I never liked Donna Brazile much, but after reading this e-mail received by
Ben Smith at the Daily Politics, I REALLY don't like her.
It gets even more disturbing below...
Per The Daily Politics bog:
The Daily Politics has obtained a forwarded email from Emily Giske, a leading New York lesbian activist and a member of the Democratic National Committee, which depicts DNC official Donna Brazile and the party's black caucus as the main obstacle to a plan to expand gay and lesbian participation in the DNC.
So what does the e-mail from Giske say?
I asked Garry about the specific language he has proposed. He said that right now, we should be positioning the proposal as the same as the Affirmative Action requirement the DNC has for Blacks, Hispanics, Asian/Pacifics, and Native Americans (which requires states to have specific goals and timetables for their inclusion in the delegation).
Supposedly, this is what originally upset Donna [Brazile] -- because she doesn't think this qualifies under the legal definition of Affirmative Action.
Donna and others ... do not believe our battle for civil rights can be compared with what African Americans have faced in gaining the right to vote and participate in Party affairs. In the end though, Garry may have to settle for something that does not say "Affirmative Action" but still requires states to set specific goals.
This is the stuff that destroys the Democratic party. The "me me" single interest looking out for oneself and not seeking to build coalitions.
I'll be the first one to say that comparing the African Americans civil rights movement to the one currently currently underway for members of GLBT community are different in many many ways. Comparisons and analogies just don't work because each scenario is unique and complex in its own right.
BUT - and a big BUT - the goal of the Democratic party should be inclusion and diversity and tolerance. This effort by Brazile, if true, is the polar opposite of that.
I'm personally shooting off a note to the DNC and Dean asking for further explanation. If the DNC wants to marginalize our participation, then I hope they can do it without the many of us in the GLBT community who use our wallets to support candidates that are often, at best, marginally pro-gay rights.
Gays and Lesbians have been pretty patient, and many of us understand the complexity of the marriage debate and still vote Democratic anyway. But, at time when Far-Right Christian Groups are suing for the right to be intolerant to gays , this is NOT the message that should be coming from the DNC.
And to think I always though Donna Brazile was a lesbian.
Maybe she is. If so, her time might be better spent with David Drier and Jeff Gannon, not lobbying the DNC for her intolerant, divisive agenda.