ABSTRACT
After leaving GRNL in 1984, I had plenty of time to reflect on our movement's progress. Our on-the-Hill advocacy was strong, the Human Rights Campaign Fund was flourishing under Vic Basile's direction, and the community was raising plenty of money to contribute to congressional candidates. However, despite the success of our constituent lobbying and other grassroots initiatives, GRNL had failed miserably at the critical task of generating constituent mail to members of Congress. Few members of Congress were likely to vote with us—no matter the merits or how much money we could give to their campaigns—if they thought their votes would incur the wrath of their constituents. The utter silence of our supporters, even on AIDS bills, compared to the massive quantities of antigay mail, convinced legislators again and again of the danger of standing with us.
