Original Title: Coverboy in Today’s Roll Call REVEALED!
WOW… Less than two weeks into our groundbreaking campaign, we’ve already gotten fantastic coverage! Be sure to pick up today’s copy of ROLL CALL, where you can read the phenomenal article by Mary Ann Akers. Akers, author of Roll Call’s HEARD ON THE HILL COLUMN won’t print the coverboy’s identity, but that wont stop BLOGActive from giving you ALL the details.
Jonathan Tolman, a senior staffer for Senator James (I refuse to hire gay people) Inhofe, was Coverboy Confidential in the May 2001 issue of Metro Weekly, Washington, DC’s premiere lesbian and gay magazine.
A little history here folks: Jonathan Tolman’s career has been spent working for organizations and politicians that have not exactly been seen as supportive of the gay community. He worked on the staff of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a right wing think tank.
What does he do now: Well, Jonathan Tolman was hired by Sen. James Inhofe who according to today’s Roll Call, ran a campaign of “God, gays and guns,” and has put in force a policy that he refuses to hire gay people in his Senate Office. Sen. Inhofe has no problem hiring gay people to do committee work….Just don’t ask him to have to look at gay people in his own office. Huh?
8 Comments on "Jonathan Tolman, aide to Sen. James Inhofe"
I thought you had posted a list of gay Hill staffers. How does one find it?
Keep checking this blog. Don’t look for a “list” per se, but do look for the stories of those gay men and lesbians like Jay Timmons of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and Jonathan Tolman, an employee of Radical Right Winger Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK). We tell the stories and BLOGActive readers decide how they feel about it.
Fantastic ad in the Washington Blade today. Great coverage from Adrian Brune. I support your efforts one-hundred percent. The lies and hypocrisy are appalling. It’s time to draw the line in the sand and see who truly values the principles of equality and justice.
Allow I am an HRC Partner, not all of us agree with the leadership about ‘outing’ or the Kerry-Edwards ticket.
Thank you for your valuable work on behalf of our community.
Good start. However, just go on and let ‘er rip. Out ’em all. They’ve had over 10 days to mull this over and haven’t come forward or resigned and sought honorable supportive work.
A friend of mine on Delphi, Pesky Dan Goodman, said: “They are no more entitled to the protection of the gay community than Jews who cooperated with the Nazis were entitled to the protection of other Jews.”
I agree with him.
Go for it.
The time for Mr. and Ms. nice guy is over. This is hardball.
Kisa
It is good to see that the LGBT community has finally adopted the heavy-handed, jackbooted methods of the people who have, historically, sought to oppress them. Why bother doing the hard work of fighting the ammendment when you can destroy the lives of a smattering of individuals?
Back in the day, activism meant, you know, actually doing stuff to create positive change—not put up a catty, self-aggrandizing websites. (Let alone putting up such websites without bothering to change them from the default layout!)
None of this is to say that I support closeted Hill workers (*far* from it); rather, it seems clear that the politics of personal destruction are less effective means of fighting evil than, say, gathering broad support from coalitions of like-minded individuals. Of course, you that takes time, energy, and skill—unlike posting a few phone numbers on a blog. And, of course, this sort of activism doesn’t generate much media splash.
Way to go with the work you’re doing! As a former Washingtonian, and current HRC Federal Club member … I salute your courage in outing gay men and lesbians who play with the band at night and on weekends, but work to keep us second class citizens at best in their day to day jobs on the Hill. I disagree with HRC on many issues, including this one … keep putting the names out there!
OUT ’em with the dignity of supporting your community, as treason is unethical and cowardly. I live in the southern Bible Belt, admist those cowardly closeted homosexuals who work for fanatical Christians who are the undercurrent of the FMA. With a loud voice, I commend you and suggest a national outing of those indivduals who work in right-wing fanatical churches and public offices which support anti-gay legislation and inequality. For our lifetime, the FMA is the worst document to enter American politics. Speak up with letters to the editors of national or local prints, and out those who support the enemy of equality.
Steven Pope
Sharpsburg Georgia
Who are you to determine whether or not a person resigns from gainful employment due to their sexual preference. Speaking as a heterosexual, I am sure it is hard enough for a gay person to come out to his/her friends and family let alone at work.
Should these people loose their jobs because of your website campaign, are you going to hire them? I think not!!