The main event of the day was the Open Community Discussion held at the Center by the Human Rights Campaign. Six months after the disasterous move to support the misogynist, racist Al D'Amato for a fourth senate seat, they raised the ire of many New York queers.
Well, I was there to cover it objectively, but this is my own diary, so I can say whatever I please. I found them slick and unconvincing. The alienated were there in amble supply, but they were also people in the know. I think the rest might just be convinced.
My feeling about their consistent refusal to retrospectively denounce their decision, and to cite how "under their guidelines" they have nothing for which to apologize, smacked of "just following orders."
But they were duly apologetic. They owned up to being "piss poor" (Executive Director Elizabeth Birch's own words) at outreach. Most gay New Yorkers don't really know much about the HRC and what it does. Most people aren't "political" and are easily persuaded by marketing. Considering how they stacked the room (no less than 36 people there were affiliated with the HRC).
I was there with Paul and Duncan. Ann Northrop was also there. It was practically "Team Coverage." I noticed my competition was there. A particular reporter from the New York Blade. But just one person from that paper. You would think that there would be more political curiosity and general interest in a major community event.
Ah yes. We put the team into team coverage.
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