I have yet to speak to anyone even remotely connected to the LGBT movement who was happy with Tuesday’s elections, yet I was shocked to find there was one group ready to cash in on the election devastation just hours after the votes were all counted. Were they ready with their donation request even before the dust had cleared and the voting machines turned off for another year?
Let me be clear from the start:
- I firmly believe we need a strong state-wide organization focused on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Rights progress and focused within the State.
- I also think that Ted Martin is working very hard to resurrect Equality PA after it almost totally disappeared last year.
But this was pretty ballsy (to quote a friend).
What’s most hard for me about this, is the fact that during the election season, Equality PA’s focus, according to their field organizer, was Federal ENDA. Allyson Hamm who was working jointly for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as well as EQPA was clear- the PA issues were on the back burner and the focus was on the Federal. Her trip to Pittsburgh was to organize a phone bank for Joe Sestak.
I want to see Equality PA thrive and succeed at their work within the state. I just want them to be focused on work in the State. I want them to own that their need for funds doesn’t grow out of the fact that one election went dismally for Democrats. Rather, their financial condition was caused by the fact that for most of last year, it seemed as if they had disappeared entirely and as an organization, accomplished almost nothing. When the Board President claims “we will never stop fighting” I wish he would explain where was their voice all of last year after Jake Kaskey became too ill to continue. All progress on HB 745 stopped without Jake’s leadership. And the success we experienced at stopping SB 707, was spearheaded by the ACLU, and success came because of hard work by grass roots groups all across the state, with no input or leadership from Equality PA at all. Perhaps it is just the extra focus on “still” that is a bit irritating.
In 2011, EQPA will still be a voice talking consistently about equality with the leadership of the General Assembly.
It is true that over the past few months, they seem to be rising from the ashes, and being visible and active again. I wish them success. Ted and Brian seem to be reaching out across the state, and that is a good thing. But to use the election as a way to raise funds for work within the state seems a bit odd.
Thank you for taking the time to comment on our post-election communication with our membership. It was a letter that was equal parts hard to write and send. Unfortunately, in light of the results and the budgets of our now newly emboldened opponents (i.e. The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference with their estimated $1 million outlay to support 5 Harrisburg-based lobbyists and 3 lobbying contracts and the Pennsylvania Family Institute’s budget of $1.7 million) it was a tough decision we felt we had to make. I think we both can agree that the next two years will be bleak for issues surrounding equality for our community. I can also say with certainty that it won’t be the last time we ask for donations.
You clearly point out some of the problems that were caused by the administrative and personnel changes within Equality Pennsylvania that took place over the past two years. Of these, we fully admit. They were incredibly disruptive to all our efforts at building better lives for LGBT citizens, so we are grateful that organizations like the ACLU and The Delta Foundation and Equality Partners of Western Pennsylvania were there to take up strong efforts while we restructured. We also like to think that this time allowed us to get on a path towards becoming a stronger organization and as the letter points out, not the only organization, but a better and stronger one.
We are hopeful that our future will involve partnering with many groups. In fact, we see the road ahead as leaving us with little choice but to partner. Joining with the Human Rights Campaign was our first step in that process. The partnership allowed us to hire Allyson Hamm as the statewide organizer, and this new relationship allowed both organizations to approach the legislative battles around non-discrimination in a joint way. On behalf of the HRC, Allyson collected letters to members of congress in support of passing ENDA and over 500 letters asking a number of state legislators from throughout Pennsylvania to pass our top priority, HB 300. As you know, this legislation would outlaw discrimination in Pennsylvania of LGBT citizens in employment, housing and public accommodations, a tragic fact of life for the nearly 85% of LGBT citizens who live in Pennsylvania where no such protections exist.
Allyson started in mid-September and she was responsible for the phone banking that we conducted in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Allentown on behalf of pro-LGBT state and federal candidates in October. She also helped to organize candidate canvassing in the final days of the campaign.
Another partnership we formed earlier in the summer was with the Pittsburgh-based America Votes progressive “table/coalition.†Not only did this align EQPA with a number of other like-minded groups, it also allowed us to be a part of the statewide progressive voters guide that our candidate endorsements made LGBT-specific and that reached somewhere close to a million voters before election day. While not perfect, I feel that in a short time EQPA made a strong showing despite our very recent emergence from the restructuring.
Of course, the results of the election were not what we all wanted and our shared fear and concern about the future is justified. However, now is the time for the state’s LGBT community to come together like never before. The challenges we will face will not be specific to the west, or east or central part of the state but to all of us. Our opponents are counting on us being fractured and timid and you know that we can’t let that happen. So EQPA is choosing to offer a hand of partnership to anyone that will help us fight for equality, and with that in mind I can close with some hope that together all of us will get through what surely will be a difficult two years.
Thanks for the lengthy and excellent reply. I am really glad to see EQPA working so hard to do the work needed across the state, and I am especially glad to see this demonstrated ongoing dialogue with EQPA. I look forward to stating my opinions, voicing ideas, and generating dialogue. I also greatly look forward to seeing your hard work pay off as we move forward in in Pennsylvania.
I am not agreeing. The ACLU also sent out a call for donations the day after the election, While yes, my first response was that the timing seemed pushy, I then, after also reading the ACLU call did begin to think about what a serious situation we are now facing at a state level and how these groups simply will not be able to do the work if they are not funded. I can certainly understand that, due to the history of lack of organization over the past few years that there us a strong need to wait and see if donations will be well used. Having said that, I am seeing the underlying message of the timing of the email from both Equality PA and also ACLU……we either get organized and fund the work of the groups trying to do that or we are seriously screwed. Yes, the Republican led State Senate/House/Governor will focus on the economy at first but I am taking bets about how long it will be before they start to raise the social issues and go after women, immigrants and gays. I think they’ll start in about six months.
I have a lot less problem with the ACLU doing it though. I do think it looked shady when Equality did it. I don’t feel like there was a lack of leadership and action on the part of the ACLU. I think there clearly was with Equality.
Thx for adding to the dialogue.
I agree Tom, that letter was BS. Almost as bad as when NOM came to Harrisburg and the response was to send out an email about coming out to watch a movie and DONATING to them. This is why I have not donated any money or time to Equality-PA this past year. I think they have floundered and lost touch with the residents of PA that they are supposed to be helping in their fight for equality.
Jake at times seemed a bit scattered in my opinion, but he did seem to be able to keep the train on the tracks. Plus I miss his energy and passion.
I do hope they can re-vision what it is they are supposed to be doing and begin articulating that to the rest of us. Then I will be more than glad to once again give my time and resources to them.
Thanks for your comment.
Jake is a smart and inventive guy with enough passion and energy for 3 people. I’m hoping to be able to have him on my Blog Talk Radio program as a guest sometime, depending upon his health. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thomascwaterscom
Yeah, would love to hear what he has to say about the election and what it means for us in the LGBT and progressive communities.