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Give When We Get Equal!

Monday, October 11, 2010 05:02 AM

tags: Breaking Out of the Box, Equality & The Checkbook, GetEqual, Midterm Elections

During a time when certain Republicans continue to fan the flames of homophobia and certain Democrats continue to cower away from any fight on the issue of equal rights for gay Americans; one has to wonder what exactly is the best path to take to lead us toward equality this election season. Robin McGehee, of the LGBT activist group, GetEQUAL, sent me this email late last week with some sound advice:

"Dear Wayne, As I watch my inbox fill up with reports of LGBT young people taking their lives, I am sick with disgust when I see countless political fundraising emails asking me to give time and money to campaigns. While we sit under the crushing weight of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia endorsed by the federal government, I'm getting totebag offers from the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I have had enough! Today, GetEQUAL is announcing a campaign called "We'll Give When We GetEQUAL," asking LGBT Americans and straight allies to withhold time and money from political entities that are not fighting as hard for our equality as they are for our checkbooks.

Democrats and Republicans are holding our equality hostage -- promising progress if we vote them back into office year after year, but never actually delivering on those promises. It's time for us to call them on their game of chicken. Are we asking you to not vote? No -- too many social movements have fought for that hard-earned right to throw it away now. Are we asking you to not support pro-equality candidates? That answer is completely up to you -- though we believe that it's good practice to support candidates who have proven that they support us by being champions for LGBT equality. Are we asking you to withhold money and time from political parties and committees that cash our checks, without ever finding concrete ways to work toward our collective equality? YES!"

(The video shows the unhappy but not unexpected response GetEQUAL received from DNC Vice Chair, Raymond Buckley)