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Openly gay and vociferous U.S. Rep. Barney Frank is with us in his anger about Obama and the DOJ's Boston Herald. "I’ve been in touch with the White House and I’m hoping the president will make clear these were not his views."But if the brief didn't represent his views, then how did such an important federal brief touching on one of the biggest social issues facing our country get passed him? I don't know what's worse - that the brief expresses Obama's views or that it's an indication of reprehensible mismanagement. But that's a whole other topic.
Frank went on to say that he thinks it's a big mistake to boycott the LGBT DNC fundraiser that he's co-hosting. Already many big LGBT organizations have canceled on the event in response to the DOMA brief and the Administration's inaction for LGBT rights.
“There are a lot of people who aren’t boycotting,” he said. “I think it’s a mistake to deny money to the DNC.”
But it appears that Frank is more part of the damage control than part of the solution. Not only is he telling people to keep giving money, he's now introducing today his plans to introduce ENDA legislation next week.
The Washington Blade reports, "Diego Sanchez, who is transgender and a senior policy adviser to Frank, said the bill will be inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity."
Don't get me wrong. I think this is great and wholly support and applaud Frank's efforts. But it's the timing that smells. It almost feels like a bribe. "Keep giving the money, and we'll introduce the legislation."
It feels like election night last November. Thrilled that Obama won, devastated that Prop 8 passed.
Can't good news arrive without it being tainted? What a mixture of feelings.
So, it's a mistake to deny the DNC money when we're degraded? Telling the DNC that if you don't look into my interests, I won't support you is a mistake? Who donates to political causes that are not in line with their core values? Who in the LGBT community finds the DOMA brief within their core values?
ReplyDeleteThe DNC is being held accountable for the actions of an administration that is run by their party. No one said that the money would never come, we're saying that they need to clean up their act first.
In the mean time, I will give to places like One Iowa, which match my core values more closely than the DNC has been lately. Since the DNC has made the mistake, the ball is in their court to get my money back.
The solution to this problem isn't difficult, all they have to do is act on any of the three issues we've been talking about: DOMA, DADT, and marriage equality. I'm not asking that we have DOMA or DADT repealed in two days, or full marriage equality in all 50 states next week, as nice that would be. What I'm asking is that you address these issues at all without degrading me. When the DNC is ready to talk, so am I.