Later this week, notoriously anti-gay Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York will offer the final blessing at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, just like he did last week at the Republican Party convention in Florida.
Contrasting Dolan’s long history of homophobia with the party’s inclusion of federal workplace protections and marriage equality in its 2012 platform, Will Kohler of Back2Stonewall called last week for all LGBT convention delegates (a record-setting number) and equality supporters to protest during Dolan’s prayer this Thursday:
There will be over 500 LGBT delegates at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and unless the DNC rescinds Cardinal Dolan’s invitation and replaces him with a more suitable religious leader I call upon EVERY ONE of them and LGBT journalists, bloggers and straight allies to protest during Dolan’s prayer. Stand up and turn your backs, walk out, or shout out. Let Dolan know that he and his anti-gay bigotry is unwelcomed and also let the DNC know that we will not take this slight lightly.
Enough is enough!
What do you think? Would a public show of disapproval of Timothy Dolan’s anti-LGBT activism send an important message about the political risk of pandering to homophobic religious conservatives, or would it undermine the party unity that conventions work so hard to cultivate?
