Today hundreds of volunteers with the Human Rights Campaign are on Capitol Hill meeting with members of Congress on an array of LGBT issues including ENDA and repeal of DADT. You can join the action no matter where you're located through the HRC Repeal DADT Now Virtual Lobby Day.
This is a smart way of combining online and offline action. The more pressure we put on members of Congress, the faster we'll see DADT repealed and advancement on other key LGBT issues.
Here's what you can do:
- First, go to our special action page where you can email your elected officials.
- Follow-up with a phone call. The Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell them where you live, and they'll connect you to any of your lawmakers' offices. Tell your lawmakers that you're calling to urge Congress to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" this year.
- Spread the word on Facebook. You can also RSVP to the virtual lobby day event and invite your friends.
- Use Twitter to spread the word. Our volunteer lobbyists will be tweeting from the Capitol using the #DADT hashtag. Once you take action, tweet about the experience and join the conversation.
Learn more at www.hrc.org/RepealDADT
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I called Senator Burris and thanked him for his cosponsorship. I called Senator Durbin and asked him to sign on as a cosponsor. I called Rep. Tim Johnson and asked him to support the House version. I don't think he will. He's a homophobic douche, but it can't hurt. If you remember, he was the lone Republican who voted AGAINST the Stupak Amendment on HRC. He's a crazy kook, and I can't wait until the Democrats knock him out, but maybe we can put some pressure on him, no?
Done. Just spoke to staffers who said they'd "Tell the Senator your opinion on the subject." I may just be a number, but I'm still a number.
John Aravosis provided this advice about making calls on his Blog this morning:
http://gay.americablog.com/2010/03/nyt-levin-again-talks-about-not.html
The value of "calling politicians" is becoming more apparent. We shouldn't call until the President is on board. HRC will let us know when.
We should not wait to call members of Congress. We need to be putting as much pressure as possible on people with the power to make change. That includes calling members of Congress now.
But, Michael all members of Congress are very clear about their LGBT positions. They base it on their own morality or the beliefs of their constituents. It is immutable. We simply do not have any evidence that calls, emails or even personal visits has changed any politicians mind about homosexuality.
I really wish that wasn't the case, but we have no evidence that these anti-gay positions are negotiable. 57 years of lobbying Senator Robert Byrd hasn't yielded any results. He recently re-confirmed he supports DADT.
I'm not criticizing anyone, but isn't there something effective we could all be doing instead? Something we can see real results with?
Michael, have a look at what Rep. John Tanner from Tennessee said today:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/35712774#35712774
Listen to the part at 3:00 regarding "listening to the White House or others" and "making his own decision."
He's had 11 terms as conservative Democrat. He doesn't listen to the White House or us. He is anti-LGBT and has been lobbied for 22 years. Positions on LGBT-issues are not changeable because they are based on their personal morality and the majority beliefs of their constituents.
Do we have a Plan B?
I don't believe that Rep. Tanner was ever part of Plan A. He's clearly anti-gay and not part of the moveable middle of members Congress.
WHO are the "moveable middle" in the US Senate?
I'm going to suggest this is progress Michael.
We have at least confirmed that there are many that can't be "lobbied," like your example of Rep. Tanner (above).
Plus, there is no reason to lobby our supporters.
I guess we should figure out who this "movable middle" is. I haven't seen any evidence of a US Senator changing their position on LGBT issues, especially because of lobbying. Perhaps, there is NO "moveable middle" in the US Senate.