the rights of senior citizens under Social Security or, for that matter, the rights of any other group of Americans.''

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A53579-2004Dec9.html

[The Zanti Regent]

1. And the SCREW YORK TIMES gang o'Kazoo players tweet on

Isn't it comforting to know that the Weekly World News is more believable than the Screw York Times?

[Just Me]

2. I don't blame them!!! They are people/citizens, too!!!

Honestly,....some of the most morally-aware, caring, giving and concerned people I have ever met in my lifetime,...have been those whose gender preference has not been heterosexual. Whereas, some of the most egregiously persecutory, insensitive, stingy and hateful people I have ever encountered have been heterosexual.

What happened to the basics of human action?

If you hurt someone,...you're bad.
If you help someone,...you're good.
If you force your will on someone,...you're bad.
If you contribute to someone,...you're good.
If you're persecutory,...you're bad.
If you're tolerant,...you're good.

If either/or is a necessity,...why avoid the basics?

[Rowdyboy]

3. Hmmm....Fundy Republican president

55 right-wing 'thug Senators, 235 Delay-backing assholes out of 435 members of the House. Yeah, I see total equal rights just around the corner! <<sarcasm>>

All or nothing! No compromise allowable! That and a dollar MIGHT buy you a cup of coffee at McDonald's. Big bad talk that is obviously aimed to rally the troops but make no strategic sense. Sad to say, but American GLBTs are in a pretty weak position. It hard to make demands when you've just had electoral mud rubbed in your face. We're tolerated, not accepted. And "we're" the first ones they'll come for

[Maat]

4. Rowdyboy...there are some of us who not only..

accept our GLBTQ friends, but support them, enjoy their company, and who want to join the advocacy efforts.

There are more of us than some think.

And I certainly reject any 'offers' to compromise the interests of seniors, as well as offers to back off from securing complete equality.

I am, however, both a 'retired' socia worker, and a social worker at heart.

I will, therefore, fight to secure as many of the benefits possible, culminating in all, no matter what we call it (marriage, civil union or domestic partnership). I'm zealous, but also pragmatic.

I worked the system to help each friend and client that I had.

[Rowdyboy]

5. Sorry, I'm just scared....Moreso than I've ever been...I see an America

that I no longer recognize and its beginning to get to me.

[Maat]

6. I say, 'Hang in there! "

And this Mom wants you to stay positive. This may be the greatest opportunity for all fair-minded people to stand tall and united together. That's the way I see it. And I am positive that this is the way it is going to turn out - everyone will be forced to look themselves in the mirror and assess their values - fairminded (many, many, if not most) people will unite, and we will win!

[xchrom]

8. you must be younger than me

this is exactly the america i have always known.
we must endure -- and we will get there.
but, there is hell to pay as we go -- we will, as we always have -- make good progress.
but we must not let folk like the hrc take us into a period of soul killing compromises.

[Laughing Mirror]

9. Ditto, xchrom

They can keep their "human rights." We fight for equal rights and justice, for truth and love. We have come this far up the aisle and we are not going to go sitting quietly in the restricted section at the back of this ignorant superstitious plantation church called America.

[TaleWgnDg]

7. kskiska, your post about a Washington Post article refers

to a prior newspaper article in the New York Times by John M. Broder, published (dated) December 9, 2004, entitled "Groups Debate Slower Strategy on Gay Rights" . . . here's the url hyperlink to that NYC article at issue: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/09/national/09gays.html

Anybody had any luck trying to google that NGLTF letter?


.

[Plaid Adder]

10. I can strengthen my own damn personal relationship.

They're supposed to be a political advocacy group, not an advertising agency. Come ON, people!!

:argh:

The Plaid Adder