Gay Community Pulling Punches for Marriage Equality in DC -- Part I

I missed a great forum last night (by all account) called "The State of the Movement," a panel discussion by several leaders of gay organizations and notables in the community. Pam Spaulding, of Pam's House Blend, participated and has a good summary here.

I was struck by this exchange as recounted by Metro Weekly (Who's editor Sean Bugg moderated the event). The following occurred when audience member Lane Hudson asked the following:

''I understand with conversations with people that there is no conversation going on about [same sex civil marriage] in the district of Colombia, why isn't there? And can we go ahead and get that conversation started?''

The conversation became heated when Rick Rosendall, a local activist and vice president for political affairs for the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance (GLAA), angrily declared that despite the fact that the majority of gay rights supporters are Democrats, he feels that the majority of members in Congress strongly oppose same-sex marriage rights.

''In Congress it would be insane to push marriage rights now because Congress has a long history of stomping on the District of Colombia,'' he said.

Forum attendant Michael Crawford, a former HRC staff member, responded by calling out that Rosendall and other people's ''old school mentality'' is to blame for the lack of progress in marriage rights in D.C.

''When will be the right time? At some point we have to politically man up,'' he said.

So it would appear then the leadership of the Gay Activists Alliance would rather quake in fear at the booth at Annies Steak House rather than join the fight.

Part II later