Today and Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee’s 2012 convention site selection committee will visit Charlotte. While here, they’ll take a look at several criteria: transportation, security, convention space, hotel capacity and more.
Charlotte leaders, including Mayor Anthony Foxx, have been working hard to woo the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Their website, Charlottein2012.com, outlines facts, figures and statistics on the Charlotte area, and they are working on compiling a resource list of all the great things to do and see in and around the Queen City.
The first “fact” in their Fact Sheet (PDF) states we are “an energetic, innovative, diverse city on the move,” yet this quick “fact” forgets about one key Democratic constituency that has often been ill-served and ignored by Charlotte’s Democratic leadership. Unfortunately, local and state leaders’ exhuberance over Charlotte’s possible hosting of the Democratic National Convention has overshadowed just how slow the area has been to making progressive change, particularly for LGBT citizens.
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In short, Charlotte needs the Democratic National Convention: the attention it brings, the people it brings, the party activists and insiders it brings, and especially the LGBT delegates, candidates and elected officials it brings. No doubt, the convention might bring to the Queen City more openly LGBT, politically-active and -aware people than we’ve ever seen here. All of this will combine to make our beloved city better and more inclusive of all its citizens, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.
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