For the moment in 1995 when I had my first leading role in Log Cabin, then in the Capital Area Club, my fellow gay Republicans approached me wondering why the organization didn’t take on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). They all wanted to see an alternative to that left-leaning organization. And even as HRC became increasingly partisan in the George W. Bush era with its then-President Cheryl Jacques producing billboards and stickers with the slogan “George W. Bush, You’re Fired”, the then-Executive Director of Log Cabin refused to criticize her, having “instituted a new policy inside Log Cabin: If you speak ill of another LGBT group, that is grounds for dismissal.’”
In order to curry favor with the gay groups, Patrick Guerriero was ignoring his own base — or potential base. He could have grown Log Cabin if he showed that his organization was the HRC alternative for which many gay Republicans (and a good number of gay independents) were clamoring.
And because R. Clarke Cooper, the Executive Director of Log Cabin, has been so quick to criticize HRC for prostrating itself before the president, I have decided that come next Tuesday at a Log Cabin/LA event, I will renew my membership — which had lapsed. I encourage you all to join Log Cabin even if you, as I, disagree with them on a few issues. We need to show that they benefit by criticizing HRC’s partisan pandering.
Now, if we could only get them to call out GLAAD for countenancing hate speech against gay conservatives.
*finally!
**(lapsed)
I’d join and support the LCR if they were capable to establishing a local chapter. But there’s little point when the only choices are their NYC chapter or the Philadelphia PA chapter. Both out-of-state and not in my metropolitan or business sphere.
Too true, Ted.
I’ve sent numerous requests over the years to them for information on starting a chapter here in Tallahassee or at least have a local presence if not a full blown chapter. I’ve requested materials (and offered to pay for them obviously) that we could distribute at any one of over 100 gatherings and festivals we have here in Tallahassee (the seat of state government… ring a bell?) And I’ve gotten no answer.
Yet, for GOProud I got … wait… EXACTLY the same reply. {{crickets chirping}}
Both groups are fantastic for bombarding my email and home address with requests for funds. And since I believe in equality, I gave ’em exactly what I got: Zilch.
Why they can’t look at the Tea Party or MoveOn.org or any number of groups and see that a majority of their support comes from a local base, local contacts… and that is where most of the successful work is being done by these same groups: locally.
My guess has been that I/we don’t fit into their power paradigm… I’m not lunching with suckups and exec assistants… and playing some parlor game of pretend influence and self-back-patting to say we run in circles of power. So piss on the locals..
Anyway, long rant to say… cold day in Hell before they read my name on a membership roster.
Rodney: I’m not a member of either group but from what I understand GOProud isn’t very large and isn’t active on the state and local level. As for LCR, it’s still rebuilding which will probably take a long while. If I were to join either group I’d lean more towards LCR.
I agree with Rodney that (just like the Republican establishment) GOProud and LCR need to better pay heed to those potential members who are more Tea Party oriented than regular party loyalists. This year, I had explored the possibility of forming a Tea Party related GLBT group in my area but am currently abandoning until I get my own house in order (physically and fiscally).
Regarding LCR during the Guerriero leadership, at the time I was very much in agreement with his approach of actually calling his own party on their very real homophobia and felt the prior leadership were way too timid on dealing with it. I had actually stopped being a paying member when I felt Tafel wasn’t adequately dealing with the Rove attacks on gay and lesbians. Even now that approach is still necessary from time to time but I also agree that even from 2004, much organic progress has been made from changing attitudes.
What I hadn’t known was Guerrieo’s active policy of laying off HRC and other left leaning organizations and not calling them to account when needed. That explains a lot and also why progress wasn’t made among gay-supportive Republicans. By 2004, I had also ended my support of HRC (yes, at one time I supported both orgs.) and was totally turned off by their juvenile campaign that year. And even though they dumped the incompetent Jacques, Solomnese is an even bigger joke and I hope this beyond knee jerk Obama endorsement gets him fired if there are any rational thinkers still in the leadership which I doubt.
At the risk of sounding like Dr. Phil, each of these organizations need to take an honest assessment of their own strengths and weaknesses, and likewise those of the other “side” in order to have any kind of importance and to be true to their mission. From Dan’s reports, it sounds like LCR is making some strides in that direction so if I regain the financial ability to support organizations, I’ll keep that in mind. But as said earlier, a key provision is for them to appreciate Tea Party’s role.
If you want to spend your time trashing fellow Republicans, then the LCRs are your choice. I was a member for years and we never even discussed the presidential election going on because it was up to us to hammer the GOP into submission on social issues. For a relatively new organization, GOProud is making more of an impact than I ever saw with the Log Cabin Republicrats. If I was to join a group, it would be GOProud hands down.
Dottie, fair critique. You’r right that that is what Log Cabin was under its first two executive directors. I experienced the same thing when I was involved in the 1990s.
It changed with its third (Patrick Guerriero). So far, R. Clarke Cooper has indicated that he’s a loyal Republican.
Part of GOProud’s impact has been to get Log Cabin to start sounding more like Republicans. I’m cool with two different organizations working on common purpose.