detailed article on Gaycitynews about Dean's meeting with NY gay leaders

[rogue emissary]

Dean’s Kiss and Make-Up
Democratic chairman meets with NY gay leaders, responds on DNC reorganization

BY PAUL SCHINDLER

Amidst several weeks of controversy in the LGBT press about a reorganization of the Democratic National Committee that eliminated the “gay desk” or liaison position there, Dr. Howard Dean, the party chairman and former Vermont governor and presidential candidate, was in New York Monday to meet with community leaders.

Roughly 25 New Yorkers, from LGBT Democratic clubs to service organizations such as Gay Men’s Health Crisis, attended the meeting, which was pulled together at Dean’s request primarily by Ethan Geto, the longtime gay activist who runs a public relations and lobbying firm and was the chairman of the Vermont Democrat’s 2004 presidential effort in this state.

The half-dozen of those in attendance who spoke to Gay City News, including Geto, said that Dean addressed questions about the reorganization—which took place last year and also included the elimination of other constituency “desks” in favor of a new, integrated effort, termed the American Majority Partnership, aimed at key Democratic voting blocs. But these participants also agreed that the bulk of the conversation focused more broadly on pushing the party to stake out a bolder, less defensive stance on its progressive agenda, including support for LGBT equality. . .

http://www.gaycitynews.com/gcn_507/deanskiss.html

[davidinalameda]

1. this is my favorite part of the article

Roskoff said he was also impressed with Dean’s statement that anyone unhappy with the gay rights posture of Democratic candidates—the refusal by New York Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chuck Schumer to endorse gay marriage came up in the discussion—should simply not support them, and find other Democrats to focus their efforts on. Doug Robinson, one of the founders of the Out People of Color Political Action Committee, said he found that answer a vindication of his club’s nonpartisan status, unmoored to the Democratic Party.

you go boy!

[kevinbgoode]

13. I think in every circumstance like this,

we should write-in our own protest candidates in both the primaries and in the general election. It shouldn't be that hard to communicate that over the Web to thousands in a state or locality at all.

[ruggerson]

14. I got an email about that

I think it's great.

[Fridays Child]

2. I guess this makes me feel better about the whole thing but...

...what were the other constituent desks that were eliminated toward this integrated American Majority Partnership?

If the idea is to overcome the negative side effect of being the true big tent by going into the next election cycle with cohesion, then I agree with the move. But that means we have to present a united front on every issue, including those that might be seen as controversial within the party.

[rogue emissary]

3. From the article

" . . . was unfazed by the elimination of both the gay desk and the black desk at the DNC."

[Fridays Child]

4. But have other constituent desks also been eliminated?

As a party, are we ready to move past the labels that define only our outward characteristics or some other limited part of who we are? Is Howard Dean leading us toward a new paradigm, a logical evolution, in his work to reframe the debate?

I don't believe Gov. Dean has any intention of diminishing any group within the party. He is a decent and caring man, without any prejudice that I've ever been able to discern. So I'm willing to make a big effort to understand what he's trying to do.

[dsc]

6. Yes they have

I am unsure of the wisdom of this move but it wasn't just gays.

[Rowdyboy]

5. My very early impression is that this story is a tempest in a teapot....

Dean is not our enemy. I have a difficult time seeing him as a leader in some effort to disenfranchise gay Democrats. I'll keep an open mind, but Howard Dean has been a reliable ally in the past. I refuse to jump ship just because "gay leadership" is upset with his reorganization.

[Fridays Child]

7. This is where I'm coming from, too.

:hi:

[rogue emissary]

9. For me this wasn't even about Dean or the DNC, but results.

The LGBT community on DU never seemed that happy with the DNC out reach in the past. I'm African American and don't have a clue what the black chair has accomplished for my community.

If the out reach chairs were really effective and supportive of our communities. I'd certainly be angry that the positions were canceled. No one has been happy with how the DNC works with our traditional base. So I'm least going to wait and see if this new coordinating position can get stuff done.

[sui generis]

10. I agree with "wait and see"

but Dean's organization will probably give money to Schumer and Hillary if I give money to the DNC.

I like Dean, always have. I certainly wish that his "strategy" didn't leave so many open questions.

But over all, Dean or not, DLC, DNC, or ABCDEFG, if the final primary candidate gets put forward because he or she successfully disassociated from equality issues, I'm willing to take a stand, with greatest regret.

It's not a knee jerk reaction, but it needs to be discussed and on the table.

Just saying "I'll vote for whoever shows up" is informing them that whoever they give you will be good enough, and that's not good enough.

[closeupready]

8. Dean is NOT a homophobe.

That's not my sense of him and he's really out there in the forefront on not just gay-rights support but the Iraq War and other important issues.

I don't like that the desk was decommissioned, but I respect him, and believe him when he says nothing significant in terms of turning on gay dems was intended by this move.

Be vigilant, but try to be reasonable.

[sui generis]

11. have met him half a dozen times

here in Dallas and spoken at length with him at a rally dinner. He is absolutey not anything even remotely near a homophobe - but he does have some views that I don't agree with, most notably on equal marriage.

But his sense on that battle is, it's only a matter of time, no matter what you call it (where I disagree), before it's so passe that no one will even remember why it was such a big deal.

Don't know if I'm that optimistic, but he is on our side for equal rights in all things.

[MuseRider]

12. To me it does not matter

how much he is on our side but how we get the correct information out to the public who may not be on our side. I think that I can understand partly why he decided to do this but I don't agree with it at all. Each group has totally different issues, yes we share some things but to lump everyone together seems to me to diminish everyone and their own issues. I don't know, I am not very happy about this.