Disappointed that you uncritically passed along Bloomberg’s speech on marriage without highlighting or at least noting that the REASON anti-equality Republicans are in power in New York State’s Senate is because Bloomberg has propped them up for the last several years with donations in the MILLIONS, keeping them in power long past their expiration date. And when he has been asked by the press if he would stop donating to these anti-gay Senators he says no, that he is not “single issue.”
So you and others are giving him credit for some kind of leadership and “major speech” when the fact is that the speech says nothing we don’t know and leaves out any path to victory on this issue—which would have to include GETTING RID OF THE NO VOTES AND REPLACING THEM WITH YES VOTES IN ELECTIONS. This Bloomberg will not commit to. If someone said in 1964 that they favored the Civil Rights Act but would continue to support racist Senators, we would say that was unacceptable. Why is Bloomberg a pass on this?
Talk is cheap. Let him put his money where his mouth is and stop funding bigots. I know he has donated to the New Yorkers United for Marriage group but to do what? Oh, I get it: to lobby the anti-gay Senators he himself put in power. It is a grotesque spectacle.
My theory is that we may well indeed get the marriage equality bill passed this year and Bloomberg wants to be seen as the guy who brought it home. But when it passes it will be in spite of him not because of him. With his money to Senate Republicans, he has been the biggest obstacle in the state to marriage equality, GENDA, and a host of other progressive legislation.
And in case you are unaware of Bloomberg’s miserable record on LGBT issues, I append it below. And don’t even get me started on his abuse of civil liberties.
— Andy Humm, gay journalist and activist criticizing the numerous gay blogs that ran Bloomberg’s Thursday speech without once calling Bloomberg out on his crap. You can read Humm’s complete list of Bloomberg’s LGBT failures here.
ZT
Who cares what Andy Humm has to say? That’s got to be the most vicious queen in NYC.
Scott Rose
I agree with Andy Humm. Mayor Bloomberg only pledged 100K to the marriage equality campaign this year. That is bird food to Bloomberg – and Republican enemies of equality know it. They take it as a signal that he is not serious – that he is bluffing, and will again give them economic support for their political campaigns, whether or not they support equality. Mayor Bloomberg on the one hand is to be commended for publicly speaking in favor of equality, but on the other hand, I must give him a Coward’s Award for not taking a public position against all the anti-gay hate speech that our community is being subjected to in New York State as a result of the campaign for equality. The City should never have issue an anti-gay hate rally permit to Senator Ruben Diaz. Had Diaz promulgated anti-Jewish hate speech at the same level he promulgates anti-LGBT hate speech, it is unthinkable that Mayor Bloomberg would remain silent in the face of that reality. Not only do we have Diaz, and Golden, and other elected officials promulgating anti-gay hate speech – we also have organizations like the so-called National Organization for Marriage and the so-called New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, laundering money from the tax-exempt Catholic Church and the tax-exempt Mormon Church to act as bullhorns of anti-gay hate for the churches. My impression overall is that Mayor Bloomberg either does not care to protect our community, or doesn’t have a clue about the way it is being attacked. He does not even act, sufficiently to protect gay adolescents from bigots. School bullies do not grow under cabage leaves. They also do not come from families that teach good strong acceptance values. Anti-gay bullies in the schools come from families where the parents are themselves anti-gay bullies. The anti-gay elected officials collude with the school bullies to carry out unending psychological and physical violence against LGBT people. As noted above, if all of this were directed against Jews instead of against gay people, the Mayor would be speaking up, telling the Diaz’s and the Golden’s and the so-called National Organization for Marriage that their fraudulent hate speech could not be tolerated and had to stop.
ZT
Yeah, Scott, Bloomberg probably has to go. But we don’t need Andy Dumm to tell us that.
Sparky
I do need Andy Humm to tell me this. Nobody else did. I live in California and I pay very close attention to California gay politics. I also care about gay politics in the rest of the country (and world) and I try to stay informed. One of the ways I try to stay informed is by reading various gay blogs. Thank you Mr. Humm for blowing this whistle and keeping the facts straight!
beergoggles
Obviously not enough people are saying it because Bloomie is getting away with playing both sides of the fence. Good on Andy.
Justin N. in Oaklawn, Dallas, TX
That ZT gal/guy has SOME KINDA issues with Andy Humm, huh? What gives? Can one not address the points Humm makes rather than just dismiss them as meaningless simply because of distaste for Humm’s person? So, exactly WHO’S being vicious here?…
BTW, I don’t live in NYC, and so am rather unfamiliar with Mr. Humm, but I’m damn GLAD SOMEONE like Mr. Humm will tell it like it is rather than just do a “Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy” over Mr. Bloomberg’s two-faced speech.
The speech itself said lots of great things. I’ll grant, too, that it was way past time for these things to be said. They were well-delivered and thoughtful. I’m glad Mr. Bloomberg said them. It was better than if he had NOT said them. However, it’s always good to know the backstory — just to put things in their proper perspective.
Kev C
Real New Yorkers haven’t listened to a word Mike Bloomberg has said in 8 years. What speech are we talking about?
Ashton cruz
@ ZT. You are disgraceful. I have known Andy for over 15 years and there isn’t a vicious bone in his body. As a matter of fact he has been ardently reporting gay news on free access cable for pennies for what seems to be an eternity. Andy is an asset and a hero to the gay comunity, and as such he should be treated with respect. Are you willing to stick your neck out for the gay community as he has done for the last 3 decades? Then shut the f up you ignorant bag of hate.
robert in NYC
Actually, Scott Rose, NOM funded Ruben Diaz’ rally on May 15. NOM donated over $1.5 million dollars to defeat marriage equality in our state and it could well succeed and probably will, but I hope I’m wrong.
I’ve been a fan of Andy Humm for a long time. He’s one of the few who researches his subject thoroughly and is often proved right. If we had him running HRC for example, we’d be in a lot better shape. He’s not afraid to call bigots out on vile antigay actions.
Bloomberg plays both sides and has no scruples. If he had any integrity he would tell NYS republicans he will no longer fund them if they’re opposed to equality. He doesn’t have the character or the decency to do it. He’s only supporting marriage equality because he has a niece who happens to be gay. Absent that, I doubt if he’d be on our side even though its welcome. Andy Humm really exposes the man for what he really is.
Mike in Asheville
Irrespective of one’s opinion of Bloomberg, Andy Humm’s knowledge of the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is ZILCH! Party Politics knows no boundaries: The Civil Rights Act passed in the Senate with the support of some longtime racists who continued to receive financial support from both racists and civil rights supporters.
***************
Bloomberg plays party politics as well as other successful politicians. Unlike so many others, though, Bloomberg has spoken loudly and straightforwardly that he is not single-issue, he supports many GOP initiatives regarding the economy and budget, AND that he is an ardent supporter of marriage-equality.
Sure, I’d like to hear Bloomberg say that marriage-equality is HIS priority; alas, to him, budget/economy/taxes are more important.
Certainly, Bloomberg is not our shining knight in armor; neither is he our enemy. NOM/Diaz (a Democrat)/the GOP of NY/Conservative Party of NY/their ilk — they are the enemy.
Meanwhile, non-wingnut Republicans and Independents, who like and voted for Bloomberg, will be swayed by his continued and strong support for marriage-equality. And as public opinion surveys show, there is growing momentum from middle-of-the-road Republicans and Independents from anti- to pro-marriage-equality.
******************
Lastly, for all gay/lesbian New Yorkers: the New York Court of Appeal [same as Supreme Court in other states] has twice ruled that same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions allowing same-sex marriages must be recognized as legal marriages under New York law. When we lived in NYC, my hubby and I married in Massachusetts. Having our marriage recognized by the state was amazingly helpful for us to better secure our limited household financial position, provide health insurance, share assets, household discounts, auto insurance … it can make huge improvements for couples.
While it is not the same and as easy to simply marry in NY, gay and lesbian New Yorkers can and do enjoy all of the other benefits bestowed to married New Yorkers.
UWSguy
Thanks for pointing this out. Another one of Bloomberg’s twisted truths
Sharon Falconer
@ZT: Andy Humm is 100% correct !!!
robert in NYC
Mike in Asheville….you say that “gay and lesbian New Yorkers can and do enjoy all of the other benefits bestowed to married New Yorkers.” Really? What about the 1138 federal benefits/privileges enjoyed by married straight New Yorkers which gay married New Yorkers are denied? That’s hardly enjoying all of the other benefits straight married couples are automatically entitled to once they marry. All we get are roughly 400 state rights. We can’t even file a joint federal tax return or sponsor our foreign born partners for permanent residency. Instead, they are booted out, forcing the native born American to move with them. Until that changes, we still do not have FULL marriage equality in this country or in the five states that permit it as well as in Washington, DC. Our marriages are only recognized in 3 other states outside of the 5 that allow it, no portability in the remaining 42 either.
Mike in Asheville
@robert in NYC: Robert, the issue of marriage support in New York IS DIFFERENT than the issue of federal benefits.
While the federal benefits issue is as important to gaining state recognition of same-sex marriages, efforts to change state law and federal law are separate and each require their own campaigns to make the changes. The federal issue, of course, was created by DEMOCRATS — Bill Clinton and his minion Richard Socarides wrote and signed into law DOMA; 5 years before Bloomberg even ran for mayor.
I stand by my point (@ No. 10): Yes indeed, call out our enemies as the homophobic bigots they are, but Bloomberg isn’t one of them; AND, gay/lesbian New Yorkers have options and opportunities to have their state government recognize, and by extension all businesses that base ANY and ALL benefits of marriage offered to customers/employees MUST include equal access to legally sanctioned same-sex marriages.
There is no need to deny oneself of the benefits New York offers its gay/lesbian married citizens simply because the federal government, as yet, does not also offer equity of benefits.
ZT
Ashton Cruz : You are full of crap. Ask Humm what he wrote about Colin Finnerty. I dare you to ask him directly about that and get back to me here. Going after an innocent person, with lies, just because Humm is still bitter about Chaminade./////Number two : He worked in that office gushing over that repulsive Lou Maletta with the wrinkled peach ass sticking out of his chaps and his sex and drugs parties right in the same studio. //No. 3 : Humm and that equally repulsive Anne Northrop reporting on a letter to Ann Landers where a gay boy threatened to kill himself. Landers told him that there were plenty of great examples throughout history of gay men. But Humm was reading off the list and didn’t like her choices ” Rock Hudson…a closet queer, Freddy Mercury..oh yeah, really great example…Tennessee Williams…a drunk..” You should have heard this vicious bitter loser trying to put down the true greats.
ZT
And No 6 Justin N. : I hope you’re as consistent with criticizing those who put down Dick Cheney’s character even THOUGH he’ll make pro-gay statements.
ZT
Sharon Falconer : So what ? Whether he’s right or not on this doesn’t mean Humm wouldn’t hope you would be attacked and raped if he could somehow blame Chaminade students for it.