Gay Bloggers Play Hard Ball: No More Money to DNC and Obama Campaign

The big gay news today is the latest call to action by AMERICAblog's Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign

They already have cosponsor endorsements from Daily Kos, Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake, Dan Savage, Michelangelo Signorile, David Mixner, Paul Sousa (Founder of Equal Rep in Boston), Pam Spaulding, Robin Tyler (ED of the Equality Campaign, Inc.), Bil Browning for the Bilerico Project, with more to follow.

From AMERICAblog:

We are asking voters to pledge to withhold contributions to the Democratic National Committee, Organizing for America, and the Obama campaign until the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is passed, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) is repealed, and the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is repealed — all of which President Obama repeatedly promised to do if elected.

  • Asking a religious right activist who claims to have been “cured” of his homosexuality to headline campaign events in South Carolina. Then letting the anti-gay bigot spend half an hour, on stage, haranguing gays at the Obama event.
  • Refusing for months to interview with LGBT newspapers during the campaign, while his opponent did repeatedly.
  • Flubbing question on whether gays are immoral.
  • Inviting anti-gay activist Rick Warren, who helped pass Prop 8 in California, to give the invocation at the inaugural.
  • Inviting a gay bishop to the inaugural festivities, then not beginning the TV broadcast until the gay bishop has finished and left.
  • Refusing to appoint an openly gay Cabinet member.
  • Abolishing the LGBT outreach position at the DNC and never reinstating it.
  • Refusing to re-establish the White House Office of LGBT Outreach and the White House LGBT Liaison (which was a Special Assistant to the President at one point).
  • Continuing to discharge two gay servicemembers a day, even though he could stop it immediately by issuing a stop-loss order immediately.
  • Asking for a study on “whether” repealing DADT would hurt national security, rather than a study on how to repeal it, as promised.
  • Deleting his gay civil rights promise from the White House Web site.
  • Changing his commitment to “repeal” Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, to “changing DADT it in a sensible manner.”
  • Repeatedly

Comments [30]

Not2Taem's picture

Titto, titally!

*** edit: This was tittally supposed to come out in response to Tiff, waaaay down there. I seldom know where or I am these days.****

I have no clue what the proper term is, if there is one. But I definitely vote for titto.  Wink

Carollani's picture

Meanwhile, In Seattle...

I know that Dan Savage has repeatedly made the same threat. Our "fierce advocate" is failing us and we shouldn't keep funding their wishy washy "support" if they're not going to take us seriously.

deedee's picture

I am ALL

For doing this yesterday !!!!!!!

MacLass_19's picture

Thank you Grace...

Interesting, there are very few comments on this blog. 

After reading all of this, I can say that it is painfully obvious that Obama doesn't care about lesbians, gays, our community, or our families.  

I wanted to believe in him. I really did...   Crying

 

Robin Rigby's picture

I don't understand what the

I don't understand what the number of comments has to do with anything.  

Personally, I wasn't naive enough to think that talk and campaign promises about change equated to actual change and I voted for the candidate who's record I already knew.  Therefore I can't be disappointed in Obama cause I didn't think he was the second coming to begin with.  I also don't give money to the DNC or the Obama campaign or any of the other things they want us to boycott.  I also choose where and when I want to spend my money and don't need some blogger to tell me how to spend it.  Ergo, no need to comment because this whole thing doesn't have anything to do with me. 

MacLass_19's picture

Good.

Good. I'm glad that you're satisfied with his ability to keep promises, and be an honest man. If you find his using people, and their desire for equality, as an acceptable form of political manipulation - more power to you.

Personally, I find it abhorrent.

Robin Rigby's picture

Bully for you.  Read my

Bully for you.  Read my response to your right hand below if you still don't understand what I meant. 

Grace Moon's picture

You

are referring to the sock puppet right?

tweet me tweeps @gracemoon

MacLass_19's picture

Huh?

My right hand? I don't get it...

itty's picture

Jeg får det. ... Barneys å

Jeg får det. ... Barneys å være UFORSKAMMET igjen.

Not2Taem's picture

translation from the Norwegian

itty said: I get it. ... (Barney's) to be rude again.

Done with a translation program, so I figure Robin's name didn't translate, unless it it some sort of slang.

MacLass_19's picture

Min Søt Itty

Du dreper meg Itty. .... Barney ? Du er en komiker, ja ? LMAO

Godt er Itty, jeg trist at du ble fornærmet i hennes reaksjon på meg. Av alt folket som jeg vet, fortjener du definately ikke til å bli disrespected, ved noen. Kanskje har noe folk akkurat ikke noen sosiale ferdigheter, eller kanskje hensikten var til å skade oss begge. Hvert måte, jeg vil seg be om unnskyldning til deg Itty - fordi jeg vet at hun vil ikke.

Jeg tror at jeg kan se hvorfor du velger til å avholde seg fra postereen av her for mye. ... Det er et kontinuerlig slag med noe folk.

Not2Taem's picture

translation from the Norwegian

MacLass said: You kill me Itty. .... Barney? You're a comedian, yes? LMAO

Itty is good, I'm sad that you were offended in her response to me. Of all the people that I know, you definitely do not deserve to be disrespected by anyone. Maybe some people just not have any social skills, or perhaps the purpose was to hurt us both. Each way, I want to apologize to you Itty - because I know she will not.

I think that I can see why you choose to abstain from postereen of here too much. ... There is a continuous battle with some people.

MacLass_19's picture

Not2Taem.... Hah.

Not totally accurate. But, close.

 

itty's picture

Really???

It has 'nothing' to do with you....

you are GAY aren't you???

 

Robin Rigby's picture

The 'boycott' has nothing to

The 'boycott' has nothing to do with me.  Separate issue from what Congress or the President vote on or sign which obviously has a great deal to do with me and my life.  

MacLass_19's picture

I'm not much into boycotts either...

However, this one is sending a solid message. And, I find it intriguing that the very medium that Obama used to spread his gay friendly agenda [bloggers], is the very medium now questioning his lack of urgency when it comes to our human rights.

 

Annie Oaklee's picture

Don't Ask, Don't Give

This boycott has everything to do with all of us, our families and our friends. Hopefully LGBT will get everyone they know to do the same.

Look at that list! Disgraceful. I'm really grateful this boycott being organized. Actually all women should boycott the DNC too, after what they did to Hillary. They also completely ignored the misogyny in the preliminaries which negatively affects us all too. And they've pretty much continued to ignore women's rights...

Rusty's picture

How much of a threat really?

This is only a threat if we're:

A. talking BIG money. And I mean BIG in political terms — bundlers

and

B. Those who are withholding the BIG money are out of the closet and willing to publicly state why they're withholding it.

We are star stuff. We are the universe made manifest trying to figure itself out. ~ Delenn

Tex's picture

Yes!

He did nothing to help us in Maine! Yes! It had an impact on our campaign....we lost undecided Dems that I feel would have voted No if he had asked.

Rusty's picture

Not me

Count me out of the boycott. (Not that I have money to donate right now). Passing ENDA and repealing DADT and DOMA have to be done by Congress. Obama promised to sign all three pieces of legislation as soon as it's passed.

We need to apply the pressure on Congress.

Job creation is the biggest issue for me right now. Most people I know are either unemployed or underemployed right now. My area is at over 14% reported unemployment. The real figure is estimated to be closer to 20%.

[edited to add last paragraph]

We are star stuff. We are the universe made manifest trying to figure itself out. ~ Delenn

Kelly McCartney's picture

Like I've said before

Gay issues also aren't my top priority. Jobs, health care, and wars are more important than whether I can get married. And, like you say, most of the problem issues are Congressional ones anyway.

Yes, I'm disappointed in some of his actions and lack of actions. At the same time, there are a LOT of bigger fish to fry that affect 100% of the population, not just whatever percentage we homos represent these days.

Of all the endorsers, I like Jane Hamsher a good bit. She's savvy. But the professional gays don't hold any sway over me. They are too myopic.

Follow me, if you dare: @theKELword

Grace Moon's picture

If you

were committedly partnered, served in the military, or were fired at work for being out, you might feel differently about that. just sayin'.

tweet me tweeps @gracemoon

Rusty's picture

And also

On the other hand, if you knew the number of people I do who are losing homes or businesses, living on food stamps for the first time in their life, and/or dropping out of college because of unemployment you might feel differently, too.

I fully support the entire menu of GLBT rights. But I don't think targeting Obama is the way to do it. How many people on this site who are out for Obama's scalp have called their members of Congress to tell them to pass legislation? How many know if their Senators and/or Representatives are on the Committees dealing with our issues?

I'm tired of the knee-jerk — circle jerk reactions that fool people into feeling like they're doing something.

I'd be interested to know how many of the people who take the pledge have actually ever donated to a politician?

We are star stuff. We are the universe made manifest trying to figure itself out. ~ Delenn

Kelly McCartney's picture

And still...

they are Congressional actions that must be taken.

I've openly written about my support to end DADT ASAP.

And we sort of were fired for being out, sort of. Weren't we?

Follow me, if you dare: @theKELword

Grace Moon's picture

The congressional actions

are negotiated with the WH and what comes up for a vote and when.

... I think we were fired in spite of being out.

tweet me tweeps @gracemoon

Annie Oaklee's picture

"But...I still love him!"

MORATORIUM.

minniesota's picture

Hmmm

I wouldn't touch DOMA with a ten-foot-pole in my first term either and I'm gay. DADT is another matter, however.

mysticsmb's picture

Ditto.

Ditto.

Tiff's picture

hmm

How do I second a ditto? Titto? Tritto? Thritto? Smile Guess thrice will suffice. Laughing out loud