That’s right, now that DADT is almost history, it’s time to fight over debate who deserves the most credit for its repeal. Barack Obama? Harry Reid? Joe Lieberman? Nancy Pelosi? The Human Rights Campaign? GetEQUAL? Servicemembers Legal Defense Network? Dan Choi? Lady Gaga?
Here at Instant Tea we were convinced that our own reporting was responsible for Saturday’s successful Senate vote, but then we received the below e-mail from Rob Schlein, president of Log Cabin Republicans of Dallas, and we began to have second thoughts. So, what do you think?
ALL groups & individuals LGBT or ally stood together to make this repeal happen. Including the handful of Republicans who voted with us. If The Voice is in need of the list of the 200+ Democratic House Members & 56 Democratic Senators who voted time and time again for our EQUALITY, I will be more than happy to provide it. Happily this list is too long to include in one tiny email.
Congratulations again to the entire military, LGBT community, & our many allies! Victory happened because of our resolve to not give up our fight for EQUALITY nor the need for credit on who or what group made it happen. History has been made, let’s spend time rejoicing in our achievements!
Omar Narvaez
President – Elect
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
LCR did such a fantastic job that they received one vote in TX from the house and no votes from the two Senators who’s assess they have been kissing for years. Let’s face it, the current Republican party (for the most part) wants nothing to do with LGBT rights. The majority of voters in favor of the repeal of DADT were Democrats no matter how you slice the cake. LCR needs to blow smoke up some different asses. This them against us is not going to change to in Washington until some sort of reform is put forward. The Republican party is the party of give more to the rich and less to the working class. Just watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5OtB298fHY
Before I am misunderstood, just let me say that I am very thankful for those very few votes we did receive from the Republican party. It goes to show that some (although very few) Republicans believe in equal rights and for that I am thankful, unlike the Republican representation in Texas with the exception of Ron Paul.
If it were not for the work of the Democratic party it would have never gone to a vote with the just the above support from the Republicans. Thanks to those above who searched their hearts and not their partisan pockets to vote. Maybe you want to cross over to the Democratic side?
HRC sold a strategy to the White House in February. This strategy was the “Compromise DADT Repeal” that included the “Military Study.” It was intended to get some Republican Senators to support DADT Repeal.
Most other organizations condemned this strategy including GetEQUAL, Dan Choi and initially SLDN. Well, the strategy worked and 8 Republicans voted for Repeal citing the Military Study. HRC gave some Republicans “cover.”
Many of us thought this wouldn’t work and could possibly backfire. We were wrong, it worked. HRC deserves much credit for creating the strategy and then confidently pursuing it.
The hand-cuffs, hunger strikes and stopping traffic didn’t accomplish anything but irritation. Republicans didn’t need to be irritated, they needed to be given political cover. HRC accomplished that.
I’m no fan of HRC, but I think we need to be honest about their role in this bit of progress.
Nancy Pelosi, all the way! If she rammed it thru one, she rammed it thru a thousand times, each time with more and more support! Is there anything this woman can’t do?! If she could just do a little project managing over on the senate side, I think we’d see a lot more progress in Washington…no? Just me?
I agree with Omar. Just as with a military victory, there is no one unit that deserves more credit than others and no organization stands above the others. Instead, it was the unity amongst many many organization, gay and straight, that brought about success. It was the individuals who supported those organizations. it was the accepting churches speaking out and offering up prayers of support. It was that individual in Podunk who too the time to make a call. Tens of thousands of people were involved in this victory in a war that lasted 17 years. To rack and stack everyone is impossible. All organizations had some successes and some failures – that’s the way war is. Let’s focus our energy instead on keeping the unified focus that has been created, our lines of communications open, and keep our people motivated and ready for our next success.
@Chief: There are many organizations involved in LGBT-equality. In this particular case “success” is defined by the 8 Republicans that joined Democrats in the US Senate to vote for repeal. That means we need to try and determine why those Republicans essentially changed their minds/positions. In that context we can find specific things that were done that created that outcome. The “deal” made in February worked. I believe it would have worked without many of the other activities or actions supposedly directed at DADT Repeal.
Here’s an example: Lady Gaga had nothing to do with the 8 Republicans. The “Military Study” did. HRC, Obama and the Democrats made that “deal.” ALL of the Republicans that switched to vote in favor of repeal come from states where there is very low anti-LGBT sentiments. They used the cover of the “Military Study” to break ranks with their political party. It some ways it was a very smart strategy, in others ways it isn’t because it confirms that politically we have to jump through hoops for our equality.
While Log Cabin Republicans deserve the credit for filing the Lawsuit snaking it’s way through the Courts certainly – the repeal of DADT was a collaborative effort by numerous organizations all working in concert together. But the true fact of the matter is that this legislative repeal would have gone NOWHERE and been “Dead on Arrival” if Republicans had been in the majority in Congress. While I applaud those Republicans who DID cross the aisle to vote for repeal – the simple fact of the matter is that a majority of Republicans in the House AND Senate OPPOSED REPEAL !!! This
legislation would never have made it to the floor of the House OR Senate with the Democratic Leadership there that brought the Bill forward and insisted on a vote !!! Also – any fool can see that if John McCain had been elected to the Presidency – there is NO WAY that DADT would have been repealed !!! So all due credit goes to HRC, SLDN, Log Cabin Republicans AND Stonewall Democrats collectively. But the REAL credit goes to the President of the United States Barack Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Without those 3 individuals pushing for repeal – this never would have happened. Just a side note: All 3 of those individuals are DEMOCRATS ! So I find it amusing that Mr. Schlein would attempt to take credit for
this repeal – when a solid majority of his Party in BOTH houses of Congress voted AGAINST repeal. Those are the FACTS.
Everyone deserves credit who fought in anyway for the repeal of DADT.
I am sure AndrewW won’t like that Robin McGehee & Dan Choi have both been invited to the White House for the signing of the repeal of DADT. Kind of proves direct action works. Don’t you think?
Also read AndrewW got banned again from another blogsite. https://www.bilerico.com/2010/12/comment_of_the_week_andreww.php When will the Dallas Voice also consider this action? Most of the majors have banned him….why haven’t you?
John,
My prior remarks still stand. It does us no good at all to compare and contrast the organizations and individuals who were engaged in this success. Now is the time to dust off our backpacks and select which victory we should next attain. DOMA, ENDA, Bullying? Perhaps tomorrows poll could be just that – which one?
In the interest of unity, who is attending the protest tomorrow outside KBH’s office.
Keep the momentum going forward!
300 people are invited to the signing. GetEqual spent $1 million this year. That’s why they were invited, not because they accomplished anything.
If you think they had ANYTHING to do with 8 Republican votes for DADT repeal, please explain.
The on;y people that think GetEqual has accomplished anything are the paid employees of Get Equal. I’m glad they have run out of money and that nobody is contributing.
Pam Spaulding and Bil Browning have banned me from their sites. That’s all. they did so simply because i expressed disagreement with them.
Pam and Bil can censor their little websites. Some people appreciate the exchange of ideas that can lead to understanding and even progress and others simply want their own fan-club. Bil is jealous of Pam Spaulding’s fan-club and understand he needs to attract cheer-leaders, not thoughtful conversation.