One thing which must never be forgotten about the Amendment One fight in North Carolina is how those who oppose that awful thing have fought with both cylinders.
From Pam's House Blend (I highlighted something to remember about the fight):
From Pam's House Blend (I highlighted something to remember about the fight):
(There have been) hundreds of faith leaders against (Amendment One) as well, ones who understand why faith and matters of civil law must remain separate in order to protect religious freedom. (Yesterday) there was an event in Greensboro sponsored from the NAACP featuring over 100 clergy from large congregations including Rev. Dr. William J. Barber and ministers speaking out against the amendment. The NAACP has sponsored mailers and radio spots against the amendment as well. It’s notable that the NAACP, LGBT and progressive communities have been working together in ways that will continue beyond election day.
Some statistics from the latest phone call with the Protect All NC Families team:
- The campaign to fight Amendment One resulted in 11,000 donors with 70% of the money coming from inside NC, and $2.5 million raised
- 22% of targeted GOTV population has early voted
- An incredible 507K NC residents have early voted in this primary versus 486K that early voted in 2008
- Black voter turnout is down in this primary: 16% Af-Am voted this time, versus the unprecedented turnout of 40% in 2008 when Barack Obama ran for President
- Half-a-million robocalls went out today across the state broadcasting the anti-Amendment message from Bill Clinton.
8 comments:
Yes, the opponents have fought with both cylinders, but in what I think is a half-hearted and cynical approach. They have hidden gay people and attempted to make the campaign about the "collateral damage" to be done by Amendment One. I understand the strategy, but it will not work. In the first place, it doesn't fool anyone. In the second place, the Baptist bigots who are going to vote against us also don't approve of unmarried straight couples either. Our side has neglected an opportunity to educate the electorate about gay people and in doing so has allowed the other side to defame and libel us with no rebuttal from us. This campaign must not be emulated by others in the future.
Well the jury is still out on the vote, but I have to disagree with you on several points. For one, this campaign was excellent it should be emulated. You seem to forget that the support for Amendment One has dropped due to this campaign. You make it seem like its a strategy to say that Amendment One will cause harm to those other than the gay community and that there is no truth behind it. On the contrary, it is a real danger there and I think the opponents of Amendment One have done a lot to bring that to attention. And it has changed some minds. Secondly, your statement "Our side has neglected an opportunity to educate the electorate about gay people and in doing so has allowed the other side to defame and libel us with no rebuttal from us" is patently, PATENTLY false. With all due respect, where were you when that awful pastor was loudly rebuked for advocating beating gay children. That happened IN NC during this campaign. Also, there have been several debates across this North Carolina in which folks like "diaper pastor" Patrick Wooden was called out for his nasty comments about gays.
Do you think the observation that Pam Spaulding made - It’s notable that the NAACP, LGBT and progressive communities have been working together in ways that will continue beyond election day - is a distortion on her part?
I think it's a matter of taking things for granted. Your comment about "Baptist bigots" says a lot, too. When you say things like that, you take people's opinions for granted and ignore that they can be changed and are being changed. Maybe not at the expediency you want it, but deal with that fact as it is - a fact. Change doesn't happen because we stamp out feet, hold our breaths, or repeat some nice statement about how we are "tired" of waiting. Change happens but it takes its time. It can happen fast or slow, but it happens.
Please don't mistake what I am saying for a personal attack, but I think that you setting yourself up for a total defeat. And it's not just you. I have seen and read comments from people whining about how the anti-Amendment One campaign "didn't do enough" and when I read these statements, I seriously wonder if they have been paying close attention to what's been going on or are they trying to console themselves in readiness for a possible defeat.
When people do that, they make me angrier than folks like NOM and Wooden. Folks want to given in to disappointment because it's easier than staying and fighting for what you believe in. It's easier to give up and criticize rather than to take this thing as a step forward.
In 2004, marriage equality was destroyed in several elections. Now in 2012, while we aren't where we need to be, we are closer than before. And closer than folks on the opposite side ever expected us to be. THE VERY LAST THING we need to do is start pointing fingers and readying our mouths to criticize.
Well, we will see what the vote turns out to be. But it is undeniable that most of these excellent ads, including the ones from the Governor and Senator and Mayors, do not even mention gay people.
I have been paying very close attention and have contributed $600 to Protect ALL NC Families and I don't even live in the state. I think they have been very well meaning, but their strategy has allowed the other side to define us and, indeed, the issue itself.
I hope we don't lose, but it is quite likely that we will. No one wants to give in to disappointment, but the fact remains that the campaign has kept gay people invisible. That is why it has been largely a wasted opportunity. We have certainly seen the ugliness of North Carolina religious folks, as you have so ably pointed out. But we haven't seen condemnation of their bigotry by our campaign. You and others have reported it to us, but the Protect ALL NC Families has not challenged any of the bigotry in their ads, which just say the amendment "goes too far," which is to say if it have only specifically limited its hatred to us it would be okay.
It is telling that in Maine or California our enemies at least pretend that they are not motivated by animus. That is not the case here. They feel absolutely free to talk about cell phones up our asses and beating the gay out of children and other outlandish statements. And our own campaign says nothing in rebuttal.
Instead, they just talk about all the poor straight people who will be harmed by the amendment.
Sorry, I will not be contributing to other campaigns if they are as ashamed of gay people as this campaign has been.
Jay, you can do what you want and I certainly don't want to discourage you from supporting other campaigns, but I still think that you are way off here.
You expect the Protect NC campaign to attack right-wing lies solely? But that's not their sole purpose. There are a lot more tendrils coming from Protect NC which did address right-wing nonsense. And I still don't understand how you can continue to say that they allowed the opposition to define gays without challenge.
I do think that it's a matter that you don't live in the state so you have a different view than those who live in it or those close by it.
It sounds like you wanted Protect NC to take a more aggressive approach in challenging some of the most vicious things said about gays. I think the campaign did exactly the right thing by not allowing itself to get totally bogged down but allowing other folks, such as the bloggers and other news sources to challenge those comments. The comments piss me off too, but don't focus so much on them that you miss the bigger picture of the harm they did to the other side.
Either way - And I am optimistic for a victory - this is not a defeat. It's inspiring to see folks come together and I hope they continue the alliances after the vote. It's also very telling when you allow those who deceive and lie to freely wallow in their filth before everyone. It only helps our side in the long run.
Alvin, you misrepresent what I said. I do not "expect Protect NC campaign to attack right-wing lies solely." I never said that. I am glad that bloggers and others pointed out the lies and ugliness of the other side (though not nearly enough--apparently in North Carolina it is much more acceptable to say really disgusting things about gay people than it is in Maine or California).
What I most object to is the fact that Protect NC campaign hid gay people and pretended that the issues had more to do with protecting the rights of unmarried heterosexuals than with gay people. As I mentioned above, most of the ads didn't even mention gay people, much less defend us from the nonsense of the religious right.
I am glad that you are optimistic and I hope that we win.
In any case, I can't imagine how this campaign could be emulated in Maine, Maryland, and Washington: in those campaigns we will not be able to pretend that the real issue is something other than the lives of gay people.
Jay - and this is the final exchange because we are not going back and forth on this - I do apologize if I mischaracterized what you are saying, BUT we are hitting a brick wall here. You seem to be intent in stressing a point that's simply not true because it wasn't handled in a way that you see fit. Instead of finding reasons to bitch, why don't you find find reasons to be positive.
Still think the campaign should be emulated? Claude Summers at glbtq.com got it right. He described the strategy as both fatally flawed and duplicitous. I agree.
Yes I do, Jay. And I would appreciate you not being an asshole about gloating. Sorry but while I respect your difference of opinion, I do not respect your need to try to rub it in simply because we shared a difference of opinion. A difference of opinion is one thing. Being a bitchy individual after the fact is wrong.
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