I think you did a good thing by shouting out to force a discussion, since it appeared to you by that point that there would really be no other way. If you hadn’t done it, none of the progress that was made would’ve happened.

I’m glad of the outcome, and I’m sorry that so many people couldn’t see it at the time, and apparently still can’t.

If I were there that day, I would’ve clapped for you. :)

Incidentally, for whatever significance it has, I’m devoutly straight. I’m interested in your opinion, which is why I engaged with you, but your orientation and gender are not the reasons.

“who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a more convenient season.” — MLK, Letter from Birmingham Jail

” One of the things that King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference did brilliantly was to pick their battles. Gay rights activists would do well to follow that practice”

One of the things you would do well to remember is that King’s second-in-command was an openly gay man named Bayard Rustin.

“I’m not saying don’t be assertive, I’m saying be assertive in the right place.”

Translation: “You’re too uppity!”

“without Clinton I think things would have been much worse”

Worse than AIDS?

Translation: “He was a much nicer torturer than the one they had before because he did it with a smile.”

“What was to be gained by the action?”

The issue is now being talked about all over the net.

“If you want the opinion of a straight guy, your next important battle is in in Maine. Defeating the citizen repeal vote on gay marriage is very important.”

The most important battle is getting more gays and lesbians to come out, and making the world safe for gay and lesbian teenagers.

“The problem with Lane Hudson isn’t in what he said, the problem lies in where and when he said it. If his purpose was to alienate supporters not directly involved in his cause while rallying the base, then he achieved his purpose admirably. But I don’t think any of us ought to be taking plays out of the Michael Steele playbook. Do you?”

He was talking it out of the Larry Kramer playbook.

Those who were “alientated” by Lane’s actions aren’t supporters and never were.

I’m not saying don’t be assertive, I’m saying be assertive in the right place. There is a place for street theater of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence variety. There was even a place for the Stonewall Riots: the police had become so egregiously oppressive in their tactics that there wasn’t much choice.

Accosting the former president ‘who sold you down the river’ (that is not my read of the history, without Clinton I think things would have been much worse) was a chump’s move. What was gained? A lot of heat and precious little light. A whole bunch of people sympathetic to your cause (like me) are angry because his actions harmed all of us and all our causes. Clinton should not have suggested that Lane go to a Health Care Town Hall, because Beck, Hannity and Limbaugh don’t need to have ideas given to them. If they just make stuff up, that’s refutable. But this is on tape — now we have to play the nuance game. And those guys don’t get nuance at all.

What was to be gained by the action? Precious little. Clinton is no longer a policy-maker. He is influential to some degree, but it’s unclear to me how much weight he carries in Obama-world. Clinton’s influence is probably greater among the grass-roots than it is in official Washington, and way higher there than in the various State capitals. So I ask again, what was the upside in this outburst?

Pick your battles. Pick battles that you can win, battles where the potential gains are at least equal the costs. Then make damned sure that you’re ready and that you win them.

If you want the opinion of a straight guy, your next important battle is in in Maine. Defeating the citizen repeal vote on gay marriage is very important. The battle after that is in California. Repealing that odious Proposition 8 is also tremendously important. But make sure you’re ready when you decide to engage the battle: I guarantee that the Catholic hierarchy and the LDS forces will be ready. You can’t afford to lose that one. If your stuff isn’t in a pile and ready to go for 2010, wait for 2012. If you lose the repeal initiative, you will have lost it for a generation.

The is a time and purpose for everything. The problem with Lane Hudson isn’t in what he said, the problem lies in where and when he said it. If his purpose was to alienate supporters not directly involved in his cause while rallying the base, then he achieved his purpose admirably. But I don’t think any of us ought to be taking plays out of the Michael Steele playbook. Do you?

Those in the hall who shushed you – and those here who criticize you – might want to take a good look in their mirrors. Their inner authoritarian is showing: and it’s very, very ugly.