Everyone in Philadelphia is as proud as peacocks with the Eagles’ win in the Super Bowl. Even President Donald Trump posted a congratulatory tweet. And, as is tradition, the president usually invites the winning team to the White House to officially offer his congratulations.
Just like everything with the president, that is not easy. Several Eagles players announced that they would refuse an invitation, noting they would not go to the White House if the administration treats some of its citizens in derogatory ways.
There is absolutely no doubt that this administration has been racist, sexist and homophobic.
With that in mind, a person with moral fiber and a conscience might have trouble accepting an invitation to give the president a photo op. Many people consider the Eagles as heroes and role models, and the president is no hero or role model.
But there’s another point here. While athletes or celebrities have the option to attend, do political operatives, particularly LGBT operatives who supported Trump, have that same option? Should those conservative LGBT activists attempt to meet with the administration to lobby and educate them on our issues?
After all, Democratic senators and conservatives from various communities have done this. Yet some of us feel it would be dirty of us to enter a building with Trump.
Eagles defensive end Chris Long expressed his thoughts on the president in an interview with Green Stripe News last year: “My son grows up, and I believe the legacy of our president is going to be what it is, I don’t want him to say, ‘Hey Dad, why’d you go [to the White House] when you knew the right thing was to not go?’”
But that Eagle is not in the lobby or political game.
There is an organization of LGBT people that supported Trump’s journey to the Oval Office, and they should attempt to get a meeting with the president. And if they can’t do so, they should be brave enough to do something. Then they owe it to the community to vote in November, and vote Democrat to make a real American change.
Mark Segal is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. His memoir, “And Then I Danced,” is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble or at your favorite bookseller.