What makes the Democrats throw our Transgendered brothers and sisters under the bus so pathetic, is that that betrayal is being done for political expediency and for their own chances to maintain their elective offices, and all this cowardice occuring even in the face of the fact that Bush is sure to veto ENDA anyway.
So, even when the Bill is going to be vetoed, many Democrats still won't stand for principle and keep Transgendered people in the Bill by their both voting for their exclusion and then refusing to vote for an Amendment for their inclusion as being entitled to full and equal civil rights regarding employment conditions.
Along with Obama's keeping Mary Mary and McClurkin on board, and neither Clinton, Obama, nor Edwards expressing support for same-sex marriage, this incident should tell all LGBT people and allies that Democrats can't be counted on to carry the water for full and equal civil rights, nor can they even be counted on to help in even such a basic matter as employment discrimination. Indeed, even when some Democrats agree to support the Bill that excludes Transgendered people, they have allowed so many loopholes, that the passage of the Bill as it now stands is likely to make it worse, not better, for LGB people, to say nothing of its fracturing the LGBT communities.
As I've written before, it's only when outrage is expressed at the grassroots level (and that requires passion for equality, and coordinated activism by LGBT people and allies) that the political organizations, be it political parties or the HRC, are likely to become righteous and aggressive advocates for full and equal civil rights for LGBT people, and not before! Without such advocacy, political expedieny and careerism will always win out at the expense of principle and the welfare of others!
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