Dems abolish gay outreach post

[mom cat]

Dems abolish gay outreach post
Gay Democrat resigns in protest over Dean’s restructuring moves

By LOU CHIBBARO JR
Friday, February 03, 2006


Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean has abolished the Democratic Party’s constituent outreach desks, including the post of director of lesbian and gay outreach.

A DNC spokesperson said Dean replaced the outreach director positions with a new program called the American Majority Partnership, which integrates efforts to address the concerns of minorities into all of the DNC’s departments and offices. The little noticed move took place last year.

"It’s an expansion of what we had before," said Damien LaVera, the DNC spokesperson assigned to discuss gay rights issues.

But the former chair of the DNC’s Gay & Lesbian Americans Caucus doesn’t see it that way. Gay Democratic Party activist and fundraiser Jeff Soref of New York City said he resigned from the DNC and from his position as chair of the gay caucus in August largely because of Dean’s decision to eliminate the gay outreach desk.

"It took us many years to win that position, have it funded and make it effective," Soref said.


http://www.washblade.com/2006/2-3/news/national/dems.cfm

[Newsjock]

1. As despicable as this sounds at first ...

... I'd sure like to know more before passing judgment. The Washington Blade, of course, is the gay paper that hired Jeff Gannon/Guckert as an opinion columnist. They aren't exactly the most left-leaning gay paper in the world.

[madfloridian]

3. Jeff Gannon is still there? Or was there?

I had heard that, but didn't want to say it.

[madfloridian]

4. There now apparently.

http://baywindows.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=008EC9FBCFF24AD18614290016BE1303&nm=Current+Issue&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=47CBD60F43054199813393F9442FFE71

[saltpoint]

2. I'd rather wait for Dr. Dean's own words on this one, but I agree

initially with Mr. Soref.

[omega minimo]

5. No, THAT'S not Orwellian

"...a new program called the American Majority Partnership, which integrates efforts to address the concerns of minorities..."

Must be me :crazy:

[sandnsea]

7. The minority is actually the majority, duh

Women, gays, ethnic; we're the majority in this country and it's time we started acting like it. Makes perfect sense to me, not Orwellian at all.

[omega minimo]

8. "Framing" sucks

:evilgrin:

[sandnsea]

11. That's reality, not framing

Women and gays and people of color are the majority, NOT white men. See?

[omega minimo]

14. You may get that, but I'll bet you it's "framing"

"A DNC spokesperson said
Dean replaced the outreach director positions
with a new program
called the American Majority Partnership,
which integrates efforts
to address the concerns
of minorities
into all of the DNC’s departments and offices."

[sandnsea]

15. integrates minority concerns into all offices

because an integrated minority is actually the American Majority. It's a brilliant concept, it's bottom up politics. You don't have an education or environmental office without the issues of bilingual needs or pollution in minority areas included. That happens now. Environment is the pretty trees and rivers for suburbia to play in, not the toxic dump in the minority neighborhood. This could really be a good thing, giving voice to the left behind. I don't think we should attack it until we learn more about it.

[omega minimo]

16. Please

Please do not assume. Please don't project a groupthink attitude onto my simple post.

"I don't think we should attack it until we learn more about it."

I am not attacking it. I am not "we" who think whatever.......

My simple comment stands.

That's all.

[sandnsea]

17. Orwellian? Framing sucks???

Wow, I'd hate to see you when you get in attack mode.

[omega minimo]

19. "Belief in a cruel god makes a cruel man"

Too simple, eh?

omega minimo (1000+ posts) Fri Feb-03-06 07:32 PM
Response to Original message
5. No, THAT'S not Orwellian
"...a new program called the American Majority Partnership, which integrates efforts to address the concerns of minorities..."
Must be me :crazy:

MAJORITY instead of MINORITY. There is some incongruity in ""...a new program called the American Majority Partnership, which integrates efforts to address the concerns of minorities...", at the very least. Opposite terms used for opposite means. Call it what you like. The observation also contained some humor, in case you missed that.

And the :evilgrin: indicated some humor in "'Framing' sucks"-- which IMHO it does.

Back off.

[sandnsea]

21. "Back Off"

What a charmer. I have a solution. Bye.

[sandnsea]

6. Equality and Justice For All

At first glance it looks like Howard Dean is trying to focus on issues and have people understand how any one issue, like lack of health care, affects everybody. Then we stop being a smattering of interests groups and begin to hear each others problems, be able to talk intelligently on all of them, and create that big picture story that everybody said was missing last year. As long as there are still gays and minorities in many key positions, this shouldn't create a lack of attention on any specific interest group. I'll withhold judgment until I see how it plays out overall.

[radio4progressives]

9. I agree with the concept for creating a means for all groups to come

and work together... but...

it just never works that way in the political arena..it just doesn't.

people want their own voices heard, and have to have a structured system where their voices are expected to be represented.

Dean doesn't understand this issue, because he isn't a minority himself. It's a no brainer when you're a person of color, or gay, and so on, this issue doesn't have to be explained. But it's pretty damn frustrating to be explaining this over and over and over and over and over again to persons of priviledge and just when you think they get it, they pull the rug out from under ya.

Delores Huerta is in the inner sanctum, seems to me she should be able councel Dean on this matter, speaking as a Activist Leader in the Minority community.. . I can just hear how this gonna be played out in California.

oh boy... (big sigh)

[sandnsea]

12. I understand that

I guess if it had been me, I'd have done both. Created the overarching Majority Project, and then had the existing minority outreaches feed into it too. But I see both sides. Like in areas with a high Latino vote, people say "if it weren't for Latinos, Republican soandso would have won". Then, in South Dakota, "if it weren't for the Indian Vote, soandso Repubican would have won." As if this minorities aren't flat out equal American voters in their own right, no qualifications. I'm thinking that's the point of the project, to get minorities to recognize the common ground and majority power we (I'm female) have. What hurts one, hurts all. The minority as the majority, a complete flip of the power structure. No more white Christian male superiority. Nobody should have to put any issue to the side, rather we should all learn to advocate for each other and for equal justice under the law.

[radio4progressives]

20. I totally agree with you on this..

unfortunately, i have had difficult experience in political struggles within very progressive circles, all paths seem to lead to identity politics . some call it obstructionism, others call it struggling through oppression to empowerment.

it's about race, class, gender, ethnic issues, sexual orientation etc. everybody wants their voices represented as a group, every group wants a seat at the table bringing the issues of their own group's concerns and proposals(which each sees as unique)to be included.

Everybody forgets, or denies, or simply is unable to recognize that we all share the same goals. But lot of times, that isn't exactly true either. and we see that play out in national politics very sharply.

And that's where we are right now. Dean is going to need to recognize this, I'm thinking Delores Huerta needs to be the one to talk to him if no one else can get through. Or her granddaughter, Julie Chavez Rodriguez who i think is in the inner sanctum of the DNC too. At least last year she was. Dunno, somebody needs to get through to him on this issue soon before the fall out or a terrible misunderstanding occurs.

[sandnsea]

23. I think it's what you say

Everybody at every table so every voice is heard. Then two things happen, identification of common issues, and understanding of the need for the whole to advocate for the unique issues as well It's the logical next step. There's danger that it can become homogenized and I agree we need to watch for that. But as long as so many fine people have real access, like you say, there's a real chance for the image of scattered interest groups to merge into one, united Democratic Party that advocates for the people, all the people.

[orleans]

10. i'm not clear on WHY i guess

what exactly was the point of changing things?

(underlying motivation: to become more efficient or to not look so gay?)

i was gonna say "i can't believe dean or the dnc would do something that would fly in the face of the glbt community" but lately i don't know anything for sure.

a friend of mine always says crap like "it doesn't surprise me" and remarks along those lines. he says "it's funny because you were always the cynical one."

but i've told him that, in spite of my cynical nature, it never fails to shock the shit out of me/horrify me/infuriate me. (of course, mostly i'm talking about the gop here)

[neverevergivein]

13. No idea what to say

but I know this is not good. Let's just see how it plays out and if Dr. Dean will address this soon.

[madfloridian]

18. There is an emerging partnership with 50 state plan and American Majority.

I have seen some things on this where he has presented it through meetings with DNC groups. I saw one place where it was called the 50 State Partnership Project and the America Majority Partnership. I don't think it has been officially presented yet.

But Dean often meets with these groups for fundraisers, there is a page at the DNC.
http://www.democrats.org/a/communities/glbt_community/

And a leadership council:
https://www.democrats.org/page/contribute/gllc

And this is the fundraiser this online paper which hired Jeff Gannon is saying to protest...it is a fundraiser for the GLBT community. Yeh, that makes a whole lot of sense.

Please Join

Governor Howard Dean
Chairman of the Democratic National Committee

and

Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.
For an LGBT Reception

Tuesday, February 7, 2006
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

Halo
1435 P Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005

$625 – Host Committee (Contribute and/or raise $625)
$125 – Individual Ticket

Event Chairs:
Babak Movahedi * Claire Lucas * National Stonewall Democrats
Bill McColl * Young Democrats of America GLBT Caucus

Host Committee
Mario Acosta * Robin Brand * Jerry Clark * Dave DeCicco * Todd Felts
Jay Heavner * David Meadows * Christopher Neff * David Salie
Wayne Skinner * Kurt Vorndran * Cheryl Ann Welsh

[madfloridian]

22. Wonder how many fundraisers the RNC has for the GLBT community.

Just a random thought in my mind. Dean has had a lot of them this last year. And the Blade hired Jeff Gannon on after all his notoriety. Doesn't speak too well for them.

I am amazed at how the Republicans attack us constantly, and we just attack us, too.

It amazes me.

[madfloridian]

24. Howard Dean declares Democratic support for gay rights...

This is ridiculous when it is so obvious he is supportive. This kind of stuff is deceptive. Wonder if the Blade's Jeff Gannon, whom they hired on, in involved in this. This is a statement from last year. Let's not go overboard.

http://ec.gayalliance.org/articles/001081.shtml#top

June 23, 2005

Howard Dean declares Democratic support for gay rights
by Susan Jordan

Washington, D.C. - In honor of the 2005 Pride month Celebration, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean will attend an event on Thursday, June 23 in New York City with the LGBT community and issued the following statement:

“It has been 36 years since Pride month established its roots during a turbulent weekend in New York City. Since the Stonewall Rebellion, our country has taken tremendous strides towards securing equal rights for all Americans. Democrats across the country are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the LGBT community, and are honored to join the millions of Americans who will celebrate this month. Alongside you we renew our commitment to facing the challenges still ahead.

“The Democratic Party has a long and proud history in the fight for civil rights. We are the party that has always believed in equal rights under the law for all people, and we will continue to fight until every American, including our family and friends in the LGBT community, is treated with the respect and equality they deserve.

“There’s no place in civil discourse for hate and discrimination. America deserves better. Democrats support full and total inclusion of LGBT persons and their families into the life of our nation. We believe in equality for all families. We support the right of gay and lesbian Americans to serve openly in our military. We support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to allow all Americans to work without fear of being fired because of their sexual orientation. We support further LGBT health research. Our nation’s most sacred document, the United States Constitution, is intended to expand liberties, not limit them; and we will fight any attempt to use our Constitution to discriminate for political gain.

“The Democratic Party is proud to stand with the LGBT community, not just during Pride Month, but every month, of every year.”