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wwcitizenE-mail the 4 gay & lesbian people in Congress (I copied and pasted all of the e-mail addresses into one e-mail - why send out multiples?):
STAFF EMAIL ADDRESSES:
Maria.Giesta@mail.house.gov, Bill.Murat@mail.house.gov, Brian.Branton@mail.house.gov, Jessica.Lemos@mail.house.gov
SUBJECT:
Give LGBT People A Voice In Their Own Liberation
MESSAGE:
Dear Representatives Cicillini, Polis, Baldwin & Frank,
We the people of the LGBT community, 25 million or so strong, deserve a voice in our liberation struggle and strategy. Yet, the process by which you, HRC, NGLTF and others, determine our fate is a secret insiders-game, which precludes public scrutiny and participation, ultimately denying us our right to self-determination.
As you know, HRC, NGLTF, and the others, are not democratically run, but are controlled by an elite group of donors in a non-transparent manner. Similarly, with respect, you are not elected by an LGBT community process, and while gay and lesbian, have no official mandate to decide our fate without an appropriate consultative process, which our organizations do not fulfill.
Given this reality, we request that you please work together in common cause and public consultation with our community in three specific ways:
1. We ask that the LGBT Equality Caucus hold public open meetings on our movement strategy and legislative agenda;
2. We ask that you revisit the splintered and unorganized manner in which LGBT-related bills are filed; and,
3. We urge you to work openly and publicly with the community to discuss filing a bill seeking full Civil Rights Equality for "sexual orientation and gender identity" under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and related laws, as outlined in The American Equality Bill.
As liberals, we expect you to believe in the ideals of transparency, democracy and accountability. We believe that if we adhere to these ideals and open the insider system, together we can build a mass movement worthy of our cause in which we all participate in our individual and collective liberation.
This is our right, and your responsibility. Please give us a voice.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
BACKGROUND STORY (not for inclusion in email):
There are FOUR gay & lesbian people now in Congress, listed here in order of seniority. Obviously, none of them are elected by an LGBT community process, nor represent predominantly LGBT populated districts (though we're studying this more closely).
Representative Barney Frank (D-MA-4) (1981)
Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-2) (1999)
Representative Jarod Polis (D-CO-2) (2009)
Representative David Cicillini (D-RI-1) (2011)
In 2008, FRANK & BALDWIN formed a House LGBT Equality Caucus, which is growing but not coordinating on strategy. (http://lgbt.tammybaldwin.house.gov/).
As it stands, unfortunately each member continues to work a personal strategy, filing separate bills like pet projects, working around turf held by more senior members. (listen to Baldwin reveal this on this recorded public conference call by eQualityThinking: http://bit.ly/eqThinkingBaldwinCall).
Last Congress, they filed, along with others, roughly 15 LGBT-related bills in an incredibly unorganized, uncoordinated fashion. (see http://bit.ly/LGBTbills111thCongress).
Amidst the chaos, there is NO PUBLIC PROCESS by which the LGBT community is consulted on our legislative agenda or movement strategy.
As for results under this system, the LGBT movement began in 1950, and so far, not a single federal non-discrimination law has been passed. Worse yet, we're not even seeking full equality today, although for 20 years (from 1974 to 1994) we were. But we gave up after AIDS decimated our community, and have yet to rebound, despite a sea change in public opinion and a mixed-race President, himself a product of the Civil Rights Laws we helped establish almost 50 years ago, which still exclude SO+GI.
THE DISORGANIZTATION CONTINUES:
1. FRANK'S Project: On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, Rep. FRANK will reintroduce a bill covering only "employment discrimination" called ENDA, which he has been filing for 17 years without passage. (http://bit.ly/FrankENDAagain).
2. POLIS' Project: Meanwhile, Rep. POLIS will likely file a bill for "school discrimination" called the Student Non-Discrimination Act, and other related bills.
3. BALDWIN's Project: Rep. BALDWIN will file a bill for "health care discrimination," which goes to over 10 different committees.
4. CICILLINI's - NEW HOPE: Thankfully, the newbie, Representative CICILLINI, former Mayor of RI, is talking "omnibus bill" but he's still getting settled in, and is likely to defer to Frank and others for some time. (http://bit.ly/CicilliniOmnibus).
THE POWER STRUCTURE KEEPING US DOWN:
Ultimately, it is a tenure protocol and hierarchy that's keeping us down, and FRANK is in charge, make no doubt about it.
BALDWIN and POLIS have both said they support the filing of a full Civil Rights bill, but neither will do it. CICILLINI has suggested the same.
FRANK, by contrast, has argued against the idea aggressively, making any argument he can muster, but mostly that it would meet with resistance from our ALLIES in the Black Caucus. He's after all, the KING of one-sided compromise!
In filing ENDA only again, FRANK argues that it's an "organizing tool" because the Republican House won't pass it. Of course, the bill didn't pass under the Democratic House & White House either, and the organizing he speaks of is equally invisible.
BUT IF IT'S AN organizing tool, why not FILE A BILL for FULL CIVIL RIGHTS EQUALITY and give us something BIG to organize around?
If we're focused on ORGANIZING, why not organize within our own community, and create a public process to engage all of us?
Why is this Frank's personal call?
CLEARLY it is the LACK OF PROCESS in this game of secrets that keeps US OUT OF THE CONVERSATION and more progressive voices down. So we need to ask:
WHY ARE THEY NOT WORKING TOGETHER?
WHY IS OUR COMMUNITY NOT CONSULTED IN AN OPEN PROCESS?
AND WHY ARE WE NOT FILING A BILL FOR FULL EQUAL CIVIL RIGHTS?
WRITE THEM AND ASK WHY:
GAY & LESBIAN PEOPLE IN CONGRESS
1. Representative Barney Frank (MA)
Chief of Staff: Maria.Giesta@mail.house.gov
2. Representative Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Chief of Staff: Bill.Murat@mail.house.gov
3. Representative Jarod Polis (CO)
Chief of Staff: Brian.Branton@mail.house.gov
4. Representative David Cicilline (RI)
LGBT Liaison: Jessica.Lemos@mail.house.gov
STAFF EMAIL ADDRESSES:
Maria.Giesta@mail.house.gov, Bill.Murat@mail.house.gov, Brian.Branton@mail.house.gov, Jessica.Lemos@mail.house.gov
SUBJECT:
Give LGBT People A Voice In Their Own Liberation
MESSAGE:
Dear Representatives Cicillini, Polis, Baldwin & Frank,
We the people of the LGBT community, 25 million or so strong, deserve a voice in our liberation struggle and strategy. Yet, the process by which you, HRC, NGLTF and others, determine our fate is a secret insiders-game, which precludes public scrutiny and participation, ultimately denying us our right to self-determination.
As you know, HRC, NGLTF, and the others, are not democratically run, but are controlled by an elite group of donors in a non-transparent manner. Similarly, with respect, you are not elected by an LGBT community process, and while gay and lesbian, have no official mandate to decide our fate without an appropriate consultative process, which our organizations do not fulfill.
Given this reality, we request that you please work together in common cause and public consultation with our community in three specific ways:
1. We ask that the LGBT Equality Caucus hold public open meetings on our movement strategy and legislative agenda;
2. We ask that you revisit the splintered and unorganized manner in which LGBT-related bills are filed; and,
3. We urge you to work openly and publicly with the community to discuss filing a bill seeking full Civil Rights Equality for "sexual orientation and gender identity" under the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and related laws, as outlined in The American Equality Bill.
As liberals, we expect you to believe in the ideals of transparency, democracy and accountability. We believe that if we adhere to these ideals and open the insider system, together we can build a mass movement worthy of our cause in which we all participate in our individual and collective liberation.
This is our right, and your responsibility. Please give us a voice.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
BACKGROUND STORY (not for inclusion in email):
There are FOUR gay & lesbian people now in Congress, listed here in order of seniority. Obviously, none of them are elected by an LGBT community process, nor represent predominantly LGBT populated districts (though we're studying this more closely).
Representative Barney Frank (D-MA-4) (1981)
Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-2) (1999)
Representative Jarod Polis (D-CO-2) (2009)
Representative David Cicillini (D-RI-1) (2011)
In 2008, FRANK & BALDWIN formed a House LGBT Equality Caucus, which is growing but not coordinating on strategy. (http://lgbt.tammybaldwin.house.gov/).
As it stands, unfortunately each member continues to work a personal strategy, filing separate bills like pet projects, working around turf held by more senior members. (listen to Baldwin reveal this on this recorded public conference call by eQualityThinking: http://bit.ly/eqThinkingBaldwinCall).
Last Congress, they filed, along with others, roughly 15 LGBT-related bills in an incredibly unorganized, uncoordinated fashion. (see http://bit.ly/LGBTbills111thCongress).
Amidst the chaos, there is NO PUBLIC PROCESS by which the LGBT community is consulted on our legislative agenda or movement strategy.
As for results under this system, the LGBT movement began in 1950, and so far, not a single federal non-discrimination law has been passed. Worse yet, we're not even seeking full equality today, although for 20 years (from 1974 to 1994) we were. But we gave up after AIDS decimated our community, and have yet to rebound, despite a sea change in public opinion and a mixed-race President, himself a product of the Civil Rights Laws we helped establish almost 50 years ago, which still exclude SO+GI.
THE DISORGANIZTATION CONTINUES:
1. FRANK'S Project: On Wednesday, March 23, 2011, Rep. FRANK will reintroduce a bill covering only "employment discrimination" called ENDA, which he has been filing for 17 years without passage. (http://bit.ly/FrankENDAagain).
2. POLIS' Project: Meanwhile, Rep. POLIS will likely file a bill for "school discrimination" called the Student Non-Discrimination Act, and other related bills.
3. BALDWIN's Project: Rep. BALDWIN will file a bill for "health care discrimination," which goes to over 10 different committees.
4. CICILLINI's - NEW HOPE: Thankfully, the newbie, Representative CICILLINI, former Mayor of RI, is talking "omnibus bill" but he's still getting settled in, and is likely to defer to Frank and others for some time. (http://bit.ly/CicilliniOmnibus).
THE POWER STRUCTURE KEEPING US DOWN:
Ultimately, it is a tenure protocol and hierarchy that's keeping us down, and FRANK is in charge, make no doubt about it.
BALDWIN and POLIS have both said they support the filing of a full Civil Rights bill, but neither will do it. CICILLINI has suggested the same.
FRANK, by contrast, has argued against the idea aggressively, making any argument he can muster, but mostly that it would meet with resistance from our ALLIES in the Black Caucus. He's after all, the KING of one-sided compromise!
In filing ENDA only again, FRANK argues that it's an "organizing tool" because the Republican House won't pass it. Of course, the bill didn't pass under the Democratic House & White House either, and the organizing he speaks of is equally invisible.
BUT IF IT'S AN organizing tool, why not FILE A BILL for FULL CIVIL RIGHTS EQUALITY and give us something BIG to organize around?
If we're focused on ORGANIZING, why not organize within our own community, and create a public process to engage all of us?
Why is this Frank's personal call?
CLEARLY it is the LACK OF PROCESS in this game of secrets that keeps US OUT OF THE CONVERSATION and more progressive voices down. So we need to ask:
WHY ARE THEY NOT WORKING TOGETHER?
WHY IS OUR COMMUNITY NOT CONSULTED IN AN OPEN PROCESS?
AND WHY ARE WE NOT FILING A BILL FOR FULL EQUAL CIVIL RIGHTS?
WRITE THEM AND ASK WHY:
GAY & LESBIAN PEOPLE IN CONGRESS
1. Representative Barney Frank (MA)
Chief of Staff: Maria.Giesta@mail.house.gov
2. Representative Tammy Baldwin (WI)
Chief of Staff: Bill.Murat@mail.house.gov
3. Representative Jarod Polis (CO)
Chief of Staff: Brian.Branton@mail.house.gov
4. Representative David Cicilline (RI)
LGBT Liaison: Jessica.Lemos@mail.house.gov
