Many of you unlucky folks out there have already heard my take on the latest failure of a "gay civil rights" bill to pass through the Washington State Legislature.
Zach, however, being much more politically savvy and in-the-know, has had more poignant points to emphasize on this divisive issue.
Paul, a dear friend of ours, was in town this past weekend and, upon hearing Zach's take on things, suggested, "Why don't you write some of this down?"
And so he did.
I could preface this with some dry, offensive wit. Something like: "The little woman's opinionated again. Hear her rant."
But, I'm not one to do that. Not with gold like this.
Instead, consider this: a wise man (or woman) once said, "Opinions are like a**holes. Everyone's got one." But, some a**holes are more relevant, more significant, than others.
Here then, is a grand dish. Significance sprinkled with context, à la Zach:
"A few weeks ago, HB1515, a measure that would have added sexual orientation to the state civil rights code, failed to pass the Washington Senate. Even more heartbreaking, the Senate failed to pass the measure by a mere one vote.
"Since the vote, HB 1515 has been a popular topic in political circles. First, supporters of HB 1515 pointed their venom at Senator Finkbeinier. Finkbeinier is a Kirkland native, moderate Republican, Minority Leader in the Senate, and former Democrat. When the Senator served in the Washington House, he supported earlier incarnations of the same bill. Perhaps assuming too much, the lobby assumed Finkbeinier would vote for the measure if it ever made it to a vote of the full Senate.
"Recently, attention has turned from Finbeinier and is now focused on Microsoft. Microsoft, the global software giant everyone loves to hate, is a model corporate citizen. Microsoft has one of the most forward looking and inclusive employee benefits programs in the country. Microsoft was an early pioneer of partner benefits and has an active, queer employees association. Microsoft gives millions of dollars every year to queer organizations and AIDS related organizations. Without question, Microsoft's business practices regarding queer employees should be THE model other corporations aspire to emulate.
"In earlier incarnations of HB 1515, Microsoft registered a position of support. It was the first "social" issue the company ever registered on. This year, Microsoft didn't register in support of the bill, it registered a neutral position. Rather than choosing to register in opposition or not even register at all, Microsoft rendered
neither a positive nor negative position. Microsoft's neutral position should be read as meaning the corporation is indifferent. It has no vested in interest in the success or failure of the bill's outcome.
"As the story unfolded, it was revealed top Microsoft executives met with Reverend Hutcherson. Rev. Hutcherson's mega-church, neighbors Microsoft's Redmond campus. Hutcherson allegedly told executives he would organize a national, Christian boycott of Microsoft unless they abandoned their support of HB 1515 and measures like it. Microsoft says it decided to register a neutral position because the company wanted to focus its legislative efforts elsewhere and HB 1515 wasn't part of the new focus.
"If this news wasn't bad enough for the company, it was also discovered that Microsoft has been paying Ralph Reed's consulting firm $20,000 a month to push its economic agenda to Congressional Republicans and the White House. As everyone knows Ralph Reed is a candidate for Georgia Lt. Governor, lobbyist, Bush operative, and former leader of the Christian Coalition.
"Suddenly, instead of being the corporation everyone loves to hate, Microsoft has been on the defensive, parrying criticism about its decision to hire Reed's consulting firm, its neutral position on HB 1515, and the impression that Microsoft caved to the Christian right. Equal Rights Washington, the queer advocacy group with the most invested in HB 1515 has even suggested Microsoft's neutral position on the bill was the reason it failed to pass out of the Senate.
"As a gay male, living in Washington, I was interested in whether HB 1515 would pass. The measure has been presented to the Legislature on an almost annual basis for the last thirty years. Since 1999, incarnations of the bill have been introduced in both the House and Senate and assigned to a committee. In 2003 and 2004 a civil rights bill was passed in the House only to be shelved in the Senate Judiciary and Children and Health Services Committees. This year was
supposed to be different. This year, for the first time in a number of years, Democrats were in control of all three branches of government. The House and Senate were supposed to pass the bill and Governor Gregoire would sign the measure into law. The bill failed and the scape-goating began.
"Even though the bill failed, I don't fault Microsoft, I don't fault the Senate Minority Leader, and I certainly don't fault the conservative Democrats who voted against the legislation. The response by the alternative press and Equal Rights Washington has the smell of the classic, queer martyr complex. Instead of assuming accountability for its own inability to get the measure through three
"friendly" branches of Washington government, they found other targets. Ironically, by fanning the anti-Microsoft fires, the queer community may end up hurting itself more than Microsoft would have helped. Alienating Microsoft may make it less likely for the company to support queer causes in the future. You can't attack your allies and expect them to keep supporting you.
"As I mentioned, past years, Microsoft registered in support of bills adding sexual orientation to the state civil rights code. However, even with Microsoft's registered support, the proposed legislation couldn't generate enough movement to make out of committee. Hell, in most years committees never even took up the legislation. Year after year the bills sat in the committee they were assigned.
"In 2003 and 2004, though passing in the Washington House, the bill wasn't even considered by the Senate. Without Microsoft's support, anti-discrimination legislation was voted on by both the House and the Senate. HB 1515 made it further along in the how-a-bill-becomes-a-law process than ever before. Seemingly, Microsoft's support isn't all its cracked up to be.
"If Microsoft's lack of support this year was so instrumental in the bill's failure why then, in earlier years, when Microsoft supported a similar bill, did the bill fare even worse? The answer is simple: merely registering a negative, neutral, or positive position on a bill means nothing. Registering in support or opposition of a bill doesn't mean you will actively lobby for its passage. When I lobbied at the Iowa General Assembly, I would routinely register my organization's support for bills that I would end up ignoring. Registering on a bill was usually a formality, designed to give legislators a lay of the lobby land.. HB 1515's longer than average life seems to have more to do with Democrats controlling both chambers of the legislature than with Microsoft's legislative priorities.
"Two items are apparent to me. First, civil rights always evolve over time. It has been true with women, people of color, and the disabled. Queer civil rights are no different.
"Second, if Equal Rights Washington, the HRC, and other queer advocacy groups ever hope to pass something like HB 1515, a civil union bill, state domestic partner statute, or *gasp* marriage legislation they MUST do a better job organizing, educating legislators, and educating the queer community. Queer advocacy groups can't wait passively for society to catch-up. Queer organizations need to challenge the stereotypes and norms many apply to the queer community.
"Equal Rights Washington can't focus their organizing efforts on lefty Unitarian and 'Christian' churches in Capitol Hill and the queers who populate Broadway. Equal Rights Washington needs to move beyond Seattle and beyond Seattle's gay ghetto. Renton, Kirkland, Spokane, Ellensbrg, Enumclaw, Auburn, Everett, Bothell, Bellevue et al should be where the struggle occurs. In order for there to be a struggle you must have someone and something to struggle against. Just because its hard and these cities tend to be conservative to moderate shouldn't be reasons for Equal Rights Washington to abandon them. The fact these
places are conservative to moderate is reason for Equal Rights Washington to focus its advocacy energy.
"If queers aren't active in Senate, House, and municipal campaigns legislators will never carry the civil rights mantle. If people don't see the normalcy of gay, lesbian, bi and trans people, how we aren't a mortal threat to the fabric of society, social norms and stereotypes will persist. Queers must be visible.
"Equal Rights Washington cannot expect corporate powers like Microsoft, Boeing, Nike, Coors, etc to carry their legislative agenda. Practically speaking, corporations in Washington have more important issues to worry about than whether HB 1515 passes. Late last year, not even Ohio's corporate titans could reverse the statewide referendum defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
"Equal Rights Washington shouldn't only focus their efforts on the Washington Legislature. The group should also move aggressively to pass anti-discrimination in counties and cities who don't already include sexual orientation in their municipal and county civil rights code. Incrementally passing ordinances in Washington's cities and counties will build support for state-wide legislation and build the organizational might of far-flung supporters. It will also allow queer activists to identify supportive, local elected officials. City councils and County Councils tend to be the breeding grounds for future legislators.
"I don't like that HB 1515 failed. I don't like that for another year Washington will be one of the MANY states without civil rights legislation that includes sexual orientation. But, the reaction of the alternative press and queer advocacy groups has been irresponsible and misdirected. Implying Microsoft is no aligning itself with Rev. Hutcherson and the Christian Right flies in the face of decades of
previous pro-queer initiatives by the company. Scape-goating Microsoft might be easy, but it isn't accurate, nor is it productive. Queers shouldn't let Equal Rights Washington get away with this spin. It insults our intelligence and is distracting. I am tired of organizations who lobby in my name, shifting blame when they fail. Attacking Christians, Microsoft, a Republican who has his caucus to look out for, renders us impotent and threatens to make the queer community a permanent martyr. Its time Equal Rights Washington grow-up, accept accountability for its failure, and go back to work.
"After all, there is always next year."
--Zach
Posted by James at April 29, 2005 06:50 PM