How many gay people live in the United States? Is it more than 3.5 million? That’s how many Mormons live here, if I can believe what I read on the internet. It’s difficult for me to accept that there are indeed more Mormons than homosexuals, particularly considering the number of Mormon homosexuals I’ve met. Assuming that the gay population isn’t appreciably smaller, I’m disturbed by how the Mormon church was able to raise over $20 million (40% of total homophobe funds), by appealing to its members, yet the largest national gay rights group, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) was only able to raise 3.4 million.

The HRC website states:

HRC raised $3.4 million dollars for the No on Proposition 8 campaign and had eight staff, including National Field Director Marty Rouse, on the ground in California in the weeks and months before Election Day.

HRC raised $50,000 to combat Arizona’s proposed marriage amendment.

HRC raised $120,000 to combat Florida’s anti-gay ballot initiative, and allocated a Campaign College participant and four staff to the effort.

Do these paltry sums say more about HRC, or the gay community as a whole?

I’m not a passionate supporter of the institution of marriage, but I’m aware enough to realize that its my civic duty to take action, so I gave money and put up a couple of posts on TNG asking others to contribute. But was it enough? I bet many of us are asking that question in regards to our own individual efforts to fight Prop 8.

What should we have done? I’ve heard complaints that the No on Prop8 campaign was mismanaged, and there is no shortage of reasons to be cynical about HRC, but ultimately, most of us don’t need to look much further than our own inaction as we make a case for blame. Is depending on one or two organizations to do the heavy lifting a reasonable strategy, or a doomed one? Considering HRC’s 0-30 record on ballot measures, do we need to rethink the way we engage politically? Considering the skewed proportions of black and hispanic voters who voted against us, do we need to rethink the way we engage socially? What are the alternatives and how do we implement them? If we are counting on our national organizations to lead on political and social change, what do we need and expect from them? Regarding personal responsibility, do we as a people need to kick our own collective lazy ass? I’ve spend money of frivilous things that I could have spend on this major fight, but I didn’t. There were probably efforts made to mobilize, but I didn’t take the time to learn about them because California was on the other side of the country. There were numerous people I know who didn’t bother to march. Some who I think highly of even chose to go to brunch instead. At very least, could I have done more to inspire them to take part in this symbolic protest?

I’m not sure who our gay leaders are, or what they have to say, but on Sunday I saw a bunch of college kids organize a march without having much time or money to coordinate. They led a few thousand rain soaked people from the US Capitol to the White House, and there weren’t any official speakers or corporate sponsors present—just pissed off people who want justice, and want the world to take notice. They inspired me, and I hope that they inspired you to work towards solutions.

Let’s make the energy that’s building across this country mean something.

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