Tag Archives: NewYork

URGENT: Anti-LGBT McCarthyis​m? … Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign


We’ve come to expect GOP candidates to call for a hateful constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. But we never expected them to support forming a commission to investigate pro-equality advocates like you and me.

I’m not making this up. Several of the GOP presidential candidates have now signed a pledge to appoint “a commission to investigate harassment” of anti-LGBT activists. It’s part of a years-long effort by right-wing groups to protect their mega donors from being held accountable for their hateful views – and it’s picking up speed. Fast.

This witch hunt commission would usher in a despicable era of anti-equality McCarthyism – and it’s a sign of just how radical the right has become. We’re fighting their hate with a grassroots campaign targeting anti-LGBT rhetoric, a media operation to debunk their lies, and a red-state bus tour to promote equality across the nation. But we need 874 more new members to reach our goal of 2,000 by Wednesday if we’re going to pull it off.

 www.hrc.org

Every day, our groundbreaking work in schools and churches advances tolerance and acceptance. Our “Call it Out” campaign is targeting anti-LGBT hatred in local communities across the nation, and all eyes are on Maryland as the next target for marriage equality. We’re battling anti-gay attacks from right-wing zealots and politicians alike, and walking the corridors of Capitol Hill to push for a repeal of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act.

But at a moment like this, we need to go big. That’s where our bus tour comes in – and where you can make all the difference.

We started this multi-city tour in the backyard of the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City and we’re continuing onward to other red states throughout the Midwest and South where it’s often tough for LGBT Americans to live openly. We’re going state by state to deliver our message loud and clear: There is no community where intolerance is welcome. There is no slur we won’t call out.

And – most importantly – there is no chance we’ll let a hateful fringe tear down all that we’ve accomplished together in the last years, especially in New York where marriage equality is already under attack.

 we can’t afford to cede an inch. But only the support of thousands of straight allies – at a pivotal moment like this – will give us the strength to drive this movement forward.

 www.hrc.org

As we’ve learned time and again – from hate crimes legislation to DADT repeal to New York marriage equality – if we keep standing together, we’ll get to our destination sooner than we think.

Let’s go big,
Joe Solmonese
President

What has four wheels and loves equality?


Human Rights Campaign
HRC is hitting the road, taking our message of equality cross-country.

Join our On the Road to Equality” tour at a stop near you »

Equality On Board

You can also download and proudly display these signs supporting LGBT rights everywhere.

Dear Carmen,

It’s been an exciting couple months. We’ve won marriage equality in New York, secured new protections for transgender people in Connecticut, and watched as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” crumbled into history.

Americans’ support for LGBT equality issues is at an all-time high, but there’s still a long way to go in fighting discrimination and educating the public at large.

Carmen, we are at a crossroads and we need to drive as far and as fast as we can toward fairness.

So, we’re hitting the road – and we wanted you to be one of the first to know. Ten days from now we’re launching “On the Road to Equality,” our 12-week, 15-city, nationwide bus tour to spread the message and promote equality. We’ll be working with local communities to educate the American public and empower LGBT people to become advocates for fairness all over the country.

Join us on this exciting journey. Come meet us at a stop near you or download one of our four fun “road signs for equality” to display your support everywhere you go:

Equality or Bust My other car loves equality too Honk if you love equality

This tour will bring us to the reddest of red states where legal protections for LGBT Americans are severely limited and living openly can be incredibly difficult. We’re starting it off in Salt Lake City – where less than a year ago one of the Mormon Church‘s top leaders called same-sex attraction “impure and unnatural” in the days following a rash of teenage suicides.

We’ll be traveling then to Omaha and Little Rock and Birmingham and beyond – carrying our message to states with few, if any, legal protections against discrimination. We’ll be holding workshops and forums to help local LGBT communities empower themselves even in some of the nation’s most conservative areas. Achieving equality isn’t just for LGBT people in cities or on the coasts. It’s got to be everywhere.

Even if you don’t live near a tour stop, you can still join this ride for equality by downloading and displaying these pro-equality signs in the window of your car or home.

Our bus tour launches in just 10 days and we want to see your support on display as we travel the country. You can also follow all of the action at www.hrc.org/roadtoequality. If you do join us along the way, you’ll get to visit our one-of-a-kind traveling exhibit and share your own story and experiences with our very nifty video sharing tool.

We’re excited to have you on board.

Bags packed,

Joe

Joe Solmonese
President

P.S. You can also text ONTHEROAD to 30644 to join HRC’s ever-growing Mobile Action Network. You’ll get our updates from the road and beyond.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Democracy for America


What a historic day!

I’m thrilled that today, thanks to your voice and the hard work of Governor Cuomo and so many committed organizations and elected officials, New York has become the latest state to pass marriage equality.

Last night, the New York legislature stood up for equality for all New Yorkers and spoke loudly in support of the simple proposition that every New Yorker should be able to marry the person they love.

But our work is not done.

Even once our LGBT friends and family are legally able to marry here in New York, the Defense of Marriage Act will prohibit them from enjoying over 1,000 federal rights and privileges that are afforded straight married couples. While it won’t be easy, we can overturn DOMA – but we need thousands of grassroots activists like you to stand up and demand repeal. 

Click here to join me and Democracy For America in urging Congress to repeal this regressive and discriminatory law. For only once every legally married couple in the United States is treated equally under federal law can we fulfill the true meaning of marriage equality. 

The Defense of Marriage Act is truly damaging. Every day, thousands of legally married LGBT men and women around the country are unable to take advantage of rights and privileges – from hospital visitation to inheritance rights to health benefits – that straight married couples take for granted.

Like DFA member Florence P. of Brushton, NY who sent in her story of how DOMA has impacted her:

My late partner and I were as close to a legal married couple as we could get in the state of New York. We were together for 32 1/2 years, hoping to one day marry in our state. She died in 2006. I am not considered to be her widow.  I am not considered to be legally related to her at all even though we shared our lives completely for over 32 years. It’s time to repeal DOMA.

I agree with Florence. We must end this unjust policy. But much like the historic vote last night in New York, it’s going to take a lot of hard work and our collective grassroots advocacy. And I believe it’s going to take telling more stories like Florence’s.

If you’ve been impacted by DOMA, click here to sign the petition and tell us your story at repealDOMA.com. It’s imperative that we begin to tell the stories of the Americans hurt every day by the injustice of DOMA, so that we can put faces and names to this discriminatory policy. Only then will we truly be able to start changing hearts and minds, both among my colleagues in Congress and around the country.

We did it with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and we’ll do it with DOMA. The time to start is now.

Thank you for standing with me and DFA for equality for all Americans.

– Kirsten

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

a word from …Nancy Pelosi Democratic Leader


Tonight’s FEC deadline is our first big test since our big win in New York’s 26th district.

The media and pundits will use our totals tonight as a signal of our will to hold Republicans accountable nationwide for their extremist stance of ending Medicare — just as we did in NY-26.

As we enter the final hours, we remain just $21,914 shy of our $250,000 grassroots goal. A contribution today can be put to work immediately towards our rapid response efforts this summer including mobilizing volunteers, targeted advertising and yard signs.

Please contribute $3 or more before tonight’s Midnight Deadline so we may continue holding Republicans accountable for voting to end Medicare for seniors while giving tax cuts to Big Oil companies and the ultra rich.

Republicans and their shadowy special interest groups went all in and spent a breathtaking $3.4 million to try to hold a seat in this heavily Republican district. It’s a sign of things to come: This is going to be one of the most costly election cycles ever. We know we have the right ideas on our side, but this special election proved that we also must have the resources we need to hold Republicans accountable and push back against their misleading right-wing attacks.

With the world watching, now is our opportunity to show that Americans are united against the GOP plan to end Medicare and grassroots Democrats are as strong as ever. But we must raise $21,914 more by Midnight Tonight.

Nancy Pelosi
Democratic Leader

Breaking News: Victory in NY-26 …a word from dem leader Nancy Pelosi


It is my great pleasure to report that tonight, thanks to you, Democrat Kathy Hochul has won a triumphant grassroots victory in the special election in NY-26.

Victories like this are what happen when we fight together to protect our core Democratic values.

Congresswoman-elect Hochul’s victory in a staunchly-Republican district has shocked the political world and sent an unmistakable sign that the American people will not stand for the Republicans’ reckless and extreme agenda to end Medicare.

This is our third straight special election victory in New York — and it is truly one for the ages. All of the Republicans’ right-wing outside groups with their secret money and dishonest attacks were no match for the combined strength of grassroots Democrats.

Thank you again for fighting to protect and defend Medicare and bringing us one step closer to regaining our Democratic House Majority.

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Leader