It co-opted the Queer Liberation Movement in an attempt to ‘earn’ respectability in the eyes of people who are willing to invite its officers to their FUND-RAISING events. Their goal is to be as inoffensive as possible, hoping thereby to convince those in power that they are really ‘just like straights’ and they end up being exactly that.

The people who lead the HRC have been selling themselves–AND our Community–cheaply while lavishing their ‘allies’ in the Democratic Party with all manner of support….without anything substantial in return, except sweet talk, empty promises, and assurances that these political ‘allies’ are on our side.

They have shown themselves to be either opportunists or outright chumps. They certainly are NOT the heirs of Stonewall, but they continually bill themselves as the largest GAY organization in the U.S. Meanwhile, they are rolling in dough that is contributed by the closeted and the naive.

We need more leaders like Lieutenant Choi who are willing to put themselves on the line by DEMANDING the rights and the dignity that we deserve. We have had enough timidity, accommodation, and faux-assimilation.

After almost 40 years of HRC’s pussy-footing tactics, it’s refreshing to see folks like Choi asserting their rights firmly and unapologetically….sometimes at great cost to themselves.

While the candy-asses at HRC beg for acceptance, we deserve to be led by Queer liberationists, not some outfit that resembles a ‘public relations’ marketing tool for white, male, middle-class, straight acting and straight appearing, college educated mainstreamers who plead for a right to marry and a chance to ‘fit in’ with a larger culture that looks askance at drag queens, sissies, and other non-conformists who are not particularly interested in joining a culture that still discriminates against racial minorities, women, the poor, the working class, the non-monogamous, and any Queer who dares to stand up for others as well as for her/himself.

We have only seen the tip of the iceberg of Solmonese’s perks.

If they are undeclared, they are opposed and just too shy to say so. They should be replaced in the primaries with better candidates.

When are they going to learn that we are as only as strong as our weakest member? The answer is, never.

I stand with Larry Kramer, it is time for Joe to do the decent thing and resign…eh, but who am I kidding?

Journalists in general, with few exceptions, give this guy the kid gloves treatment, lobbing him softballs to hit out of the park. He has demonstrated little courage and has shown very few scruples.

$350,000 per year for what, Joe? That type of money should be based on results, and I haven’t seen enough of anything from you to merit that level of compensation. Kindly just resign and let someone with some intestinal fortitude replace you. Heck, we would all be much happier. I am sure you have enough money to continue dusting off your tux and hobnobbing with the shysters who promise us the moon and the stars but leave us wallowing in the mud. If that lifestyle means so much to you, go run for office.

~JC