The old cliché used to be lies, damned lies, and statistics. Social climate in postmodern America makes it very hard to criticize entities like the homosexual advocacy movement and not be deemed a bigot. And several groups have taken advantage of this, using their undeserved positive reputation to distort or even deceive at any possible angle. A case in point is brought to attention here, a story broken by the Washington Blade.

As their investigation of the Human Rights Campaign notes, the HRC membership has always been on the increase and is supposedly currently at 650,000. But the HRC members "include the name of every person who has ever once given at least the minimum amount — currently $1 — and provided an address, said spokesperson Steven Fisher this week."

Pretty much using the vending machine and leaving one's address at the HRC office is enough to make one a member. The amusement is recorded by the investigative article: "This means that someone who donated a dollar or made a small purchase from the HRC store years ago is considered from that time forward an HRC member, even in death unless HRC specifically learns of the person’s demise."

When will people start holding groups like the HRC accountable for these blatant distortions? Time will tell.

Source:

Koval, Steve, “HRC ‘members’ all who ever donated $1”, Washington Blade, May 6th, AD 2005, http://www.washblade.com/2005/5-6/news/national/members.cfm, accessed 09/20/2008.