Seriously, you throw the word “tranny” around like you own it while sweeping the T issue under the rug at every opportunity. Whine some more.

And while I’m sad that the gay community has been treated the same way by the Obama administration in its failure to deliver on its promise regarding “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I have to admit that it is ironic. How does that shoe fit, now that it is on the other foot?

My good friend and political artist Clinton Fein has made a terrific video of the May 17 solidarity rally and fundraiser for gay Iraqis at Harvey Milk Plaza, in Nancy Pelosi’s congressional district.

For me, the most relevant and emotionally moving speaker was community organizer Gary Virginia, who demanded our member of Congress, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, speak out against the torture of LGBT Iraqis.

It’s unacceptable that Pelosi, who represents the most energized gay political district in the nation, is getting a free ride about the abuse and gruesome murder of gay Iraqis from Democratic gay leaders at HRC, NGLTF and GLAAD, at a time when she is mired in controversy over torture.

I’m proud to associate with Virginia and other San Francisco voters who want our Congressmember to use her voice to bring attention to the plight of the gay community in Iraq.

After you watch Fein’s video, give Pelosi’s speaker office in DC a call and leave a message, demanding that she forcefully condemn the torture and killing of LGBT Iraqis. Let Pelosi hear your voice on behalf of justice for our brothers and sisters in Iraq. Her number is 1-202….

And big thanks again to everyone who turned out for Sunday’s important rally, and to Clinton Fein for creating the video.

Look at this tape, and spread it far and wide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY5SzHX-YbM

Couldn’t make it to your invitation-only closed door strategy session about fighting for queers and justice, in your cool hotel meeting room.

I was busy in SF in the blazing hot Harvey Milk Plaza bring together politicians of green and DNC stripes, artists, reverends, iranian american, straights, trans people, and a few half naked boys, to stand in solidarity and fight for and raise money to benefit queers escaping the horrors of Iraq.

And you all show great insensitivity and offense to the Hiv/AIDS community by so closely naming your project near the Denver Principles’ name. Create some confusion for the community, why don’t you? Oh, and I don’t like that HIV/AIDS is totally missing from your list of principles:

http://www.thedallasprinciples.org/The_Dallas_Principles/Principles.html

But fear not! The word is out in the mainstream press, on the AP wire, that gay Dems met in Texas. You all are NOT representative of the true political diversity of our community.

This Green man with AIDS ain’t backing your latest self-serving project. I’m doing busy actually doing a lot of the stuff you say you want!

From the AP:

The administration has drawn criticism from gay and lesbian activists for not moving quickly enough to repeal the policy. Democratic activists and fundraisers met last weekend in Texas to coordinate an online campaign known as the Dallas Principles to prod the president.

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/05/ap_military_gays_policy_052109/

And big thanks to John Wright and Dallas Voice for raising criticism about the recent meeting and the actions of the organizers.

More debate is needed about this crew that met in Dallas and I hope it takes place here.

And the “Call To Action” section:
“Our organizations and individuals need to develop a collaborative and revolutionary new organizing model that mobilizes millions of supporters through emerging web and phone technologies.” – Are we playing BS Bingo? Does anyone really understand what this means other than we’re going to use phones, email and websites to get our message out? Maybe we can have a phone tree or a newsletter. Maybe everyone could follow someone on Twitter and Facebook and have a flash mob at Newt’s house. Of course we already do this. I get action calls from HRC, Equality Texas, CCGLA and others.

“All LGBT individuals must accept personal responsibility to do everything within their power for equality and should get involved in the movement by volunteering, giving and being out.”
– (sigh) Yes, we really just aren’t working hard enough. That’s what’s wrong. We didn’t get out the vote, volunteer in the rain and heat, drag our partners and children out to meetings and conferences (at our own expense) or stay up long enough hours posting on blogs and writing our political leaders.

Here’s the real problem that I see. We’ve already won several states, the liberal states where these fine folks are coming from and returning to. But no one is putting money into red meat states like TX, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia where they figure they just can’t win. We have candidates who can beat Kenny Marchant, Joe Barton & Mike Burgess if we can just get FUNDING and backing. Great change can happen in city councils and state houses if investments are made locally. But we are dominated by a two coast mentality which is what generated this stream of posts to begin with.

I’ve sat in on my share of “facilitated meetings’. It’s my experience that very little daring comes from those rooms. But put a few charged up GLBT folks in front of an elected leader, or a police chief or a DART board, put a flag in our hand and tell us to march or sit in or protest all night, and then you’ve got a ballgame. Where’s the ACT UP of today? Why aren’t we closing 14th street bridge with a sit in and demanding DEMANDING our rights? I’m not sure more polite facilitated meetings are what we need. Someone pick up the mantle of Larry Kramer or Harvey Milk or John Thomas or any of the other out-in-the-street folks and maybe the time for change will be sooner than later.

And Rich, the bloggers that you mention were participants, not reporters, apparently helping to come up with the principles. How can they have any degree of objectivity? It would be like me becoming an organizer for Queer Liberaction, then reporting on the group’s activities.

This isn’t about whether Dallas or Texas was represented at the talks. Dixon is right in saying that this isn’t about the geography of the participants. But someone had to determine which “doers, thinkers and activists” would draft the principles. Who is that someone? I would have liked to see Patti Fink included. And what about Gregory Pynes? Or Steve Atkinson? These are all “doers, thinkers and activists,” as well as many, many more, here and nationwide.

That there is a sense of urgency for our cause is unquestionable. That our community lacks a single, unified voice is also unquestionable. We certainly won’t find that voice if we launch these initiatives without — at the very least — informing the community and inviting broader participation. It’s a matter of placing the cart before the horse.

John is right in that why didn’t media know about this? What’s to hide? For all the bloggers on the panel, their PR sucks because their idea is plainly weak and doesn’t sell. “Immediate”, “call to action”, “A new day has arrived”, poignant quotes – these are supposed to get me to sign onto something that does not have much more substance behind it. Dixie above says, “What came out of our conversation was a set of principles and goals on which we invite comment and debate” and the responses include “1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable. 2.We will not leave any part of our community behind. 3.Separate is never equal,” and so forth. Really??? That’s what you came up with over a weekend? Wow.

The foundations or principles these are founded upon are elementary at best and groups have been doing this long before Obama was elected. All of the sudden, we’re supposed to sign up with the Principles and that should satisfy our urge to help. What does signing up get us? Nothing it looks like. And at what point will I be asked to donate money because they will need it.

I see grassroots groups like Queer Liberaction taking less time to prepare and more time performing. Whether what they do works or not, we see a kind of action. Not this schoolmarm approach of getting everything nice and tidy and then we’ll see what happens next. I fail to see what The Dallas Principles can do for the community when other groups and people have been doing it for years already.