GetEQUAL has a new strategy. Stop me if you have heard this one already. In order to make the Obama Administration rethink their decision on workplace discrimination, they are:
Planning to work with lawmakers on this issue? No.
Finding out which federal contractors are against protecting all employees? No.
They are going to stage a bunch of protests against Obama.
GetEQUAL's managing director, Heather Cronk, tells me that in the next few weeks, the group will start staging actions against Obama For America offices throughout the country. The actions will begin with small gestures and will escalate over time.
"We'll certainly be doing potentially arrestable actions at the White House," Cronk tells me, confirming that the group has raised money in the six figures from gay donors to finance the actions.
So instead of securing votes for ENDA or meeting with lawmakers, they are going to cause unnecessary drama; as if this worked the last time.
When they heckled President Obama before they made news, but Obama didn't really change course. Hell, he even told them to go lobby Congress, but, no, they were fixed on attacking him, causing a lot of eye rolling and head scratching within our community. I thought they learned from those experiences, but I guess not.
And I find it very interesting that they are using a lot of resources, money and people power to 'pressure Obama'. Really? GetEQUAL is willing to disrupt his campaign in hopes to get his attention. Funny, I don't remember them ever using this much force on our opponents.
It's a shame that Obama gets more attacks than our enemies. I haven't seen GetEQUAL use this same vigor towards hate groups, religious leaders or politicians who gladly brag about taking our rights away. Where are the six figure plans for our enemies, GetEQUAL? Where are the press releases assailing One Million Moms, Ken Hutcherson, Bishop Harry Jackson, NOM or Scott Lively?
Now, truth be told, I do not hate GetEQUAL. I applaud their passion, but I question their strategy. It does not make sense to attack Obama, when our real enemies are out there. Yes, we should hold Obama's Administration accountable, but at the same time, we need to be a threat to our opponents.
I ask for GetEQUAL to rethink this messy plan and come up with something else. I want this group to use critical thinking in their protesting efforts. I really don't see this doing something productive. If anything, they will be painted as the Kardashians of the gay activism: Gaining attention with no substance.
We should make actual change, not disorganized noise. GetEQUAL, please reconsider your plans and seriously think about a more effective tactic.
David Fleck: Odd. Did not see anyone from the Jordan Rustin Coalition protesting outside the Republican Presidential Debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley back in September. Did see a quite a few of the GetEQUAL folks. Feel free to hit me up the next time Viktor or Jay (my old friend from Fresno) the next time you want to protest a Republican. We can share a ride and the cost of gas and have a good conversation on strategy.