In June you quit politics Jillian. Now you have a "scorched earth" policy - just like GetEQUAL.

You are delusional if you think our Democratic leaders "have the power to move our Agenda" when they DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES. Pelosi, Miller and Frank DO NOT have the power or influence to change the minds/votes of US Senators. Obama doesn't either.

On June 15th you wrote on Bilerico:

"I'm over the idea that politics is going to save us."

I understood your reaching that conclusion. But, please explain what BENEFIT there is to alienating our friends. Maybe they're not great friends, but they also don't have enough votes to pass our legislation, so what benefit is there in slapping them? Does it simply make you feel better? Making you feel better or anyone else is not the goal of our movement.

GetEQUAL has NEVER provided a sane and/or logical rationale for their silly publicity stunts. Neither have you. You have also pointed out they really don't have a cohesive strategy or purpose. It's simple - Kip and Robin were hired by Jonathan Lewis and Paul Yandura to "embarrass Democrats." Maybe it makes Jon and Paul feel good to spend $500,000 to publicly humiliate our political friends, but it is counterproductive. It doesn't provide any benefit or any progress. It is simply stupid.

We do not have enough votes in the US Senate. Your suggestion that "we don't know" how many votes we have is silly. We KNOW we don't have enough support in the Senate. That must change.

Your latest post wants to assign blame for our failure to pass any legislation in this Congress (especially ENDA) and while it mat be gratifying to blame our friends, we must simply blame ourselves. Only 10% of our community even cares to participate or contribute to our movement. That fact should give all of us pause. Until we inspire our community and ignite a real movement, we will make very little progress.

Maybe the mid-terms will be our wake up call. Maybe, like you did last month, people will realize there is no "political solution" to LGBT equality and we'll stop blaming each other and stop engaging in childish stunts and ineffective tactics. Maybe then we'll get to work creating our equality.

Maybe.

I need to add that I don't mean to demean the importance of voting.

I only mean that don't think that merely voting constitutes "activism."

I do think that maybe we do need a working definition of what does constitute "activism." My general sense of it si that most LGBT's vote and that many of us donate and that's kind of the extent of it.

My issue here with Dr. Weiss, I think, is that she is talking about the micro-issue of ENDA vs. DADT. My general sense of it has always been that DADT may be easier to pass than a trans-inclusive ENDA because of the trans factor making some squeamish.

Although not necessarily the President, who does go out of his way, it seems, to be trans-inclusive. That's where his "fierce advocacy" in twisting arms may have made a difference.

I just don't think that this is an either/or thing. We can encourage our allies to live up to what they have stated that they will do on these issues AND "attack our enemies" at the same time.

I guess you're right, Bil. I do agree with Jillian.

With the best congressional makeup that we could ever have hoped for effectively squandered, I would like for every progressive cause to pull their support for the democrats. The dark ages cannot come back in one term and I honestly think that the dems figured that after 8 years of bush we would all put up with anything. You know that rahm and obama figured it. I think that an embarrassing(sp?) Loss for the democrats will get them listening to progressives as opposed to just depending on them while they pander to everyone else.

I fail to see what can be enacted in another two terms that is not here already. Is the danger that great? It feels like we are no further along than we were at the end of bush.

Out of 20 comments, six were made by Andrew, and true to form, they all lack substance. This is a good time to remind people of our "Ignore Andrew Campaign," or "IAC." Just think of the signs you see at zoos, "Don't feed the Andrew."

This was only a test. Had it been a real Andrew emergency, you would have been informed on which blog you would have had to log into for further instructions. This is only a test, conducted by the Bilerico Broadcasting System (BBS). We now return you to your regularly scheduled comment section.

Those lawmakers that don't support ENDA are supporting discrimination.

Efforts to resuscitate GetEQUAL have failed.

one can not mention another person, or else one is violating standards? It appears that someone...perhaps who the site is named after, is interested in protecting certain other people. The comments I've seen are on topic...but I guess the person, who shall remain nameless, controls the thought process here. Sad.

Okay, I'm finished. I get attacked by elitists for my post, while others go by without a comment from bil. Count me as a former fan of bilerco and a dropout in supporting any political or intellectual discussion on this site.

xxxxx

Bil Browning began this conversation in a Post entitled "GetEqual: Attacking Friends & Ignoring Enemies." He provided some reasoning about GetEQUAL's stunts and summed up his opinion by saying:

"Attacking our allies is a foolish tactic that doesn't benefit the overarching movement. It's not part of a cohesive strategy meant to further our cause. It might be a way to get even, but it's not a good path to get equal."

Jillian Weiss disagreed and responded in a Post entitled "GetEqual Has The Right Idea: Hold Our Congressional Leaders Accountable."

She defended GetEQUAL's actions claiming:

"Holding someone accountable is pointing out where they could do better on keeping their promises and achieving their goals."

I have asked Jillian and others HOW "embarrassing Democrats" is helpful or beneficial? I don't think GetEQUAL's childish publicity stunts are "pointing out where they could do better," as Jillian claims.

Jillian also claims that "we don't know" if we had enough votes to pass ENDA, yet on June 15th she stated (describing Democrats) "I thought they were a progressive party, but I see that they are run by the Blue Dogs, which in my book is another name for Republicans."

We do not have and we have never had 60 votes in the US Senate for any LGBT-related Bill. Never.

That is the unfortunate political reality we are faced with. Scheduling a vote doesn't change any votes. Embarrassing the Democrat's "leadership" doesn't change any votes. Heckling a Committee Chairman or even the President doesn't change any votes.

Bil believes if we want to protest we should attack our enemies, not our friends. I can't argue with that simple conclusion. Especially because there is absolutely no rationale for "crazy shenanigans" that simply seek to "embarrass Democrats."

I haven't made any "unsubstantiated claims" as Jillian suggests. I have commented and simply asked a few simple questions. I would love to hear from Jillian, or GetEQUAL, or their employers Jonathan Lewis and Paul Yandura, exactly HOW these childish stunts help our Community?

Because that question continues to go unanswered GetEQUAL has been ignored and now avoided by our community and the LGBT media. But, there is a good lesson in all of this and I think GetEQUAL's abbreviated existence helps demonstrate how important it is to hold all tactics, methods and strategies accountable. We must all honor those that came before us and give thoughtful consideration to anything we do "in the name of" or "on behalf of" the LGBT Community.

In June GetEqual was asked numerous questions about their strategy, their organization, their funding and their purpose. We were all promised some answers after they had a "Summer Retreat." Instead we got an online Poll asking us to vote on what "targets" we wanted them to embarrass. They still don't have a strategy or a plan.

GetEQUAL has gone from bad to worse. They have become quite good at "embarrassing," but unfortunately WE are being embarrassed, not the Democrats and not our "enemies." I hope they run out of money soon.

So, taking Jillian's advice above, hopefully this comment will be on topic.

BILERCO PROJECT contributor Joe Mirabella has just posted an interview with GetEQUAL co-founder Robin McGehee at SAME SEX SUNDAY. Many questions regarding the organizational structure, goals and strategies are answered. The podcast can be found at:
http://www.bilerico.com/2010/07/sss_interviews_with_getequal_robin_mcgeehee_and_fr.php

As for the votes for ENDA not being there in the Senate, in a cover story interview this week in METRO WEEKLY, Diego Sanchez, transgender congressional staffer of Barney Frank's legislative team, suggests otherwise:
"I feel strongly that we're going to be all right with ENDA, that we've got clearly enough support to pass the bill even right now and we're almost there to defeat the motion to recommit that would limit gender-identity inclusion. We're almost there, and I'm hoping that it still comes up this year. I don't know whether it will. I can't predict that. But I know Speaker Pelosi has talked about her personal commitment to it. Congressman Frank is still doing whipping. He can do many things at one time, and he was working on ENDA at the same time that he was driving this historic financial reform for our country. That just says a lot to me, so it continues to inspire me and it still gives me hope."
Full interview at:
http://www.metroweekly.com/feature/?ak=5430

Dave Fleck

Everyone is looking to play the "blame game" and no wonder nothing is happening! let's blame ourselves for working to push ENDA, get the necessary votes and then when the going got tougher, when we needed the "tough to get going", where were we?

Who was calling and visiting and putting pressure on those Democrats to commit to fighting off a Republican "motion to recommit"?

Anyone? Where was "Get Equal" in sending, not 6 people, but dozens to the offices of those uncommitted legislators to sway their vote? Where were the full time lobbyists at HRC?

How were we helping ourselves?

Yes, we should also send people to expose the hypocrisy of the so called "moderate Republicans" who fall in lock step with Boehner on motions to kill our legislation, that some even sponsor!

We need positive action and less negative talk.

Would someone who supports continuing business as usual please tell me what benefit there is in returning Nancy Pelosi to office? My perspective is that if she is turned out of office and the Democrats maintain a majority in the house it would mean a new speaker and changed dynamics. That I would view as a good change. Maybe some of you see it as bad. If so, why?

And that's another thing. The senate really was not the problem. It had 51 committed votes on an inclusive ENDA and only 3 committed against. We are so used to seeing the senate filibuster that it has become easy to blame the senate. In this case I think it is a total misread. Back in November and the early months of 2010 I could easily count to 60 in the senate but it was also apparent that the senate did not want to lead on this legislation. Therefore the failure in the house was a double fail. It let the senate coast and not have to face the issue.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with Bil.

*insert apocalypse sound file here* :p

IMO, GetEqual is the LGBT version of the Tea Party. Lots of heat, not much light. The work that needs to be done is on the state level and it still hasn't been done. One lobby day in DC isn't enough. If GE wanted to affect change, they'd concentrate on lobbying blue dogs instead of playing a silly blame game. The only good thing that can accomplish is fundraising for GE.

Getting mad at Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, and company will accomplish what? At the end of the day you're either helping Republicans. I remember in 2000 many Democrats said "It doesn't matter, Democrat or Republican, they're all the same." After two wars and the tanking of our economy, anyone that believes that is either a moron, or has been asleep for the past 10 years.

Now wouldn't it be nice if they realized we have Bush-lite in the white house and chicken little as speaker of the house? We can't do it now because the sky is falling!