Human Rights Campaign Maintains Endorsement of Sen. Mark Kirk After Racist Comment

[brooklynite]

Source: Slate

During a debate on Thursday, Republican Sen. Mark Kirk made a shockingly racist comment about his Democratic opponent, Rep. Tammy Duckworth, a disabled veteran of mixed-race heritage. Explaining why she should be in the Senate when “the drums of war” sound, Duckworth said: “My family has served this nation in uniform going back to the Revolution. I’m a Daughter of the American Revolution. I’ve bled for this nation.” Kirk retorted: “I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington.” In fact, Duckworth’s father and his family have, indeed, served in uniform since the Revolution. Kirk appeared unable to accept that fact because Duckworth’s mother is a Thai immigrant of Chinese heritage. He later refused to apologized, but eventually relented and apologized in a tweet.*

None of this, it seems, is especially troubling to the Human Rights Campaign, the world’s biggest and most influential LGBTQ rights group. The HRC announced on Friday that it is maintaining its endorsement of Kirk over Duckworth, though it hopes Kirk will “rescind his comments”—i.e., his racist jab.

The Kirk question had already left the Human Rights Campaign in an awkward position. Kirk is perhaps the most pro-LGBTQ Republican in Congress, and so the group endorsed his reelection bid in March, even though Duckworth actually has a better record on LGBTQ issues. This decision seemed odd, because the Senate will never pass a pro-LGBTQ bill so long as it remains GOP-controlled, and Kirk’s reelection would help ensure continued Republican dominance. But it had a certain logic to it: So few Republicans actually support LGBTQ rights that the HRC feels compelled to lavishly reward those who do.

Read more: http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2016/10/28/human_rights_campaign_maintains_mark_kirk_endorsement_after_racist_comment.html

[Chicago1980]

1. I won't be donating to them anymore.

[barbtries]

2. the endorsement seems suspect.

if they don't have a reason? and they have reasons not to?
i'm baffled.

[brooklynite]

3. Simple; they made their endorsement when a D flip of the Senate was less likely.

[barbtries]

4. i never thought of the HRC

as republican. i had that equal sign on my car until it was totaled on the freeway.

i don't get it! waa

[brooklynite]

5. It;s not...but their thinking was, if the Rs are in charge, better have an R Senator slightly behold

[barbtries]

6. okay, thanks

to me that doesn't make sense, but i guess what you're saying it they're playing long ball and were hoping for a friend in office

[SharonClark]

12. That kind of thinking makes no sense. Getting pro-lgtb Dems elected is the only strategy that makes

HTC is shooting itself in the foot. I haven't contributed to them in years for exactly this reason.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

9. I too never thought of Hillary Rodham Clinton as Republican :)

[barbtries]

10. i hear she was though

when she was only HR? goldwater girl ithink i recall...

[SticksnStones]

8. Many in the lesbian community stopped supporting Human Rights Campaign awhile back

Myself included...

[yardwork]

11. I am gay, and I never contribute to HRC.

I contribute to other gay-rights organizations, but never HRC.

[luvmybluestate]

13. reminds me of log cabin rethugs n/t

[BainsBane]

14. Why would they support Kirk over Duckworth?

[Cha]

15. That's absurb! Endorsements can be changed.