A reader writes:
I am a long-time reader and admirer of The Daily Dish, and a member and financial supporter of HRC. I attended the HRC dinner on Saturday and I marched on Sunday along with many other HRC members. Like many (all?) HRC members, I too am frustrated that changes are not happening as fast as I had hoped. I agree that we need activists to make noise and push Obama and congress to do what they said they would do. But we also need an organization that can work from the inside. So the real question is, would we be closer to equality without HRC? I believe the answer is NO! I will continue to support HRC because I think it is making a difference. I will continue to read your blog because it is entertaining and informative. And I hope your readers who disagree with HRC's tactics will continue their activism. But those who spend energy on criticizing HRC while doing nothing constructive toward reaching equality are hurting the cause, not helping it.
It's easy to criticize HRC if you think the only thing they do is raise money and play dress up. You know HRC was strongly represented in the march, yet you ignore that fact and pretend that a huge gulf exists between HRC members and the people who marched on Sunday. I think you know that HRC is doing a lot of real work behind the scenes, but your constant criticism of its fundraising efforts is misleading many of your readers into believing that HRC is useless or worse. I know that HRC has worked to get supportive candidates elected in Iowa, New Hampshire, Maine, and other states leading the way toward marriage equality. You and others may disagree with the tactics, but I know that HRC is following what it believes is the best strategy to get legislation through congress. Your bias against HRC is annoying and, in my opinion, only divides us into weaker camps. I salute those who put the effort (and money) into organizing the march because the march was needed. I wish those who celebrate the march would recognize that some of us put effort (and money) into HRC for the same reason.