MassEquality Crosses Picket Line At Join The Impact Protest of DNC Fundraiser with Joe Biden

Scott Gortikov, MassEquality Executive Director, Snubs and Slinks Past Fellow LGBT Protesters to Attend DNC Fundraiser 

Boston, MA June 23, 2009  What seemed right out of the movie Dr. Zhivago, in the scene where on the eve of Revolution, protesters crying out for rights were snubbed and ridiculed by the elite , so there was the Join the Impact protest rally today outside of Fenway Park. Organized by Paul Sousa of Join the Impact/MA the protest rally at this DNC Fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden was meant to tell the Democrats and the Obama Administration that the time has come to pass some substantive LGBT Rights Measures.  No longer will LGBT continue to write checks to, volunteer on campaigns for, or vote for Democrats until this national embarrassment of segregation and inequality ends.

This protest certainly made party goers uncomfortable.  Many did not know what to make of this LGBT demographic that most always voted Democrat in exchange for open-ended promises and some "yet to be determined" rights.  Lt. Governor Tim Murray was one of the first to show up, who though standing 15 feet away from protestors, could not even turn to look at us.  Next came Mayor, I Love the Gays, Menino who stepped out of his car with his entourage, purposefully stood with his back to us while we chanted his name and begged him to look at us.  What seemed like many minutes he would not look or even turn his head. 

  

But the most disturbing of all was MassEquality's Executive Director Scott Gortikov, who walked straight into this $250 to $5000 a head event, again as we called his name he put a cell phone to his ear and feigned ignorance of his fellow LGBT, arrogantly looking straight toward us, yet looking through us. Gortikov's disgusting display of indifference creating an "us and them" division left gay protestors speechless and angry.

I thought long and hard driving back to the Northshore thinking why MassEquality would even have been at this DNC event.  Of course Gortikov knew Join the Impact was going to protest.  It was even endorsed by Pam Spaulding's  Pam's House Blend as well as Sue O'Connell's One in Ten. Some might say that MassEquality should have been inside, "talking to Democrats about the plight of LGBT."  Then why the embarrassment in acknowledging fellow LGBT who were doing the right thing in a respectful way?  Why did Gortikov not come over to the protesters and say, "thank you for being here today, let me tell you what I am going to do inside this fundraiser.  I am going to be advocating for us all..."  Why?  Because Gortikov was NOT attending this event to do the job he was hired to do, nor does he feel he is obliged to explain anything to us--the ones who pay his salary.  We were truly a liability for him, a distraction, an embarrassing display.  And in his mind it was better to sleeze into this event on pretense that somehow he missed us.  I have a question for him though.  Scott Gortikov, did you attend this event for free, did you pay for the ticket out of your own pocket or did you use LGBT Community PAC money to hobnob with Biden while giving us the bird?

This is not the first time that high profile LGBT leaders in Massachusetts have been held to question.  It was KnowThyNeighbor.org who called out MassEquality Board Chair Ellen Zucker for being on a Hillary Clinton Host Committee back in 2007 and Goodridge Decision plaintiff couple David Wilson for also publicly taking a side for a candidate who, like Barack Obama believed marriage to be between a man and a woman.  The group that joined other LGBT in crucifying Kerry Healey during her run for Governor for being pro-civil unions continue to deify Presidential candidates for the exact same stand.  And for what?  Power of course.  Muzzling up to power, star fucking...and all on the LGBT community's dime.

I think it was pretty clear to all who attended the Join the Impact, Money Talks Protest  tonight, that there are two types of LGBT--those who are "connected" and those who are not.  A two class system within our ranks.  One that is fighting for the right to live equally in this country and the other class which has joined the ranks of the oppressors.  Bought off, cheaply.  LGBT are finally realizing that we can blame the Republicans, we can blame the Democrats, but the truth behind it all is that we need not look too far from home to see who is really keeping us from accessing our Equal Rights.

Painfully,

Tom Lang, Director

Comments

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

I say the same tactic that works to get the DNC attention will work for MassEquality too. It's about time the people who fund them are called to hold them to more responsible acitons than to slink past us like they don't notice us.

For shame. A lot of the people that run JTIMA are either from MassEquality or are friendly with them, at least before this.

[Alice Fisher]

Yeah, its pretty awful when an outstanding lgbt activist networks with rich people so that he can do things like fundraise to prevent another prop 8 in Maine. Shame on him for doing his job.

Maybe if we all stood outside and yelled at voters in Maine, that will be more productive than raising the money to run an effective grassroots campaign.

[Tom Lang]

Alice, obviously you are missing the point of this post. Let's hear from Gortikov WHY he was at this fundraiser. He can "fundraise with 'rich' people" without showing up at a DNC party that is under the scrutiny of the LGBT movement at large. Were you at this protest? If you had been, you would have seen Gortikov slink in without even a nod to those activists which represent the core group of what put MassEquality in power in the first place.

[The Patriot]

you guys are the lunatic fringe and are expendable

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

Alice, there are many things Gortikov could have done to lessen the rift MEQ has become notorious for creating in the GLBT community.

For instance, they could be unifying the GLBT activists under one roof where our common goals would allow, but year after year they keep their distance from all the other groups.

If he felt that going to this fundraiser was important he could have walked over to the protesters and told them why he was there instead of pretending not to hear his name being called. Shameful.

MEQ has been unapologetic about being elitist for years, and they have marginalized many of those people they are supposed to be advocating for.

Sorry, but you don't have to step on anyone's toes to accomplish what you give him credit for, and that needs to be called out so it can be resolved once and for all.

[John Merigo]

If a statement of fact sounds like a personal attack, then it's a simple matter of "the truth hurts". Fact: if you call someone a "HATER" and then turn around and call them "expendable", you are making a hypocritical statement. Holy cow buddy. "expendable"? atrocity.

[The Patriot]

They are expendable to the mainstream leadership. Because of their hateful, intimidating ways, they are not considered mainstream, and are considered a liability.

No hypocrisy here, just an observation.

Just like Obama who is against SSM.

[John Merigo]

Mmm, I understand what you're saying but it seems to me that while we live in a "majority rule" society, we would be wise (among other things) to at least practice "minority non-persecution", EVEN if you feel that the non-persecution part isn't being reciprocated. Fighting fire with fire has never worked in human history (opinion) unless you'd like to count genocide. I guess it depends on your definition of the word "work" as it applies in the last sentence. "Leadership" is best practiced when one LEADS BY EXAMPLE. My observation is that you shout "extremist" from your position... on the other extreme! You've apparently given up on trying to have a productive conversation with your opposition, and seem to believe that (forgive me) members on this site are going to respond to your verbal violence by saying what? "You're right, we're haters! Thank you so much!"
Although it sounds like I'm criticizing you, I'm not; I'm guilty of the same thing. It's worth noting that after all the jabs were done, it were members of this site that extended the first olive branch. I'm not so naive that I don't realize: you think that branch is set to explode in 5 minutes. Ask yourself: if you are never going to forgive your opposition for having their own beliefs, what are you doing here? Why not start your own blog? Are you trying to cyber-sabotage them, and if so isn't that STOOPING to what you think is their level? I started out that way, but by listening to the members of this site I'm proud to say that we met in the middle. We MADE PEACE. Seems like a great example by the "leadership" of two opposing sides.
This whole thing has nothing to do with the point of the blog and I'm sorry for that. I stand by it however, as relevant and valid.

[The Patriot]

my comments are for visitors eyes so they get the truth

[John Merigo]

You didn't respond to my logic. RE: your comments "expendable to the mainstream" and "considered a liability". It's okay for you to say that, but Adolf was just hateful, huh? It's fine to call people a "liability" because they threaten your majority? If you ARE the majority, then why are you so threatened?
Anyway, back to the original blog topic (finally!) John, I have a suggestion that might be crazy, but I think would work. What if we used fund-raiser money to install GORGEOUS but self-segregated water fountains in Boston for LGBT people and supporters (anti-LGBT folks wouldn't DARE be seen using one). It's technically inoffensive, and would draw attention to the issue by making a powerful statement about the inequalities endorsed by even our highest government executive AND should remind certain people of how they felt when handed "separate but equal" (i.e. "you can get married in some states, but don't call it marriage!") I know it's a little crazy, but what do you think? With a nice enough fountain, people might start asking some questions.

[John Merigo]

ooops, maybe not... talk about "liability". Anyway, I'll keep thinking.

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

John, there actually was a campaign similar to this idea where pictures were taken with signs at the doorways of bathrooms and such where it said "GAY" to warn others they may be in mixed company with "those people". The drinking fountain photo was my favorite.