We would really like to meet up with other LGBTQ activists who are committed to a direct action approach to achieving equal rights and liberation. If you can, please attend our workshop at the Social Forum.

We'll be at the Social Forum beginning Thursday night and will be there thru Saturday afternoon (cell phone contact during the Social Forum is 773.209.1187). Here are the specifics about our workshop:

10 AM to 12 Noon, Friday, June 25 in Room 02-37 of Cobo Hall

Here's info about our topic:

LGBTs: It's Time To Break With the Democratic Party

** No repeal of DOMA
** Possible Pentagon veto of DADT repeal in December
** No end to military discharges
** No trans-inclusive ENDA

The bloom is off the rose.

After two years of broken promises and foot-dragging on issues important to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people, the Obama Administration is under attack by a small but growing chorus of LGBT critics. Administration apologists, of course, defend Obama and insist he is hamstrung by fierce Republican opposition. But the polls tell us that Obama's popularity is sinking fast among his formerly strongest constituencies and is at a record low for a President after only sixteen months in office.

What to do? Should this be seen as a threat to the gay rights movement, or an opportunity?

It is clear that the Democratic Party, very aware of the polls, will try to mount a frantic fear campaign before the mid-term elections to intimidate people into sticking with them. This is the same course taken by the last Democratic administration, which gave us DOMA and DADT and steered American politics sharply to the right. Democratic fear-mongering will be an example of the famous "Necessary Evil argument" that has done so much historically to undermine and destroy the building of third-party alternatives to the two-party system, as well to as divert the energies of independent movements: "If you don't like us, get a load of the opposition!"

Can the "Necessary Evil" argument be met in a cogent and compelling way?

We intend to argue that it can. We will argue that an LGBT break with the Democrats—-a boycott in the fall elections and a full-time commitment to direct action rather than electoral politics—-is exactly what we need to re-invigorate and direct our movement forward.

10 AM to 12 Noon, Friday, June 25 in Room 02-37 of Cobo Hall

Hope to see you there!!