Tonight, people associated with GetEqual directly heckled the sitting President, who is generally supportive of LGBT equality but is not being clear enough about the timeline — in this case, the timeline for repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy — for many activists.
I’m honestly not sure what I think about tonight, but I do think this is different from last month’s actions.
I actually think it might have been smarter, politically, for the group than the previous GetEqual-related actions. Although disrespectful to President Obama, it was certainly not of the “arrest risk” level of the other actions. That’s a big difference from the first day of actions. This was a brief, targeted action that, in the larger scheme of things, was minimally disruptive.
Also, and more importantly, this was a presidential event with many people in attendance, so there is mainstream press being forced to write about this. The pool report, circulating at this time, talks about the disruption in pain-staking (for the White House) detail.
The downside of this action is that Sen. Boxer had her event, I think unfairly, targeted and tarnished. I’m not quite sure of the advantage gained by putting a damper on a potentially vulnerable, pro-LGBT elected official’s fundraising event.
Also, this was directly aimed at Obama, as opposed to more generally at the White House or Congress. While that could — and likely is — seen as a positive for GetEqual’s supporters, I’m not sure Obama wants DADT repeal any more after tonight. Maybe he will do more, and maybe that’s enough to call this a success, but I can’t imagine that it made him more eager personally to support LGBT equality. I’m not sure about that, but I still think that’s the downside in taking on the President in this way.
Another potential downside is that this wasn’t an LGBT event. This is the first test of how GetEqual’s message translates outside of the LGBT community — both in the progressive community generally and across the nation. So, while watching LGBT coverage of this event will be important, I’m going to pay close attention to non-LGBT media’s coverage of tonight’s action.
Finally, there is the downside that comes along with the hecklers’ veto. Tonight’s hecklers chose — with no consultation and with no accountability — to take action of their own behalf that will, in many forms, be reflected on many folks seeking an end to DADT and advancement of other LGBT equality legislation. That is not their fault, and it is not something for which they should be blamed. But, it will happen, and others who are ambivalent about, supportive of or oppose their actions will be explaining this action to others.
Maybe that’s fine. Maybe the answer is simply, “It wasn’t me.” Perhaps the response is, “Do you disagree that LGBT people deserve full equality now?”
These are difficult issues in a righteous struggle. Tonight, I think, was a slightly different animal than last month’s actions and worthy of examination on its own merits.
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Chris Geidner is the award-winning senior political writer at D.C.'s Metro Weekly and has written for The Atlantic Online, Advocate.com, Salon and other publications, as well as at his blog, Law Dork. In 2011, he received the Excellence in News Writing Award from the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association for his coverage of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal. Prior to moving to D.C. in 2009, he served as an attorney on the senior staff at the Ohio Attorney General's Office and had earlier worked for a leading Columbus law firm. An extended biography can be found
Chris,
Let me be blunt about this. Today’s event did absolutely nothing and to be frank, might have undermined the point of DADT Repeal. I understand the frustration amongst the community, but this did nothing useful. Yelling at the President isn’t exactly the way to solve problems. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. If you don’t want to be paid attention to? Then yell.
Those who are advocating for DADT’s repeal and my point is sternly aimed at Lt. Dan Choi should be working hard at whipping congressional support. It’s not easy, but that’s why no one’s doing it. Further, Lt. Choi, even though he was granted the right to come back with his fellow soldiers in camp and be what he claimed he wanted to be has decided to undermine the very cause of being a soldier against repeal. Soldiers are professional. They are loyal. They are resolute. They are NOT advocates.
The whole premise for repealing DADT was to show that LGBT folks could be just as professional, just as loyal, and just as resolute as straight folks. Lt. Choi has not only given the army sufficient reason to terminate him outside of being gay but by being an advocate while in the military, he’s given someone that Republicans can point to in opposition, saying that LGBT folks can’t be effective soldiers.
Let those retired or those already kicked out be advocates for repealed. Lt. Choi’s efforts and those of GetEQUAL do nothing more than to help set back the causes they supposedly want gone.
Because this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haHXgFU7qNI is definitely professional, loyal and resolute….
And I believe that the LGBT individuals have proven that they can be professional, loyal and resolute; they shouldn’t have to prove to someone how capable they are when they have been demonstrating it for years. Obviously just sitting idle and hoping that one day the heads will acknowledge this hasn’t worked- mostly because they are very well aware of it already. Maybe disrupting them will let them know that individuals will stop conforming unless they get some retribution.
They really won’t want to be a part of this… slaughterhouse!
Chris- I think you’re downplaying the immediate effect of the protest. It seemed, based on the RCP video, that it was a pretty substantial disruption that POTUS continually had to address.
That being said, I think I’m about where you are- maybe a little more slanted towards the GetEqual position. But, I’m curious if you can offer (or direct me to somewhere I can find) a coherent statement about why President Obama hasn’t just repealed DADT through an executive order, or directive to stop enforcing the policy? I’ve heard the standard lines, “he wants to ensure it’s done right”, and “he doesn’t want there to be any loopholes”. But I’m not sure I understand the logic behind those statements. It just seems so simple, per se… especially with so many military brass (past and present) in favor of repeal.
It’s a law. Unfortunately the Congress codified the law. Now it is true that by executive order Obama could repeal it, but what’s to stop a republican simply overturning it? What? Bob McDonnell is the more obvious example of this failed strategy.
Ahhh- with the Governor’s repeal of the sexual orientation protections afforded the GLBT community working for the state government? I see your perspective. Do you think an exec order while the legislation is pending is feasible? A band-aid until you can get to the hospital for those much-needed stitches?
I’m not sure this is going to hurt the movement to repeal. Obama’s the one consistently reminding the community to push him, after all. But the question becomes, is this effective pushing?
I think it’s hard to say how it will play. I’m sure the President was annoyed, as were Boxer and her supporters. I don’t think any of them would be so annoyed as to throttle back on DADT repeal; they’re elected officials, they know that people sometimes do direct action protests, and that’s it’s all part of the game. Will it help? I think what we’re witnesses is a combination of a reticent Congress that’s willing to be pushed, but isn’t taking much initiative. We also have a White House that just isn’t pushing Congress to get it done. I think that internal, behind-the-scenes pressure is the screw we need to turn, but it’s a question of how to get there.
Obama and Congress know that the people protesting aren’t the same as the organizations pushing for repeal. Protesters give the orgs a way to let Congress and the WH know that when they say “Don’t holler at us because we hear you,” it’s clear they Congress and the WH haven’t made it clear they actually do. I think your suggestion for redirecting complaints about tactics towards an illustration of the underlying purpose is a good one.
It’s impossible to present a monolithic movement of professional Gay Inc. lobbyists. There will always be protestors, and letting our leaders paint the whole community by the (sometimes legitimate, sometimes not) actions of a few is lazy on the part of us who engage with constituent meetings and the like. Maybe the WH will push the schedule ahead just to get these thorns out of their sides. They’ll probably continue to ignore them work with organizations to get things through. They’ll at least know now that their efforts to communicate what they hear isn’t working that well.
Good post, Chris.
I disagree that there was anything inappropriate about the interruption of President Obama during a fundraiser for Senator Boxer. The “hecklers” are supporters of Senator Boxer. They bought tickets to the fundraiser. She needs their support in what is likely to be a close campaign. So it seems to me to be an appropriate venue at which to pressure President Obama to actually do what he has said that he would do. I suspect that the delay in repealing DADT is that he has promised the Pentagon to wait a year. But he promised us that he would do it right away. He seems to think that the “urgency of now” is really the “urgency of whenever I get around to it.” The irony is that there is a large majority of Americans in favor of this change in policy, so it would not cost Obama any political capital. His lack of resolution and urgency on this issue just makes him look weak and confirms the impression that he wants to be loved by his enemies: at least he goes out of his way to reward his enemies and diss his friends. It will not be surprising if he has many fewer friends in the next election than he had in the last.
Chris,
Let me be blunt about this. Today’s event did absolutely nothing and to be frank, might have undermined the point of DADT Repeal. I understand the frustration amongst the community, but this did nothing useful. Yelling at the President isn’t exactly the way to solve problems. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. If you don’t want to be paid attention to? Then yell.
Those who are advocating for DADT’s repeal and my point is sternly aimed at Lt. Dan Choi should be working hard at whipping congressional support. It’s not easy, but that’s why no one’s doing it. Further, Lt. Choi, even though he was granted the right to come back with his fellow soldiers in camp and be what he claimed he wanted to be has decided to undermine the very cause of being a soldier against repeal. Soldiers are professional. They are loyal. They are resolute. They are NOT advocates.
The whole premise for repealing DADT was to show that LGBT folks could be just as professional, just as loyal, and just as resolute as straight folks. Lt. Choi has not only given the army sufficient reason to terminate him outside of being gay but by being an advocate while in the military, he’s given someone that Republicans can point to in opposition, saying that LGBT folks can’t be effective soldiers.
Let those retired or those already kicked out be advocates for repealed. Lt. Choi’s efforts and those of GetEQUAL do nothing more than to help set back the causes they supposedly want gone.