The following was written by Donald Hitchcock, 8/15/06

This Friday in Chicago at the biannual Democratic National Committee (DNC) meeting, Gov. Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic Party, will hopefully have his political players, senior staff, and chits lined up to give the LGBT community increased representation within the Democratic Party process by requiring that all fifty state parties include local LGBT politicos and activists in their delegation that is sent to the largest Democratic party around, the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic National Convention is where lifelong political alliances are made, state political networks sealed, not to mention where the party’s candidate for President is selected. Now it’s the LGBT community’s turn to take part in American Democratic politics by being fully represented. This could be a first step to Gov. Deans’ queer version of “The 50 State Strategy”, leaving no state behind.

Why is this important? Sadly, this election cycle finds many states left behind in Gov. Dean’s existing “50 State Strategy”. The LGBT groups fighting the anti-gay state marriage ballot measures in states such as Alabama, Tennessee, South Dakota, and South Carolina receive no help, or outright hostility, from the Democratic Party in their states. Over the years, progressive and inclusive states such as California, New York, and Massachusetts have moved forward in LGBT civil rights, and simultaneously given the national party a safety blanket and a crutch for the lack of representation of LGBT democrats in delegations from states such as Alabama, Tennessee, South Dakota, and South Carolina, however unintentionally. In 2004, 37 of the 50 states had no plans to include the LGBT community in their delegation, leading the LGBT community to represent only 5% of those attending the convention and disproportionately represented by the above coastal states. This lack of respect and dignity given at the state level has placed the DNC in the position to put out many fires, often times unsuccessfully, regarding how the Democrat state party is treating the LGBT democrats and electorate.

All good Democrats are watching to see what happens in Chicago. Will Gov. Dean deliver a fair and clear message to all state parties that they include the LGBT community? Will the back-and-forth compromised language be strong enough to hold the state parties accountable to the entire Democratic electorate? Will this increased inclusion lead to better cooperation between the LGBT community and state parties around anti-gay ballot measures? If Gov. Dean delivers (which I hope he will), can the 2008 Democratic National Convention show us a fair and accurate representation of LGBT democrats from all 50 states?

Many longtime LGBT activists working with the party know the inclusive language under debate was proposed over 10 years ago, and unfortunately continued to languish the last two years under Gov. Dean’s leadership. Party loyalists are now questioning themselves as to why such changes to bring equality and fairness are being met with such resistance from party leadership and senior staff. There have been no answers. Earlier this year, it got ugly with a leaked memo started a battle that pit one group against another. Now Governor Dean may change the tone by moving to embrace the true spirit of the “Party of Inclusion” by amending the DNC Charter and Bylaws, something, we as Democrats, control.

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