Brody's Scribbles... From Pam's House Blend: 'You Want Us To Play The Abused Spouse? '

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) June 28 | There is a guest columnist today at Pam's House Blend that has touched off a series of comments that I find mirrors a good deal of the current attitude within the LGBT community regarding opinion of the effectiveness and advocacy of the Obama Administration on LGBT Equality. Joe Jervis ran a link & snip to Pam's blog on his website, with his loyal readership weighing in with quite similar sentiments as those expressed by Pam Spaulding's readership.

Authored by the Palm Centre's  Deputy Director Christopher Neff who calls on the greater LGBT community to 'thank' President Obama for his support of LGBT Equality Rights. Neff writes:

"For President Obama, the gay community is not simply a group to be won or table-captains to be counted on. He is fighting for equality because it is the right thing to do and I think he would act little different if he didn't have our support. Empirical evidence over the past months would seem to support this, as hecklers yelled at him at events; chained themselves to the White House and trashed him on the blogs. Through all this, the President stuck with us, while we will continued asking more of him."

One of Pam's regulars took exception and noting:

"I am tired of getting punched in the face, then told to be grateful that I didn't get any broken bones. If President Obama, or anyone else in the Democratic Party, wants my support this November, he had damned well better be able to demonstrate that they have EARNED my vote. No sweet nothing that evaporate come sunrise, no wringing of hands that he is totally powerless, no more of this "fierce advocacy" that further entrenches bigotry and discrimination.

The GAyTM is closed, Mr. Neff. And our patience is wearing very, very thin."

Neff is no political neophyte either as a look at his political credentials & resume shows that he has been a congressional staffer for Senator Harry Reid of Nevada and Senator John Warner of Virginia. Neff has also served as the Executive Director of Outright Vermont from December, 2007 until January, 2010. Currently Neff is the Deputy Executive Director of the Palm Centre where he manages congressional relations and strategic communications. 

Mr. Neff also has serious political clout within the Democratic party as well as influence with most of the higher profile LGBT Activist & Lobby organisations and non-profits.

Christopher Neff & The Late Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA)  Photo By Chris Neff

The problem is that as noted by Pam's commentator, patience within the greater LGBT community is pretty much at an end. Don't Ask-Don't Tell for example has been consigned to a 'we can do this after a survey that says everyone's 'comfortable with it,' by the Defence Department and Congressional measures to end the policy were tacked on to a Defence Omnibus Spending authorisation bill that U' S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates has already stated publicly that the President will veto as the measure contains items that the administration as well as the Defence Department find objectionable and unwarranted.

ENDA has died, and even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has stated that a great deal of its resurrection will be defined by the mid-term elections which at this point, have  a grim outlook for the Democrats, Gay anger aside.

DOMA? Unless a ruling is down the pike by the Supreme Court that would effectively overturn it or redefine it, it too has no chance.

Neff wants the LGBT community's support citing Obama administration success in other ares, which, are significant but yet are a far cry from achieving a full measure of Equality. 

Pam's comments included this: 

"What are they drinking out there at the Palm Center?  If Mr. Neff had to deal with the administration on a regular basis, or serve under DADT or any other discriminatory policy that the DOD could come up with, he would perhaps, perhaps, have a different understanding of how this community feels, what it has experienced and how oppression really sucks the life out of us.  Out of his political depth, sorry to say.  Mr. Neff has deservedly walked into a BUZZ saw. Also, never tell anyone how to feel about political oppression and discrimination.  That was his first misstep."

There appears to be serious miscalculation of the depth and width of the frustrations & anger within the LGBT community on these issues and Christopher Neff has done little more than to stir up the hornet's nest more by his endorsement and Op-Ed column that is, in perspective, quite ill-advised.

I recommend that you read the Pam's House Blend entry [here] and then travel to Joe Jervis's site to read the commentary [there.]