GAG Singled Out in Washington Blade for Speed and Committment
Gays Against Guns was singled out by two "inside the Beltway" political leaders for its advocacy work and confrontation.
In the article "6 months after Orlando, any progress on gun reform?", published on December 7, 2016, author Chris Johnson quotes to prominent gay political operatives in DC. Inquiring about LGBT organizations and their responses the gun safety laws, Johnson writes:</p>
"Jason Lindsay, executive director of the Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, established the political action committee shortly after the Orlando shooting and said momentum in the LGBT community continues to build.</span>
</p>“I think if you look at Pride Fund doing electoral work, you have ‘Gays Against Guns’ doing protests and advocacy work and then you have the existing gun reform groups, things have continued to grow since Orlando and folks are excited now more than ever to keep pushing forward,” Lindsay said. But the level of commitment from major LGBT groups isn’t enough for one advocate.</span>
</p>Mark Glaze, a gay D.C. political operative who’s worked on both LGBT rights and gun control efforts, criticized national LGBT groups like the Human Rights Campaign, which he said have not stepped up to the plate on gun safety.</span>
</p>“If the major LGBT groups’ contribution to gun safety is working to elect Hillary Clinton, which they would have done in any event, that is not engaging on gun violence prevention, in my view,” Glaze said. “And if they are avoiding engagement so as not to offend three gun-owning gay men in Texas, then they have fallen into a trap the NRA laid long ago.”</span>
</p>Although Glaze made an exception for grassroots groups like “Gays Against Guns,” which he said has been active “virtually minutes after the Pulse shooting,” he said major LGBT groups have “run away from the issue scared” because of potential LGBT donors who may oppose gun safety measures."
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