New England Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Veterans, Inc. John F. Kennedy Station P. O. Box 6599 Boston, MA 02114

Wednesday, 8 December 2004

Dear Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and Log Cabin Republicans:

We officers and members of the New England GLBT Veterans, Inc., salute the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network for filing a lawsuit, "Cook v. Rumsfeld," in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, on behalf of twelve lesbian and gay veterans seeking reinstatement in the U.S. Armed Forces, due to their being discharged under the military's “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell� ban on gay, lesbian and bisexual military personnel.

And, we also salute the Log Cabin Republicans for taking on the military's inhumane, anti-gay "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy by filing a lawsuit on October 12, 2004, in Los Angeles, known as "Log Cabin Republicans v. USA," which claims that the policy is unconstitutional in light of the Supreme Court's "Lawrence v. Texas" decision last year striking down state sodomy laws.

This stated, please know that we wish to be listed as a supporting organization with both SLDN and the LCR, in your collective efforts to repeal the inhumane DA/DT policy; and we are at your service and in full support of both organizations' "mission," which is also the primary mission of the New England GLBT Veterans, Inc.

To this effect, per chance, we have already collaborated with the SLDN to help in their efforts to repeal the inhumane DA/DT policy.

That is, last night, Leo Dorrington --a gay Desert Storm Veteran and President of the New England GLBT Veterans -- and I, were guests on a TV program on Comcast network titled "Nite-Beat, which was beamed live from Boston, MA, to 2.5 million households in 384 counties and cities in New England.

The topic of the program was titled, "We Ask, You Tell ," which fielded phone calls from the public regarding the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy,
and also included a "satellite feed" from Washington, DC, in which SLDN attorney Greer Sharra, spoke of the absurdity of DA/DT with Barry Nolan, Moderator of the program in Boston, MA.

SLDN Attorney Greer Sharra, did a skillful job in "framing" the lawsuit and corrected the moderator on several occasions, as regards to facts and figures pertaining to the DA/DT policy.

In between Mr. Nolan talking with Greer Sharra in Washington, DC, Leo Dorrington spoke of his 24 years of service in the U.S. Army; his tour of duty in Iraq during Desert Storm in 1991; and the necessity for repeal of DA/DT.

In turn, I also spoke as an openly bisexual veteran of the necessity for the repeal of DA/DT; my imprisonment and Undesirable Discharge from the U.S. Army due to my sexual orientation; gave the moderator information on the National Transgender Veterans Association, and reminded the general public that the current DA/DT policy and Department of Defense language "specifically" includes the discharge of BISEXUAL servicemembers --which is not widely known regarding the equation of "Gays in the Military."

This stated, please know that we respect and commend SLDN for their advocacy on behalf of our country's GLBT active-duty servicemembers; and also commend the Log Cabin Republicans for their vision and courage in filing the lawsuit(s).

Now that the iron is hot, let us all work together to achieve our common goal of repealing the inhumane DA/DT policy, which has ruined 10,000 lives; caused the murders of two servicemembers and divided our Nation and her people.

However, if we all unite together, we shall prevail and will one day be released from the bondage of the U.S. Military's barbaric DA/DT policy.

In Appreciation,

Leo Dorrington
President

Log Cabin Republicans sent out a response to the rumors.

Sadly, as Election Day approaches, there are a handful of people trying to do damage Log Cabin Republicans at the end of an extraordinarily successful year for our organization. There are a number of rumors floating around that we would like to tackle head on.

RUMOR: Log Cabin has lost members this year.

FACT: Log Cabin's membership has doubled since the beginning of the year. We've added over a thousand members in the last two months and continue getting new members every day.

RUMOR: Log Cabin has lost funding because of its aggressive fight to defend our Constitution.

FACT: Log Cabin has a record number of donors all around the nation. Our budget has quadrupled from last year.

RUMOR: The Log Cabin National Board is deeply divided.

FACT: The Log Cabin National Board is fully united in its mission to build equality for gays and lesbians within the Republican Party. The board's 22 to 2 vote not to endorse President Bush's re-election is evidence of an organization united in our purpose and committed to our mission.

RUMOR: Log Cabin Political Director Chris Barron is or has been a paid campaign operative for John Edwards.

FACT: Chris Barron is committed to building an inclusive Republican Party. He has been working tirelessly since he joined our staff in February to defend the Constitution and build a GOP committed to the principles of fairness and freedom. Chris has been open about the fact that in 1998, he volunteered for John Edwards in his Senate campaign against anti-gay Republican Lauch Faircloth (a former Democrat). Chris was not a paid employee of the Edwards for Senate campaign or the Edwards for President campaign, nor is he affiliated in any way with the Kerry/Edwards campaign. Chris has been and will continue to lead Log Cabin's efforts to support Republican candidates across the nation.

RUMOR: There is a chapter revolt against Log Cabin Executive Director Patrick Guerriero.

FACT: Patrick Guerriero enjoys the overwhelming support of our chapters, our grassroots membership and our National Board.

RUMOR: Log Cabin has kicked people out for supporting President Bush.

FACT: Log Cabin never has or will kick anyone out of this organization for supporting the President's re-election. One chapter, out of almost 50, chose to disregard the rules of the organization, which every other chapter followed, by deciding to endorse a federal candidate, in clear violation of the organization's by-laws.

Here's the reality: Log Cabin is growing in membership and growing in influence. Our principled commitment to defend the Constitution and stand up to the voices of intolerance in our party has upset some people. Now they're trying to distract us from our mission and distract you from Log Cabin's proud accomplishments during this difficult year. Every second we waste responding to the cynical voices working to undermine our mission takes us away from our true goals. During these last two weeks of the campaign, we will continue aggressively working to elect fair-minded Republicans to all levels of government. Their victories will be a testament to our party's hopeful future, built on a foundation of fairness and inclusion for all Americans.

It's also worth noting, I gave GP a scoop about Democrat Stephanie Herseth - who is supported the Federal Marriage Amendment also shacking up with a
Texas congressman (also supporting the FMA). Gay Patriot doesn't run with that - or with other stories about Democratic congresscritters or senators who
voting anti-gay. Instead, he seems to focus his bile, Log Cabin Republicans.

I went over to Gay Patriot's site and commented:

Yup, the Blade fell for the business of publishing rumours, without giving the names of who are spreading the rumors.

Log Cabin Republicans has always been against Outing. Individual members of LCR are split on the issue of Outing. I know this from being on a number of lcr chat lists.

As far as follow the money goes, GP, why not some disclosure about who you are, and who is paying you.

What's sauce for the goose.

It's very easy to criticize from anonymity.

I have lots of respect for sources who will give on the record interviews. Off the record sources have no credibility.

Republicans for Environmental Protection made a similar decision. Their PAC is also withholding endorsement from Bush.

Would you think that Log Cabin Republicans should endorse Alan Keyes because he is the Illinois Republican Party endorsed candidate? What about racist David Duke?

The only child of retired auto-factory workers who urged him at an early age to question things, Sanders studied journalism at Michigan State University. He spent one summer in Washington, D.C., as a congressional intern, working for Rep. Dale Kildee, a Michigan Democrat. Sanders said that in the 1992 presidential primary, he voted for Paul Tsongas, a Democratic reformer from Massachusetts.

Sanders came to grips with his sexuality when he was 22, "concluding that this wasn't a terrible sin," and says he has many black and gay friends who are Democrats. He says he is a Republican by choice, not by default. He is affiliated with a political party that, he acknowledges, remains outwardly uncomfortable with gay marriages in an era when TV shows like "Will and Grace" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" are celebrated in mainstream culture.

"The attitude of the gay community is if you want equal rights, you've got to have Democrats," Sanders said. "But it would be dangerous for the gay community as a whole to put all our eggs in one basket. To me, equal rights should not be a partisan issue."

A military issue

Sanders became interested in the Log Cabin Republicans, a small organization that backs gay-friendly Republican candidates for office, in 1992, when gays in the military was a big issue.

Minnesota's governor at the time was Arne Carlson, whose political career defied stereotypes and labels. Carlson, a longtime Republican, campaigned for governor in 1990 as an independent. He was elected with the blessing of Republicans only after the party's endorsed candidate, Jon Grunseth, withdrew from the race just weeks before the election after being accused of sexual misconduct involving adolescent girls.

Eva Young, president of Minnesota's Log Cabin Republicans, recalled telling Carlson in 1992 that "we wanted an executive order that would ban discrimination against people in state employment.

"We got it," Young said recently, because "Carlson wasn't afraid to stand up and do what needed to be done, even if other Republicans might not agree."

But Republicans have never been easy to stereotype and are continuing to change and become more diverse, Carlson says.

"I've never met Dennis Sanders, and while a gay, black, Republican minister may sound unusual, it doesn't surprise me," Carlson said. "Look at how the Republican Party has changed. What happened to the party that was cautious about war? Talk about flip-flops! It's the parties that flip-flopped.

"Who defines what a Republican is? Tim Pawlenty? Norm Coleman ... a former Democrat? The Republican Party is becoming the party of the South. Nobody challenges a new breed of Republicans in love with deficits. Rudy Giuliani and [Arnold] Schwarzenegger are keynote speakers at the Republican Convention. No, the party is changing."

Changes in the party are obvious in the Twin Cities. Peter Bell, chairman of the Metropolitan Council, is well-known for his conservative views. Bell is black. And a Republican.

Carleton Crawford, co-chairman of the Fifth Congressional District, is black, a Republican and an admirer of Sanders.

"Joining a political party is not about being accepted," Crawford said. "It's about trying to make changes. Being accepted is essentially determined by what you do."

If any label need be applied to Sanders, it's "determined," said his partner, Eric Doughty. "And maybe a little stubborn."

Wanted to write

Sanders became a Republican because, in part, as a gay, black man, the party could not ignore him.

"Political parties are tools to get things done," he said. "But before you can get things done, sometimes you have to be noticed first."

The day after Dennis's profile was published, I got this in my email:

Abe Lincoln Black Republican Caucus Letter of Endorsement Will Be Delivered to the Republican National Committee Headquarters at 11:30 a.m. Today, Wednesday, September 22

Now how much do you want to bet, we see ads from this group running in the gay and black press pushing this Bush endorsement.

A Log Cabin insider comments:

This is a total set up by the White House political strategists.

Four years ago, they used their friends brother, Charles Francis, to
have a meeting. It was an attempt to screw Log Cabin by setting up a
meeting on their terms.

They used Log Cabin for three years to get their appointees through
the Senate.

In December of last year, they told us to leave the table and slammed
the door in our face by not returning any phone calls, refusing to
talk to us and telling us in clear English they did not want us
around.

When we said O.K., but we do have self respect. Well, the vast
majority of us anyway. We are not going to support you. Now, they
find some guy from their home state to put this little attention
grapper together to put a "fuck You" Log Cabin to the country.

Yes, Bush will probably win, and yes we have a lot of work to do
amongst our friends in the Republican party and to get ready in four
years.

Exactly..... It's the way Rove et al exploited internal divisions within Log Cabin Republicans before.

UPDATE: More press releases from the group here and here.

They sure do race bait.

"We are not afraid of the white gay economic and political behemoth that continues to treat us like third class citizens and trash. It is the epitome of hypocrisy for White gays and lesbians to base their claims for rights to marry upon prejudice, discrimination and civil rights violations, when they are prejudiced, discriminatory and disrespectful of Black gay's and lesbian's human rights each and every day," stated Mr. Sneed. "The White gay community is one of America's last strongholds for White Supremacy. We will begin the dismantling of that stronghold today in downtown Dallas," stated Willie Beard, an ALBRC member.

This rhetoric also sounds alot like the rhetoric from the left.

See also Wonkette, Andrew Sullivan, BoifromTroy.

Now I recall reading that Donna Brazile, Gore's former campaign manager is one of Karl Rove's regular correspondants.

Carol continues:

I find myself trying to get beyond my anger to determine what my vote will accomplish in terms of policy. Should I support Bush because, as has often been said, gay marriage is meaningless if we are killed in a suicide bombing? Should I oppose Bush in hopes that his loss will make the party see the light of day and become more inclusive and tolerant?

To those who say that is impossible, just look at California: After years of losing at the polls because statewide candidates were too conservative, the Republican Party in California faced a crisis. As a result, it has become more moderate in the last couple of years in order to survive. Hope springs eternal that this could happen on a national level.

I am concerned that Bush may choose Supreme Court justices based upon their positions on gay rights and choice. Nevertheless, justices chosen in the past because they were thought to be ultraconservative have not always proved to be so—among them, Justices O’Connor, Souter, and Kennedy. A worthy Supreme Court justice will make up his or her own mind on the issues regardless of politics.

Should I base my vote on my fear, or on my hope?

Looking beyond election day, those of us who continue to believe in the core values of the Republican Party, the values the party is supposed to stand for—a strong defense, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility, lower taxes, freedom, small government, and personal privacy—will not give up.

As Patrick Guerriero of the Log Cabin Republicans has said, “The fight is bigger than one platform, one convention, or one president.” Whatever happens in November, we will continue to support the two-party system and to make sure that both parties, at least sometimes, field candidates who are worthy of our votes.

Exactly. Unfortunately what happens far too often, is that it seems that many gay democrats WANT anti-gay Republican candidates because that make it easier for them to deliver gay votes to the Dems. Ofcourse sometimes anti-gay candidates that get through primaries win general elections.

UPDATE: Dennis Sanders at Moderate Republican has more.

"We have been abused and we must not run back into the arms of our abuser."

Perhaps Steve May might want to explain to the rest of us how John Kerry's support of antigay state constitutional amendments and legislation does NOT constitute "abuse". He might also want to tell us how he reconciles said support with the lines in the Democratic Party platform promising "full inclusion" and "equal responsibilities, benefits, and protections".

I think Steve May is another one of John Kerry's "friends" that proves the old axiom.....every man has his price for friendship, and some of them will settle for cash.

Posted by Jeff144 at September 16, 2004 02:34 AM

Another ad hominem.... with no evidence for the cash. Kerry deserves some criticism, but it's the Bush campaign that is using this issue for political gain - and Bush's campaigns have a history of doing so. It's not Kerry's fault that Bush's campaign went anti-gay in 2004. There are negative consequences for going anti-gay.

I believed that the election of George Bush would be the final nail in the coffin of the horrid culture wars that have plagued our party for the past two decades.

For the first two years of his presidency, George Bush was on the path to live up to his promises. In the last two years, however, the Bush administration has undergone a major transformation. In an effort to appeal to various constituencies, he has both cut taxes and increased spending resulting in a ballooning federal government as well as a budget deficit. He has chosen to revert to the classic yet once abandoned GOP tactic of using gay Americans as the bogeyman to rally the theocrat wing of the party. He's throwing us overboard to bring the theocrats on board. Contrary to the man he promised to be in 2000, he has become a fiscal liberal and a social conservative.

Many of my gay Republican friends still think they should support Bush.

The fact is that the GOP through its platform and the Bush Administration have made it very clear that we are no longer welcome in the family. We have been abused and we must not run back into the arms of our abuser. Those of us who care about the Republican Party must repudiate this administration and this campaign. Bush has not governed as a Republican should govern on issues of freedom, family and fiscal responsibility.

Some gay Republicans think we should simply not vote in the presidential election. I strongly disagree. I will be voting for John Kerry and doing everything I can to help him win this election. John Kerry will be the strong leader we need in the war on terror. He will also be the president we need to secure the blessings of liberty for all Americans--including those of us who happen to be gay Republican Americans.

UPDATE: Moderate Republican has picked up Steve May's Statement.

The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America, I point the finger in their face and say: you helped this happen

Log Cabin Republicans ad is correct in placing Jerry Falwell and Fred Phelps in the same category.

The Leviticus crowd is howling because the shoe fits.

Libertarians feel that you may appreciate hearing what our presidential candidate, Michael Badnarik, has to say. Mr. Badnarik believes in the equality of gays and lesbians and their personal decisions in marriage. A strong defender of the Constitution, he supports smaller government, less intrusive taxation, and the rights of individuals. His positions on many issues are very similar to those about which Log Cabin Republicans are so very passionate.

It is time to change the views of Americans who may be undecided or misinformed about gay rights issues. There is much about which the LCR and the Libertarian Party agree. It would truly be enlightening for both groups to work together.

It should prove to be mutually beneficial for Mr. Badnarik to address one or more groups of Log Cabin Republicans before Election Day. Please contact us to schedule a talk or interview with Michael Badnarik. We would be happy to host or co-host any such event. I may be reached at (512) 637-6867 or communications@badnarik.org.

In liberty,

Stephen P. Gordon
Communications Director
Badnarik/Campagn 2004

I doubt many Log Cabin chapters will take Mr Gordon up on his offer.