HRC Back Story

WORRRK, HONEY: Isis, the 22-year old transgender woman who hails from neighboring Prince George's County, Maryland, will walk and pose and dip as a contender on Season 3 of Tyra Banks's America's Next Top Model.

Some may recall that America at large was first introduced to Isis last summer during a MSNBC documentary called "Born In the Wrong Body."  Isis was described as an aspiring fashion designer - and we actually got to see her strut in one of her own creations at one of New York City's "ballroom" functions.  (And, she turned it and snatched a trophy, PS!) For those in the know, Isis Tsunami has also been known to twirl and pose before adoring audiences in venues across the country - and her runway walk is quite legendary!

Regarding whether she considers herself a transgender role model due to her selection to compete on ANTM, which begins again on September 3, Isis recently told Us Weekly: "I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams."

Needless to say, we're looking forward to seeing Isis on America's Next Top Model and wish her all the best!

In the words of DJ Fatha Julz: Don't stop selling it until you win!

NOTE FROM CHRIS: As our field team and volunteers prepare for the Dallas Camp Equality this upcoming weekend (Aug. 15-17), the reviews are coming in for the Denver Camp Equality! Here's the first one, submitted by campers Melissa Rawsky and Ivan Duric:

****************************************************************

When we signed up to attend the two-day Camp Equality seminar this weekend, neither of us knew quite what to expect.

Melissa, a long-time friend of the LGBT community and advocate of public causes who only recently became directly involved in politics, was hoping to learn more about how to run a campaign and mobilize the community in the important upcoming elections. Ivan, on the other hand, a Serbian national seeking political asylum based on sexual orientation, primarily wanted to learn more about the Human Rights Campaign and its stance on gay immigration and related issues.

We were both pleasantly surprised to receive so much expertly-delivered information on what the HRC is all about, what its overall strategy is for getting out the information about current progressive issues both locally and nationally, and how to really run an effective candidate or ballot issue campaign based on creating a consistent message that will resonate with voters.

Even though we come from such different backgrounds and had different motivations, we both have found the sacrifice of two beautiful Colorado days to be a small one in exchange for the wealth of information and instructive, entertaining stories from the presenters about their political experiences.

We can’t wait to apply our new knowledge and get more people involved! We know that we are not alone in wanting to elect fair-minded candidates this Nov 4th. If you want to effect change Colorado this election cycle please join us today. Email our Camp Leader, Joe Peterson at josephp197@gmail.com, to find out about the exciting work we are doing in Denver and all across Colorado. Together we can make 2008 The Year to Win!!!

For a list of upcoming camps, visit www.hrc.org/campequality

[PHOTO: A group picture of the Denver Camp Equality participants.]

Good afternoon,

It’s hard to believe, but the Human Rights Campaign Twelfth Annual National Dinner is just two months away.

Earlier this week, HRC announced that personal finance expert Suze Orman will be presented with the National Equality Award. In addition to being a best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning talk show host, Suze is someone whose commonsense financial advice has been heard by people across the nation and the globe. That this advice comes from an open lesbian bridges the divide between LGBT and heterosexual communities and proves that we all share the same concerns about paying our bills, feeding and clothing our children, and buying homes.

This idea is particularly resonant in this election year. The night of the dinner, October 4th, is exactly one month from Election Day, and HRC will be working overtime to guarantee that the first Tuesday in November brings the change that our community has worked so hard to achieve.

By that time, HRC and our state and local partners will have trained hundreds of pro-equality activists to volunteer in some of this year’s most crucial races through our Camp Equality program. The success of these two-day trainings led us to increase the number of camps from the originally slated 13 to 18. The twenty-six promising young participants in the Campaign College program will be deployed to targeted races across the country, working full-time as members of the staffs of fair-minded candidates and campaigns to beat back discriminatory ballot measures. To keep up with the latest news on these programs, check out the HRC Back Story blog.

This is our Year to Win. There is so much our community stands to gain—relationship recognition, working to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and the passage of fully inclusive hate crimes and employment protections.

But this week brought another solemn example of just what we’re fighting for. Angie Zapata, an 18-year-old transgender woman, was brutally murdered in Greeley, Colorado in what prosecutors are calling a hate crime. Jose Andrade, charged with first-degree murder and a possibly sentence-extending bias crime, has attempted to justify his actions by invoking a “trans panic” defense. It’s nothing more than a scurrilous attempt to blame the victim for this heinous crime. The case is a reminder of the violence that threatens transgender people every day, and the urgent work we must do to put an end to it. Just this week, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reported on a rash of hate crimes that have plagued the nation since February.

One need look only to Angie, to Lawrence King, to former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, or to Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon to understand just how much is at stake in 2008. I hope you’ll join us, for Camp Equality or the National Dinner or on the campaign trail.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Warmly,

P.S. There’s another important election year event between today and the National Dinner. On August 26th, HRC will hold the Rock to Win event in Denver during the Democratic National Convention. Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper and Rufus Wainwright will perform. There’s still time to reserve your seat! Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

NOTE FROM CHRIS: A lot of people are well aware that International Best Dressed List rapper/producer/blogger (and fellow Gemini) Kanye West can be rather, er, outspoken on his beliefs - especially when he feels slighted by "the industry." Well, according to my tally, Kanye deserves to be commended for the bold way he's stood up to the ingrained homophobia that's widely accepted in the hip-hop music machine - even though many of the stylists, choreographers, video directors, money people, and other professionals that work behind the scenes to bring the artists' music to life are LGBT.

This week, Kanye spoke out again on the need for his fans to "open their minds" and continue to shed their prejudices against LGBT people at the end of his August 5 "Glow in the the Dark" concert at NYC's Madison Square Garden.  Andy Towle has posted a YouTube video of his fearless comments, which start about 1:45 in the clip. YouTube may soon take the video down, so watch it now while you can:

Andy also typed up a rough transcript of Kanye literally using his platform and microphone to speak out against homophobia:

Open your f** minds. Open your minds. Be accepting of different people and let people be who they are. You know how many people came to me calling me gay cause I wear my jeans the fresh way? Or, because I said "hey, dude, how you gonna say 'fag' right in front of a gay dude's face and act like that's ok?" That s** is disrespectful. Coming from Chicago, where if you saw somebody that was gay you were supppoed to stay ten feet away. It should be time to break out of the intuitions that I was sayin', the steretypes, or the fear, the backlash that I would get if you don't believe in what I believe in, acceptin' people for who they are...they're very talented and if they do something special in the world and they're discriminated. I've flown across the world y'all, and I've come back here to tell you — open your minds and live a happier life..."

Now THAT's what we need more of. That's the kind of talk by a prominent pop culture figure that can help curb the type of anti-gay hatred and violence that's still aimed at LGBT people of all races.  Hat's off to Kanye for saying the right thing, in the right place, and definitely at the right time. 

Big hat tip to Andy Towle on this one.

Good afternoon,

To me, this week vividly illustrated the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community’s progress, inching ever closer to our goal of full equality. We’re building momentum—and it couldn’t have come at a better time. This momentum is our signal to ramp up our efforts and throw all our community’s strength and energy into working to make fairness and justice a reality.

The president’s signing of the PEPFAR reauthorization bill with the repeal of the HIV travel and immigration ban presents us with just this sort of opportunity. We appreciate the president signing the repeal of this unjust and sweeping policy that deems HIV-positive individuals inadmissible to the United States, and we thank our allies on Capitol Hill who fought to end this injustice.

But we’re not done yet.

Now, we must call on Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt to remove the remaining regulatory barriers to HIV-positive visitors and immigrants. To remove HIV/AIDS from the list of communicable diseases precluding entry into the United States, HHS will have to promulgate new regulations. The new regulations must first be published in the Federal Register, to allow for public comment. After the proposed regulation first appears there, a 30, 60, or 90-day comment period follows and only then is it finalized. I will be sure to let all of you know what you can do to speed up this process when we learn more.

Yesterday, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a repeal of a 1913 law that was used to bar out-of-state same-sex couples from marrying in the state. Same-sex couples from any state will now be able to marry in Massachusetts, although their marriage may not be recognized by their home state.

Governor Patrick, the Massachusetts legislature, MassEquality, and GLAD deserve applause for repealing this antiquated and discriminatory law. The law’s repeal isn’t just a victory for loving, committed couples who wish to have at least some legal recognition of their relationship. This law’s repeal is a moral acknowledgment that the fundamental right to marry knows no borders, and that gay and lesbian couples shouldn’t be barred from marrying in Massachusetts just because their home states have discriminatory marriage laws.

Across the nation, the LGBT community and our allies are using these victories to fuel themselves for what could be the most important fight of our lives: the elections in November and the ballot initiative battles in California, Arizona, Florida and Arkansas.

Last weekend, HRC Board of Directors member Bruce Basttian stood up during our annual San Francisco gala dinner and pledged $1 million to the campaign to defeat California’s Proposition 8, which would end marriage equality in the state. Bruce’s unforgettably generous donation was motivated not only by his personal dedication to LGBT equality, but by a desire to inspire those who have heretofore stood on the sidelines to rise up, as he did, and vow to contribute to this vitally important struggle.

If the events of this week are any indication of things to come, then we could be on the verge of breakthroughs that could lead us to the passage of fully-inclusive employment protections, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and more widespread recognition of LGBT families. But we’ve got no time to rest. Our community and its allies must join together and work harder than we ever have to capitalize on this momentum and move full-speed ahead toward our goal: full equality, full inclusion, and full recognition under the law.

As always, I’ll be sure to keep all of you updated on our progress, the obstacles we must overcome, and how you can play a part in it.

Before I end today, I want to send our thoughts and prayers to the members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville on behalf of the entire HRC family. Harry Knox, director of the HRC Foundation’s Religion and Faith Program, attended a candlelight vigil honoring the victims on Monday of this week. He praised the Unitarian Universalists for their staunch support of the LGBT community. To learn more about the vigil, please read a Boston Globe article on the event here.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Warmly,

P.S. Check your mailboxes for the latest issue of Equality Magazine, which features Senator Barack Obama on its cover.  Other topics in this quarter’s issue include Senator John McCain’s record on LGBT issues, the California marriage battle, and last month’s Congressional hearing on transgender issues.

NOTE FROM CHRIS: On Thursday, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation that will make it possible for out-of-state gay and lesbian couples to marry in Massachusetts.  It was an occasion that was rightfully celebrated by HRC and the GLBT community as more ground gained in the national fight for marriage equality.  We asked Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality, the state's largest GLBT group, to fill us in on the final moments before Governor Patrick's bill signing ceremony. Here's his recap:

**************************************************************************************

Marc Solomon - Executive Director, MassEquality
Thursday, July 31:

Today was a great day to be a citizen of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. At noon, Governor Patrick signed two key pieces of legislation that advance the cause of marriage equality. 

The first is the most famous—repeal of the pernicious 1913 law, which barred out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts if they could not marry in their home states.  This last Tuesday afternoon, the Massachusetts House voted, by 119 to 36, to repeal the “1913” law. The Senate had taken it up, and passed it, a few weeks ago, and Governor Patrick had already indicated he would sign it.  The legislature added an “Emergency Preamble,” so that the law could be effective immediately (so come on over to get married!). 

Late last night, we got the call from Governor Patrick’s office…he would be signing the 1913 legislation, as well the MassHealth Equality Bill (more on that below).

And he would be doing it….at noon today (Thursday)!

Our team went to work, sending out an email blast to our greater-Boston list, calling our local activists and friends at partner organizations, and doing everything we could to pull together a great crowd for the bill signing.

The response was incredible. Supporters of marriage equality filled the State House today, with hundreds converging on short notice to watch the historic moment when Governor Patrick put pen to paper and opened up our borders to any loving couple – gay or straight – who wished to marry.  About two dozen legislators, including House Speaker Sal DiMasi and lead sponsor Senator Dianne Wilkerson, joined the governor.  These legislators, and so many of their peers, were exuding such great pride that Massachusetts has led the way. 

Governor Patrick came down the steps of the State House’s Grand Staircase at noon, and, on his 52nd birthday, delivered a rousing speech to the assembled crowd.

"Today by repealing a nearly century-old law we affirm the right of same-sex couples from out of state to marry in Massachusetts, to enjoy all of the protections of our good laws. Today by repealing this law we continue to lead the way as a national leader. Today by repealing this law we have affirmed the democratic principle that all people come before their government as equal," said Patrick.

In addition to signing the 1913 repeal, Patrick was also signing the MassHealth Equality Bill, legislation which has gotten less media attention but which is precedent-setting itself.  This bill requires the state to make sure that senior married couples are treated fairly under MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program.  The legislation requires the state to pick up the federal share for same-sex married couples when one partner enters a nursing home.  This enables the other partner to hold onto their shared home and some of their assets, rather than having to spend everything down, and still allowing the other partner to be eligible for Medicaid.  Because Medicaid is a federal program, the couple is not protected, as heterosexual couples are (they are considered legal strangers to the federal government). 

As Patrick noted, this bill is the very first piece of legislation in the Commonwealth to codify the Goodridge decision extending legal marriage and its protections, benefits and obligations to same-sex married couples in our state. Even more striking, it’s the first piece of legislation in the nation to directly combat the blatant  discrimination in the federal Defense of Marriage Act by having the state make up the federal share. 

After signing the two bills, everyone joined in a rousing version of Happy Birthday, in celebration of the governor’s 52nd.

Let freedom ring!

- Marc Solomon

This is a special guest post from Matt Telford, one of our summer interns:

***********************************

This afternoon, HRC's Regional Field Director Sultan Shakir, National Field Director Marty Rouse, and HRC field Interns attended a National Press Club luncheon in downtown Washington, DC.  New York Governor David Paterson, who took office a mere four months ago, was the guest speaker. Also in attendance were Congresswoman Yvette Clarke and Sean Maloney, an openly gay top aide to Governor Paterson.  Paterson spoke eloquently about the New York State economy, specifically, the crippling budget deficit the state is enduring in this national contagion of economic downturn.

In his speech, Paterson advocated greater fiscal responsibility, such as cuts in pork barrel government spending. He also, however, expounded upon his commitment to increasing funding for state infrastructure, like schools and highways, in an effort to create more jobs and spark economic growth in the state. The governor also spoke about the pitfalls of the financial and housing industries, highlighting the shocking statistic that 1 out of every 423 houses in the state of New York is currently in foreclosure. And to ameliorate a projected $26 billion state deficit (over the next three years), Patterson plans to cut state agency spending by $630 billion and impose a hiring freeze.

Since he's taken office, we've quickly learned that Gov. Paterson is a strong supporter of GLBT rights.  Within the last few months, he advised all state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions, a decision applauded by HRC. 

In this pivotal election year, it is crucial that we elect a fair-minded majority in the New York State Senate to give Gov. Paterson a legislature that will sincerely work to extend the rights of GLBT New Yorkers. We are just a few votes shy of this benchmark. And there's a lot at stake, as New York could become only the third state to offer full marriage equality.

In this recessionary economy, it is important to remember all the economic benefits denied to same-sex couples, such as joint tax filing, healthcare benefits, and pensions. Moreover, same-sex marriages could actually invigorate struggling state budgets. A recent study by the Williams Institute, a ULCA think tank, provided evidence that marriage equality in the state of Iowa would create $5.7 million worth of additional revenue. Not only is marriage equality a fundamental freedom, it makes perfect fiscal sense.

[Photo: L to R, HRC intern Michelle Nolan, Sultan Shakir, Congresswoman Clarke, and interns Matt Telford and Tina Rodriguez]

On Wednesday Police, the Greeley Police Department of Colorado arrested Allen Ray Andrade, 31, for the murder of Angie Zapata, an 18-year-old transgender woman who was found dead in her apartment on July 17:

A Greeley transgender woman was apparently murdered this month because a man she met on the Internet became angry when he discovered she was biologically male.

The Weld District Attorney charged Allen Ray Andrade, 32, of Thornton with second-degree murder and aggravated motor vehicle theft Wednesday after Thornton police arrested him on traffic warrants and Greeley police arrested him thereafter on the murder charge. He was picked up while he was in the dead woman’s car.

The news came as an incredible relief for Angie Zapata’s sister, Monica Zapata.

“I thought they were never going to find him, honestly, I was doubting the police. I was doubting everybody. I just thought he was going to be out there forever,” Monica Zapata said in an interview with Fox 31. “But when they called me and they told me I was the first one they called, it lifted away from me — that knot from your throat, like it was not there anymore.”

An arrest affidavits shows Andrade told officers he met Angie Zapata on the Internet and they got together in Greeley. When he discovered Zapata was biologically male, he beat her to death with a fire extinguisher.

The full article goes into some of the gruesome details about how Andrade brutally bludgeoned Zapata to her death - and how callously referred to his victim as "it."  The murder of yet another transgender woman is just so heartbreaking. Our hearts go out to Zapata's family and the Greeley community as they deal with their loss. 

Local authorities are still determing if Andrade will be charged with a hate crime. Colorado does have a state hate crimes law in place that is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity. It will be telling to see what line of defense will be argued on behalf of Andrade.   All too often, people who commit violence against transgender women use various claims of temporary insanity to explain their actions. The real tragedy of these acts of rage are the permanent scars forced upon the lives of their victims and their families:

The charge of second-degree murder may change in the next 72 hours, [Weld District Attorney Ken] Buck said, as they study Andrade’s story. It could be changed to first-degree murder, or it could also be classified as a hate crime, which would add another felony to the charges against Andrade.

With tears rolling down her face, Angie’s sister Ashley said she is still finding it hard to find closure — even with the arrest.

“I don’t know because he still took my sister,” Ashley Zapata said. “Even if he’s in (prison), he’s still going to get fed, he’s still going to get taken care of — my sister’s not. He’s still going to be able to talk to his family. They’re going to be able to tell him they love him and what? We can’t tell Angie. Angie was a big part of our lives, she was.”

Watch the video of the Greeley Police Department press conference regarding Zapata's murder:

On the same day the Massachusetts legislators voted to send legislation to the governor's desk that would repeal a 95-year-old marriage statute dating back to the Jim Crow era, U.S. House legislators decided by voice vote to apologize for slavery. From the AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws.

"Today represents a milestone in our nation's efforts to remedy the ills of our past," said Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

The resolution, passed by voice vote, was the work of Tennessee Democrat Steve Cohen, the only white lawmaker to represent a majority black district. Cohen faces a formidable black challenger in a primary face-off next week.

Congress has issued apologies before — to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.

Five states have issued apologies for slavery, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations — payment for damages.

The Cohen resolution does not mention reparations. It does commit the House to rectifying "the lingering consequences of the misdeeds committed against African-Americans under slavery and Jim Crow."

It says that Africans forced into slavery "were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized and subjected to the indignity of being stripped of their names and heritage" and that black Americans today continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow laws that fostered discrimination and segregation.

The House "apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow."

"Slavery and Jim Crow are stains upon what is the greatest nation on the face of the earth," Cohen said. Part of forming a more perfect union, he said, "is such a resolution as we have before us today where we face up to our mistakes and apologize as anyone should apologize for things that were done in the past that were wrong."

Cohen became the first white to represent the 60 percent black district in Memphis in more than three decades when he captured a 2006 primary where a dozen black candidates split the vote. He has sought to reach out to his black constituents, and early in his term showed interest in joining the Congressional Black Caucus until learning that was against caucus rules.

Another of his first acts as a freshman congressman in early 2007 was to introduce the slavery apology resolution. His office said that the House resolution was brought to the floor only after learning that the Senate would be unable to join in a joint resolution.

More than a dozen of the 42 Congressional Black Caucus members in the House were original co-sponsors of the measure. The caucus has not endorsed either Cohen or his chief rival, attorney Nikki Tinker, in the Memphis primary, although Cohen is backed by several senior members, including Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y. Tinker is the former campaign manager of Harold Ford, Jr., who held Cohen's seat until he stepped down in an unsuccessful run for the Senate in 2006.

The bill is H. Res. 194

NOTE FROM CHRIS: Special thanks to Amelia Field for sending in this guest post on HRC NYC's second "Talking Queer Politics." The panel, which encourages dialogue between members of the Greater New York GLBT community and elected officials and policymakers, was held at Therapy in Manhattan on Tuesday, July 22.

***********************************************

HRC's Greater New York City Steering Committe held its second installment of Talking Queer Politics featured Speaker of the New York City Council, Christine Quinn. An activist turned elected official, Quinn is the first female and the first openly gay Speaker.

Speaking before a packed room at  Therapy in Manhattan, she stressed the importance of the upcoming November elections and the opportunity that the LGBT community has to make a unique impact on the fight for equality. The New York State Senate is only a few seats away from a fair-minded majority, which could mean marriage equality in New York as well as the passage of other important legislation such as the Dignity for All Students Act.

As much as politicians admittedly love donations, she continued, they really love volunteers. The more the gay community does to support key candidates in these races, the easier it will be to lean on them to support our initiatives once they take office.  HRC is actively involved in the 2008 state senate elections, and was instrumental in helping to elect State Senator Craig Johnson in his January 2007 special election.  To train our members on how to get engaged in this year’s elections, HRC is holding interactive trainings around the country.  To find a training near you, visit www.hrc.org/campequality  These trainings are designed to build, train and mobilize the strong volunteer base that Quinn stressed as being critical to this year’s elections.  We hope to see you there!

Taking questions from the crowd, Quinn shied away from a direct question about a possible run for Mayor and chose instead to discuss her life-long interest in government and politics, which stretches all the way back to her Catholic elementary education where she exhausted the school library's supply of biographies of important women and political leaders.

Join us at Therapy for the next Talking Queen Politics on Tuesday August 26th where we’ll be joined by Jeff Cook, Legislative Advisor for the Log Cabin Republicans.

With just 100 days to go before November’s election, we had a great show focusing on some of the politics of the moment as well as some lighter topics last night on The Agenda with Joe Solmonese.  Here are audio clips of some segments of the program:

Rep. Robert Wexler
The six term Florida Congressman talks about his new book “Fire Breathing Liberal.”  Listen:
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/wexler.mp3

Page Gardner
The executive director of Women’s Voices. Women Vote. talks about Barack Obama’s advantage among unmarried women.  Listen:
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/gardner.mp3

Dan Hunt
The filmmaker behind the new documentary “Bear Run” discusses the gay male bear subculture.  Listen:
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/hunt.mp3

Paul Alexander
This biographer of McCain gives an in-depth look at the Senator.  Listen:
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/alexander1.mp3
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/alexander2.mp3

Damien Holbrook
The TV Guide senior writer discusses the fall TV season.  Listen:
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/holbrook1.mp3
• http://www.theagendaonxm.org/audio/20080728/holbrook2.mp3

To read the full blog entry on last night’s show, go to: http://www.theagendaonxm.org/2008/07/29/135

It was another memorable week where a major GLBT civil rights issue headlined on Capitol Hill, as Joe Solmonese wrapped up in his weekly message.  Eric Alva was one of the stars at this week's congressional hearing on Don't Ask, Don't Tell - and like Joe said, we're so thrilled to have Eric as a part of our family. He's also a great friend.

I thought it was fitting that I repost the video of Eric's testimony on Wednesday and his exclusive online video on MSNBC as final thoughts for the week:

On Wednesday, for the first time since 1993, Congress held an oversight hearing to review the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) law. Its aim was to start an important dialogue on the national security impact of losing qualified, capable service members for no other reason than their sexual orientation. The hearing was held by the U.S. House Subcommittee on Military Personnel of the Armed Services Committee.

Representative Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1246), and Subcommittee Chair Susan Davis (D-CA) were the leading forces working to make this hearing a reality. It was particularly gratifying that Tauscher and lead Republican sponsor Rep. Chris Shays (R-CT) both attended the hearing to speak out against DADT even though they do not serve on the subcommittee.  The repeal bill is cosponsored by 142 of Tauscher and Shays’ fellow Members of Congress.

HRC worked in coalition with a number of organizations, including Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Stonewall Democrats, the Log Cabin Republicans, PFLAG, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and others, to call for this hearing. Together with our coalition partners, HRC will continue to take on the tough work required to ensure that any patriot can serve in the military openly, honestly, and with honor.

The three witnesses who testified spoke eloquently in support of ending the discriminatory policy.  Here are excerpts from their remarks:

Staff Sergeant Eric Alva (Ret.), a dear, dear member of the HRC family, spoke of his frustration at being deemed at once a hero and unworthy of service:

I received the Purple Heart, along with visits from the President and First Lady. I was told I was a hero. That landmine may have put an end to my military career that day, but it didn’t put an end to my secret. That would come years later, when I realized that I had fought and nearly died to secure rights for others that I myself was not free to enjoy. I had proudly served a country that was not proud of me.

Major General Vance Coleman (Ret.), who served in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years, told the panel about his own personal experience of being devalued for arbitrary reasons:

I know what it is like to be thought of as second-class, and I know what it is like to have your hard work dismissed because of who you are or what you look like…It is bewildering and counter-intuitive to me that we maintain a federal law that says, no matter how well a person does his or her job, no matter how integral to their unit they are, they must be removed, disrespected and dismissed because of who they happen to be, or who they happen to love.

Captain Joan E. Darrah (Ret.), who served for nearly 30 years in the U.S. Navy, gave dramatic testimony on the immense strain of serving under DADT:

On Tuesday, September 11, I was at the Pentagon attending the weekly 8:30 intelligence briefing…When American Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon, I was at the Pentagon bus stop. As it turned out, the space I had been in seven minutes earlier was completely destroyed. Seven of my co-workers were killed. The reality is that if I had been killed, my partner, then of 11 years, would have been the last to know as I had not dared to list her in my emergency contact information.

HRC staffers live-blogged throughout the hearing. Their accounts are posted here. You can also check out a piece Eric Alva wrote for Huffington Post here.  Additionally, the hearing was covered by several mainstream media sources such as the Associated Press, Newsweek, USA Today. Dana Milbank of the Washington Post also wrote his assessment of the hearing yesterday.

Before I end today, I want to remind all of you who’ll be in Denver for the Democratic National Convention to get your tickets to HRC’s Rock to Win event. Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, Rufus Wainwright and others will be performing at this celebration of GLBT equality—it’s a can’t miss! Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. I’ll see you there!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Warmly,

P.S. I’ve got some breaking news for you as well: last night, the U.S. House approved PEPFAR, the global AIDS initiative that includes a repeal of the ban on travel and immigration for HIV-positive individuals, 303-115. The bill now heads to the president, who is expected to sign the bill. This is a huge victory for our community! I’ll keep you all updated as developments occur.

This morning at 11 a.m.,  HRC, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, National Stonewall Democrats and Log Cabin Republicans will hold a media conference call with Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) and witnesses participating in the Congressional hearing taking place next week on the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a law that prohibits honorable gay and lesbian Americans from serving their country openly and honestly.  This will be the first hearing to discuss repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” since Congress enacted it fifteen years ago.

The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, at 2 p.m., before the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.  The Subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA).  The media conference call will include three witnesses calling for the repeal, including U.S. Army Major General Vance Coleman (Ret.), U.S. Navy Captain Joan E. Darrah (Ret.), and former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric F. Alva.

Current legislation before Congress, the Military Readiness Enhancement Act (MREA), HR 1246, would remedy this discriminatory and unworkable policy by replacing DADT with a policy of non-discrimination.  The legislation was introduced in the 110th Congress last year by Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA).  Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) became the lead sponsor of MREA when Rep. Meehan retired.

WHAT:  Media conference call to discuss the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Congressional Hearing

WHO:  Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA); U.S. Army Major General Vance Coleman (Ret.); U.S. Navy Captain Joan E. Darrah (Ret.); former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric F. Alva.

WHEN:  Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. EDT

CONFERENCE CALL NUMBER: 866-641-2835      CONFIRMATION ID:  57008053

*************************

UPDATE: Audio of the call is available. Download DADT2Call.mp3 or listen here:

Today is the last full day of the Netroots Nation 2008 blogger's conference in Austin, Texas. Check out my latest updates from the convention here.

6:39 PM (CDT): So I've just arrived at the Austin Convention Center complex, the site of all the (official) action the next few days. Bloggers are milling about the Austin Hilton Hotel lobby, which is just a few steps away from the main convention space. Already sighted: Joe Sudbay, the world-class athlete of AMERICAblog; Matt Stoller and Chris Bowers of OpenLeft; and the one and only Pam Spaulding:

DNC Chairman Howard Dean is scheduled to give the opening keynote address tonight at 7:30 p.m.  I'm planning to liveblog the speech here on the blog. After Dean's speech, a new film by Sam Seder, "A Bad Situationist" will premiere as part of the "Netroots Nation Screening Series."

Well, we're officially here. And I'm so proud that HRC is a sponsor of this year's event. I'll post more updates on this thread....

************************

12:34 PM (CDT): Today's keynote luncheon with Markos Moulitsas and former Tennessee congressman and current chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) Harold Ford Jr. has just begun. Arshad Hasan of Democracy for America is moderating.  DailyKos founder Markos (Kos) started by giving talking about the rise of the influence of the progressive blogospher over the last four years. To paraphrase Markos's sentiments, what sprung forth out of the wellspring of anger over the media's coverage of the runup to the Iraq War has now grown into a thriving movement where everyday citizens not only cover the news - but can now affect it.

12:50 PM: After opening statements, Arshad engaged Markos and Harold on how accurate the numerous media stories on Sen. Obama's "move to the center" really are.  Markos criticizes the media for having a pre-set storyline on Obama's "move" regardless of statements that he has given to reporters on Obama - and specifically Obama's position on FISA.

1:05 PM:  Arshad asks the speakers for their perspective on how they weigh the successes of their respective communities with the overall party, particularly when their activist bases may find themselves on opposite sides of an issue.  Ford commends the netroots for their passion and tenacity and says that ultimately the conservative right wins when there's too much intraparty fighting. (Interesting point there.....)  He says that he thinks the majority of voters in this country are concerned on housing and credit crunch, gas prices, healthcare, and those are common goals everyone can work towards.

Now it's time for questions from the audience....

1:20 P.M: In a nutshell, Harold Ford faces some tough grilling from audience members who have lined up to ask questions - and with more than one posed with a healthy dose of sarcasm - asking him to account for some of his positions as a moderate. The questions keep coming about Ford's earlier statement that the telecom companies should not be blamed for FISA. That Ford should take a ribbing from this liberal audience appears not to surprise anyone here - including Ford himself.  Regarding his congressional record, Ford steely holds his ground that he's proud of every vote he made while in Congress, and makes the case that his votes represented his fairly conservative district in Memphis. He even fires back to one man at the microphone that if he had taken the positions the questioner was espousing, he would have beaten him too. Ouch!

As the questions get more involved and more people steadily lining up at the microphone, Markos steps to call the meeting to a close, but not before leaving the door open for post-luncheon discussion on YearlyKos.

One particular statement from Harold Ford stands out: There's nothing inherently wrong with being a politician. He says that if you want good things to happen in the country, you have to have a president that can lead and that he hopes our next president will lead on behalf on the entire country.

That's it for the luncheon....

******************************

Saturday, July 19 - 9:25 AM (CDT):  Today's events are getting started early this morning and many, including Yours Truly, are visibly still rebooting after the flurry of Netroots Nation parties at several nightspots around downtown Austin. 

The party with the loudest buzz yesterday was definitely the Huffington Post/GQ party at Lambert's Downtown Barbeque. (Yes, I said GQ - not CQ.) In the hotel lobby earlier in the afternoon, I saw and heard more than one blogger scratching his head at this seemingly unlikely social merger of Conde Nast and netroots.  Let's just say bloggers are not known to be the most fashionable bunch - one look around the convention hall at any given moment certainly confirms that - so the fact that GQ would choose to be a part of Netroots Nation is definitely a curious development to any familiar with the convention. In any regards, I was thrilled that they were there (and for the open bar they sponsored...) and I'm grateful the folks at GQ saw Netroots Nation as a worthy cause to be part a part of.  (I particularly loved the blown-up GQ cover images of Sen. Barack Obama that were posted around the party. Gorgeous!)

The invite-only party was a roll call of the who's who of Netroots attendees, drawing Cheryl Contee of JackandJillPolitics.com, the AMERICAblog clan, Jacki Schechner, Pam Spaulding, Michelangelo Signorile, Michael Rogers, New York congressional candidate Kevin Powell, Nico Pitney, and a slew of names from the Huffington Post, The New Republic, DailyKos and The Nation.  At the party, GQ editors Michael Hainey and Andy Comer confirmed to me that the magazine decided to throw the party as an extension of its mutual affection for the Huffington Post and its longstanding interest in keeping its pulse on American politics. We love the Huffington Post too and I certainly hope the relationship between the netroots and GQ - not to mention other style/culture mags - continues to flourish! (**UPDATE: See more pictures from the party at men.style.com and at Huffington Post)

This morning, the "Nancy Pelosi: Ask the Speaker" plenary session kicks off today's schedule at 9 AM.  Netroots Nation conference director Gina Cooper will serve as moderator. A large crowd of over 2000 people has assembled to hear Pelosi speak.

Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who represents Austin, introduces Speaker Pelosi. Doggett is obviously a favorite with the crowd.  After the crowd welcomes a sharply suited Pelosi to the stage, Pelosi thanks the audience for inviting her to speak at the convention and she soon earns a round of applause for reminding the crowd that there are only 107 days until the November election.   During her speech, Pelosi continued to stress the importance of ending the war in Iraq, which she calls the "biggest national security blunder in the history of our country," and said the progressive blogosphere could do its part to bring our troops home by working to elect Sen. Obama as the next president.  Costumed anti-war protestors hold up signs and try to interrupt Pelosi's speech a few times while she's speaking, but Pelosi keeps her cool.

9:30 AM: Now it's time for questions. (The Northwest Progressive Institute has posted a great recap of  the Q&A with Speaker Pelosi here.)  Speaker Pelosi takes many questions from both the moderator and audience members, ranging from the hot netroots topic of government surveillance to making broadband available to more people across the country, particularly in rural areas.  She strongly criticizes the administration's support of abstinence-only sex education as a "dangerous health option for our young people," saying that it is a policy that "caters to a radical right wing view and it should be stopped."

At one point during the Q&A, Speaker Pelosi stands up and outlines four priorities she feels our country must focus on immediately to get back on track: improving our health care system; stressing science and promoting innovation and technology; building our country's infrastructure; and energy security.

10:12 AM: When Gina Cooper says she wants to turn the discussion to ask Speaker Pelosi questions on energy and the environment, Speaker Pelosi pulls out her BlackBerry, fiddles with it a second, and says she's just received an email from a friend on climate and the environment that she wants to relay. Suddenly, Vice President Al Gore's voice comes over the loudspeaker, "Dear Nancy...."  Seconds later, Al Gore himself emerges from behind the dais and joins Speaker Pelosi and Gina Cooper on the stage! The crowd goes wild at the surprise and immediately erupts into a standing ovation. "I feel right at home here," says Gore, beaming. "You represent the leading edge of that new movement to reclaim American democracy," he begins. 

Gore keeps his remarks focused on the climate crisis and his crusade to combat global warming, in the spirit of his Oscar-winning documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." The crowd obviously loves Gore and offers him several rounds of applause and standing ovations during his speech.  He encourages the audience to join him online at his new bipartisan grassroots movement, www.wecansolveit.org. 

10:30 AM: Al Gore has wrapped up his speech - to another standing ovation. A "lightening round" of questions for both Speaker Pelosi and Al Gore is about to begin....

11:08 AM: After several rounds of questions, most on energy conservation and what can be done to lessen America's dependence on fossil fuels, the meeting has ended and everyone is shuffling towards the doors. Today's first breakout sessions are about to begin upstairs.... More later.

*****************************

3:30 PM: I've decided to attend a panel discussion called "Reforming and Improving the Presidential Selection Process." AMERICAblog's Joe Sudbay, Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Florida congressional candidate Annette Taddeo, and Michigan blogger Marcy Wheeler (who reported on Firedoglake on the Scooter Libby trial for leaking the identity of CIA agent Valerie Plame) are the panelists for a discussion on how the states should conduct their primaries and caucuses.

Hailing from Michigan, Florida and Missouri - states which have all weathered their share of controversy in recent presidential and state elections - this group of panelists know first-hand how important it is to have clear election and presidential nominating policies that work.

As a follow up post to Candace Gingrich's report, Youth & Campus Outreach Coordinator Aaron Teskey and intern Maggie Chesnut write with their thoughts about tabling at last week’s Campus Progress National Conference and HRC’s work to empower progressive youth to fight for equality.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

My first thought after a long day of tabling wasn’t that my feet hurt or that I wanted to take a nap, but that I wish everyone fighting for equality could have been at the Campus Progress National Conference. Talking to young progressives and hearing their genuine enthusiasm for creating lasting change on their campuses and in their communities was truly inspiring. At a time when the theme of hope has energized America, it is my peers – the ones I spoke with and the countless others out there – who give me hope.

To quote John Edwards’ keynote address, “voices of a generation must join together in a great call for change.” From people who merely recognized the HRC logo to GLBT people and our straight allies who are already active, it was a great chance to talk about the great work we do and how youth can get further involved. Despite the incredible crowds in the tabling area (they actually call it the “birdcage”), my peers’ energy and enthusiasm about coming together and taking action was palpable. One student actually told me he was going to get “EQUALITY” tattooed on his arm. Now that’s life-long commitment!

With that I’ll turn it over to the Youth & Campus Program’s fabulous intern Maggie to talk about her impressions of the conference and our exciting efforts to help GLBT campus groups share resources, information, and insight.

[Photo: Front Row: Maggie Chesnut (Youth & Campus Outreach intern), Erin Strauts (Research Intern), Jordan Rubenstein (PEOD intern), Candace Gingrich (Youth & Campus Outreach Senior Manager). Back Row: Aaron Teskey (Youth & Campus Outreach Coordinator), Christopher Nulty (Diversity Intern), Josh Crosson (Diversity Student Coordinator)]

*******************************************************************

From Maggie Chestnut: It took me 15 minutes to waddle the 20 feet from the stairs to the HRC booth where Aaron, Candace, Josh and Chris were engaging conference-goers. The traffic was so thick you had to fight the current to speak to the representatives promoting their organizations behind the card tables. The HRC spread was plentiful; brochures and guides with topics ranging from “Transgender Americans” to “Salir del Closet” (the Spanish version of the Resource Guide to Coming Out), free redeemable iTunes cards for songs from the artists on the True Colors Tour, a chance to win the T-shirt Aaron and I were both modeling, and even two laptops. The laptops were especially important.

At the conference, we unveiled a revamped contact list for queer student organizations across America. This ever-expanding database is a valuable tool for connecting campuses and it will help to create a larger, more effective network of young queer activists. It will also help mobilize campus communities (in states like California) during critical political moments.  Using the laptops we brought, we encouraged conference-goers to add their group to the list or to let us know if our info was outdated or incomplete. The list continues to grow each day, but we still need your help! Head to the Youth & Campus Activism section of HRC’s website to add your GLBT campus group or to find out about other groups in your area.

All of the students I spoke to expressed their excitement about the potential of our contact list and were eager to add their information. Some complained about their organizations’ lack of political action, which I think is a common problem. Queer college groups suffer from the same organizational and membership troubles as other clubs, but they are additionally faced with the multifaceted responsibility of serving as safe-havens, social communities, group support, educators, and advocates for individuals at various levels of outness. This can be an impossible burden for the few dedicated students who also need to get good grades, attend other club meetings, and find time to sleep. I hope, and so do the students I spoke to, that networking with other groups will ease the stress through advice, greater social networks, and simply more hands. Our new database is the first step. I was glad to see that everyone is as excited as I am about joining together in the fight for equality!

[Photo: HRC materials and publications were plentiful at HRC's table at the Campus Progess National Conference.]

Joe and Mary might have been on vacation but that didn’t keep them from offering a fresh new edition of The Agenda with Joe Solmonese last night. They were broadcasting live from Martha’s Vineyard and gave us a GLBT taste of the island.  If you missed the show, you can download audio clips of some segments of the program - or just use the player below (Internet Explorer only):

Alan Dershowitz:
The attorney and famed constitutional scholar discussed the Bush record on civil liberties and the future of the Supreme Court. LISTEN HERE.

Peter Simon:
Carly Simon’s brother discussed his photography of Martha’s Vineyard and his books on reggae.  LISTEN HERE.

Tony Lombardi:
The program director at the Safe Haven Project discussed HIV/AIDS education on the island.  LISTEN HERE. PART I, PART II.

To read the full blog entry on last night’s show, go to: http://www.theagendaonxm.org/2008/07/15/133/