Pam Spaulding Retires From Blogging

"All good things must come to an end, even after numerous awards and accolades, it’s time to acknowledge that I cannot continue to run on fumes alone. The Blend could continue limping along, but my health and well-being come first; over the last few years burning the candle at both ends with a full-time offline job and PHB. It has taken a severe toll — most readers have learned that I am dealing with chronic pain conditions — fibromylagia, and in the last couple of years, aggressive rheumatoid arthritis. My decision to close the blog is just as reality-based as its content has been. If I cannot produce material at the frequency or with the same level of quality, enthusiasm and effectiveness, it’s really time to close the doors to this coffeehouse — and work to ensure it continues to have a life as an archive, a snapshot in our digital political history. Pamshouseblend.com will redirect to archives." - Noted lesbian blogger Pam Spaulding, longtime friend and frequent source for JMG.  We wish her well.

Lesbians Just Need Jesus (And Cock)

"Pam [Spaulding] needs Jesus, when Pam meets the Lord that yearning for a member of the same sex will change. She’d probably make a fantastic mother and would enjoy having a husband who was born male – no Chaz Bono business – born male – and meet her man, and rock her world, in the name of the Lord." - Pastor Patrick Wooden, speaking on Peter LaBarbera's radio show.

Wooden and Porno Pete are upset because Spaulding correctly characterized Wooden as one the of the black "rent-a-pastors" that hate groups regularly trot out to "prove" that blacks don't agree that the LGBT rights movement is similar to the black civil rights movement.

Joe Solmonese Stepping Down At HRC

Pam Spaulding has the big scoop that longtime Human Rights Campaign head Joe Solmonese will be stepping down at the end of the year.

His departure also signals, according to our source, the beginning of a larger staff shake-up in the HRC. The Blend can also report that a replacement executive director has been identified -- it will be someone who is not currently on the HRC's staff, but is currently a paid consultant that has worked with the civil rights group for some time. During his tenure, the Human Rights Campaign has become a bedrock institution that has played a role in successes -- a hate crimes law passed, the legislative repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- the extent of its leadership and success also depends on your point of view and knowledge of the back stories related to the hard work to make these gains happen. We can review and critique the effectiveness of Solmonese's tenure in the growth of the organization and political savvy in working with the Hill all day long, but it's time to think about the job his successor has in front of him/her.

Metro Weekly reporter Chris Geidner has confirmed Spaulding's report, but says Solmonese's replacement may not come in the way described: "Although Spaulding reported that 'a replacement executive director has been identified,' four sources familiar with the situation describe that portion of the report as inaccurate -- with one saying the process is just beginning and will not be rapid."

Netroots Nation - It Gets Better

Pam's House Blend Joins Firedoglake

At today's Morning News Dump with Lizz Winstead, Pam Spaulding made the big announcement that she'll be folding Pam's House Blend into a subblog on Firedoglake. FDL founder Jane Hamsher:

Pam's House Blend has long been one of the most compelling and influential sites in the blogosphere. Founder Pam Spaulding has used the platform not only to speak out herself as a woman of color and a member of the LGBT community, but also to play host to many other fine bloggers who have worked with her to build PHB into a robust activist community. Pam was also one of my first friends when we were both posting at Daily Kos, before Firedoglake even existed.

So it gives me great pleasure to announce that Pam's House Blend will be joining the Firedoglake family of blogs. I think it's a perfect union - as the task of hosting a blog and performing the tech, legal and security work to keep it up and running becomes more and more complex and expensive, it will free Pam and her fellow bloggers to spend their time doing what they do best, which is blog. It also allows us to feature the work of a really amazing group of writers on FDL, and be tremendously enriched by the PHB community.

We wish her well.

Morning View - Pam & Lizz Winstead

Pam Spaulding kicked off the first official day of Netroots Nation 2011 by appearing on the radio show of Lizz Winstead, which broadcast from the main floor of the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Quote Of The Day - Bryan Fischer

"A self-identified lesbian by the name of Keori confessed to [Pam's House Blend] readers on Friday that she is now in love with a male Marine. This relationship came right on the heels of a three-year love affair with another woman. She sheepishly admits that 'I didn't intend to love this Marine,' and then ruefully acknowledges that 'bisexuality happens, ok?' which is just another way of saying that even she has been forced to admit that sexual orientation is fluid and is hardly a fixed, immovable thing. She is living proof. So apparently without even realizing what she was doing, she has just dropped a grenade on the foundational plank of the gay activist worldview, that sexual orientation does not change, cannot change, and that those who think that change is possible - like most of us in the pro-family community - are just homophobic bigots." - American Family Association radio host Bryan Fischer.

Read Keori's post on Pam's House Blend.

HomoQuotable - Pam Spaulding

"Joe Solmonese should do the honorable thing and step down. It is shameful to cash all those checks without the follow through on the job. The White House was never put under serious pressure; the late calls now in the e-blasts for the President to do something ring hollow after the toadying that has gone on for two years.

"As we saw, Reid couldn't get it together in the Senate and the wingnuts will have more control in January. The watered-down repeal doesn't do much of anything at this point (even if it passes as a separate bill during the lame duck session -- good luck with that), and we're still dealing with all the GOP squawking by McCain and others who want a 'do-over' of the Pentagon's implementation report. It's a big f'ing mess because there has been piss-poor leadership by those who are lobbied in government.

"In turn it's the unelected, highly marketed, well-tailored representative of the entire LGBT community, Joe Solmonese of HRC, who also has to be held accountable for these failures. It's clear that those in power had no fear of the vast war chest of HRC being used to turn up the heat." - Pam Spaulding, calling a Solmonese resignation a "New Year's wish for the community."

Sending Our Love To Pam Spaulding

As readers of Pam's House Blend are nervously aware, our pal and fellow blogger Pam Spaulding is undergoing major surgery this morning in North Carolina. Pam's illness is forcing an unpaid leave from her day job, so if you'd like to kick her a few bucks her team has set up a Paypal fund. Best wishes, Pam! We're all thinking of you today.

Porno Pete And Ken Hutcherson Giggle About Being "Homobigots"

Porno Pete LaBarbera hosted Christianist Pastor Ken Hutchinson on his radio show to yuk it up about being labeled "homobigots" by Pam Spaulding, who "needs God in a big way." Pam responds appropriately.

New York Times Compiles LGBT Bloggers' Responses To Ken Mehlman's Coming Out

New York Times op-ed editor Tobin Harshaw has compiled bloggers' reactions to Ken Mehlman's coming out, quoting Pam Spaulding, Melissa McEwan, and this here website thingy on the left, and the usual Quisling apologists on the right. Pam Spaulding nails it:

"While it’s nice that Ken has finally come out of the closet as an advocate, it’s really hard to forgive him for the damage he did to the community by working actively against it for pay for years. That he can coast on the gains for our community by supporting AFER’s stellar work on Prop 8 on the backs of many during his tenure at the RNC who bore the brunt of homophobia, those who died as a result of hate crimes, the activists who were assailed professionally is unbelievable. Yet here we are in 2010 watching it unfold. As a human being Mehlman owes the community a serious apology for fomenting homophobia for political gain.”

SLIDESHOW: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand LGBT Fundraiser In NYC

Last night NY Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, Pam Spaulding, and Jeremy Hooper joined me at Hell's Kitchen's Therapy Lounge for an LGBT fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, an event put together by Out For Kirsten's Todd Beeton. Dropping by were SiriusXM host Michelangelo Signorile, activist Corey Johnson, former Clinton White House adviser Ricard Socarides, and other homo-politicos. Great night! Full-screen version of the below photos can be found here.

TONIGHT: JMG-Sponsored LGBT Fundraiser For Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

My last reminder: If you are in NYC tonight please consider joining me, Jeremy Hooper, and Pam Spaulding at Therapy in Hell's Kitchen as we co-host a special netroots fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The event runs 6pm-9pm with a $20 donation. Facebook event page here. And please join Out For Kirsten's Facebook page. Openly gay NY state Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell will attend as well. We hope to see you there! You can follow the event live on Twitter at #OutForKirsten.

THURSDAY: JMG-Sponsored LGBT Fundraiser For Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

REMINDER: If you are in NYC on Thursday, August 5th, please consider joining me, Jeremy Hooper, and Pam Spaulding at Therapy in Hell's Kitchen as we co-host a special netroots fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The event runs 6pm-9pm with a $20 donation. Facebook event page here. And please join Out For Kirsten's Facebook page. Openly gay New York Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell will also attend this event!

Tweet Of The Day - Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

Details here!

AUGUST 5TH: JMG-Sponsored LGBT Fundraiser For Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand

If you are in NYC on Thursday, August 5th, please consider joining me, Jeremy Hooper, and Pam Spaulding at Therapy in Hell's Kitchen as we co-host a special netroots fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. The event runs 6pm-9pm with a $20 donation. Facebook event page here. And please join Out For Kirsten's Facebook page.

Longtime readers will recall that I was somewhat skeptical of Gillibrand's bonafides when she was plucked out of relative obscurity to replace Hillary Clinton, but since then I've been impressed with her performance and in particular, her advocacy on our behalf. I am therefore honored to lend my name to this event. I hope to see you there.

#LGBTNN10

Here's some of the LGBT contingent here at Netroots Nation. No time to label all the photos, but you should recognize a lot of these folks. Follow along on Twitter at hashtag #LGBTNN10.

HomoQuotable - Bil Browning

"Knockoffs are tiring; how many impromptu-but-choreographed flash mobs can there be before the idea is finally given a rest? Worse though, are the copycats that try to be something they're not. Instead of putting forth something brilliant and groundbreaking, they recycle something, put a new brand on it and try to spin it to the consumer as superior to the product they're aping. (Hello, Microsoft. I'm looking at you!)

As I've been watching some of GetEqual's recent tactics and behind-the-scenes positioning, I can't help but get the same uneasy feelings. I'm starting to feel as if I've been sold a bill of goods; I wanted orange juice but got Tang. Instead of a radically different, transparent and community-focused direct action organization, I got HRC Lite (now with more action!)." - Bilerico Project co-founder Bil Browning, from a lengthy and scathing commentary on GetEQUAL.

Pam Spaulding responds:

My two cents (and with full disclosure of course, Autumn [Sandeen], who participated in the last GE WH protest and was arrested, is a Blend barista) is that GetEqual isn't even close to HRC lite, since there is a level of transparency with the public that HRC has never had, as exhibited by all of the facts about who's paid what and where the money comes from, and who is guiding the organization and their backgrounds. A good amount of Bil's post goes to nailing down the salaries of Kip Williams, Robin McGehee and Heather Cronk, GetEqual's new Managing Director. Basically, their pay ranges from $70K-90K; the organization doesn't have ongoing support to fund their employment or provide stability down the road, so it's natural to examine the story behind GetEqual, but I don't see a valid comparison to HRC in any form of fashion. GetEqual doesn't proclaim to speak for the entire LGBT community, nor does it lobby or have official access. By its very nature -- impromptu protests that rankle the establishment, GE is not likely to gain it either.

2PM: LBGT Town Hall Live On SiriusXM

Michelangelo Signorile will be broadcasting live from the LGBT Town Hall in DC today where noted activists will spar with Joe Solmonese and discuss the future of the movement. With the developments of the last few days, things promise to be VERY lively.

The panelists: National Gay & Lesbian Task Force executive director Rea Carey; Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese; National Center for Transgender Equality executive director Mara Keisling; Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis; former Clinton White House advisor on gay rights Richard Socarides and blogger and activist Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend.

GetEQUAL activist Robin McGehee will be among those providing questions from the studio audience. Solomonese was unable to get out of London due to that pesky volcano thingy, but will be participating via video link. You can listen online beginning at 2PM by signing up for SiriusXM's free trial. Mike has promised us video clips after the event's conclusion.

April 22nd: LGBT Leadership Town Hall

SiriusXM radio host Michelangelo Signorile will host a national LGBT leadership town hall in Washington DC on Thursday, April 22nd. The show will aired live nationally.

The Panel: National Gay & Lesbian Task Force executive director Rea Carey; Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese;National Center for Transgender Equality executive director Mara Keisling; Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director Aubrey Sarvis; former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights Richard Socarides and blogger and activist Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend.

When: Thursday, April 22, 2-4 ET, Sirius 109, XM 98.

Where: XM studios, Washington DC. (Listeners can enter a drawing to win tickets to be part of our studio audience, must be in by Friday at the end of the day to win). Will be aired live on The Michelangelo Signorile Show, 2-4 ET, Sirius 109, XM 98 and streamed online.

Signorile reports that activists David Mixner and GetEQUAL's Robin McGehee will be among the special guests asking questions from the studio audience. Solmonese vs. McGehee, that should be very interesting.