Somebody please give us something to feel good about, because the marriage news lately has been nothing but grim.
With only one month left to pass the marriage bill, we’re still far from victory in New York, Minnesota’s house passed a double-ban on marriage, the head of Equality North Carolina resigned, Rhode Island couldn’t turn civil unions into marriage, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker took a break from attacking labor to attack LGBT families, Paul Clement’s going to town on DOMA defense, Republicans blocked a pro-equality judge, and our olive tree is dying.
Got anything to feel optimistic about? Anyone?
Judd K.
Yes! Here’s some (potentially) very good news!:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/goper_visit_raises_gay_marriage_4gk4ebTpssTzdOE1wnzNeO
“Gay-marriage backers got what they’re calling a big boost over the weekend when Republican state Sen. James Alesi appeared at a major upstate dinner held by the state’s biggest gay-rights group.”
robert in NYC
Judd K, that’s all well and good but 3 democrats aren’t committed to voting yes and a fourth, Ruben Diaz is voting NO. One of the 3 waivering democrats is Joe Addabbo of Queens who voted NO in 2009, as well as two undecided GOPers, Greg Ball of Putnam County and James Alesi of Monroe County who told AM New York that they are “polling their constituents before making a decision.” Their constituents are a very conservative group of people so I’m taking this to be a NO on Alesi’s part. If the three democrats vote no, we’ll need at least 4 republicans to vote YES. I just don’t see that happening but I hope by some miracle I’m proved very wrong, assuming miracles do happen.
Dallas David
Well, 30 years ago if we woke up and saw all states where we had civil unions, we’d be ecstatic. 20 years ago if we woke up and saw all the states where we had civil unions or marriage, we’d be delirious. 10 years ago, we’d be thinking we’d made excellent progress.
So here we are today . . . I’m impressed by the progress we’ve made in the past few decades, but still apalled by the BS the religious right uses to keep us under their theocratic control.
It’s progress. A little bit at a time, wearing away at the credibility of the crazy fundamentalists (who are neither fun nor particularly mental).
Another few decades of continued effort, and who knows; maybe we’ll have a gay President in the white house.
robert in NYC
Dallas David, progress at a snail’s pace but nowhere near as good as ten countries that have legalized same-sex marriage. Who would have thought Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Belgium, four catholic countries with state religion managed to get it passed? The UK may be the next when the marriage equality consultation gets underway in July giving gays the right to civil marriage and straights the option to have a civil partnership currently only available to gay couples. We’re way behind when we should have been the trail blazer and with the SCOTUS stacked with 5 very staunch catholic republicans, I doubt if we’ll ever see DOMA overturned in our life time or federal recognition of same-sex marriage in the five states which currently allow it. Religion based bigotry seems to get the upper hand in American politics, sadly.
Jim Hlavac
Oh, I way optimistic. Why, the nation is having this “debate” about is in ways we couldn’t imagine 10 years ago. And while some folks are pushing all sorts of legal things that seem against us — in the long run they’re good for us. For it’s harder and harder for anyone to really find much wrong with any of us individually, or as couples, and we’re quite accepted as individuals all the time now. And then there’s the hustings, where we’re referred to as a group — a holistic lockstep group at that — that is “evil” and “depraved” and the usual litany of words. And the logical disconnect is fast becoming apparent to everyone. To the point that more are calling for our deaths — which is weirdly, very good. They’re not going to kill us, but the very fact that people say this just riles up the rest of America to our defense.
As Cardinal George of Chicago admitted — his gay nephew is a fine guy, but “homosexuals” are evil. As Carl Paladino in NY said — his gay nephew is a fine guy, but “homosexuals” are evil. Yes, it’s quite a logical leap to have fine individual nephews but an evil group of them at the same time. Something’s got to give.
And the more our opponents push their stuff, the more America seems to be rejecting it. And the more progress we make, then the more our opponents go into whacky land.
And the defense of DOMA is coming down to “We just don’t like gay Americans” and that’s not going to be a real good defense at all. Oh, I’d say that some of our opponents will shortly say some truly horrific thing — and that will open up the flood gates of decency which lingers below the surface of this country. I’d say we’re about where Martin Luther King was in 1960 — and by 1964 there was the Voters Rights Act, and the entirety of Jim Crow was swept away in just weeks almost.
Well, we’re facing our “Jane Crow” moments right now; we’re just awaiting our Bull Connor to use the fire hoses on us. It’s coming, and I can’t wait.
John
So long as you idiots insist that the way to win equality is by supporting an anti-gay party (called the Democrats), you’re always going to be wondering “oh dear, how horrible is this?” please don’t feign ignorance. No oppressed group has EVER won equal rights by lobbying, by voting, or by waiting for them to be handed to us by the Democrats.
Vote for Obama in 2012 to end the wars he started in 2011! Vote for Obama in 2012 to end the attacks on working people he started in 2009! Vote for Obama in 2012 because he hasn’t given enough of our money to Wall Street in 2009!
Hyhybt
I still think Rhode Island moving from nothing to civil unions *is* progress. That it’s less than was hoped for does not change that.
Separate from that… even if political progress seems stalled, *individual* progress is not only continuing, but accelerating. Minds are changed every day, almost exclusively in favor. That this is not, at the moment, reflected in law only means that, when it does shift again, things will move quickly. Sort of like an earthquake: the longer you go between them, the worse (or in this case better) it is when it finally goes.
andrew
what do you expect in this country???
america is as socially backward as saudi arabia or some other third world shithole
robert in NYC
So John, in the absence of the Democrats and the Greens, who else are we supposed to vote for? The GOP? Since when have they authored, co-authored or sponsored any bill favoring LGBT equality at the local, state or national level? Who was it who instituted DOMA? Well, none other than George Bush when Massachusetts was about to legalize same-sex marriage! Which sitting republican in the House or Senate supports marriage equality? Almost all of the Democrats do. I can’t name one republican, can you? They didn’t want DADT to pass, they don’t want ENDA brought for a vote and they don’t want marriage equality either. So what’s your solution, maybe you can share it with us?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
The solution is for we Gays to finally get our fucking acts together, create an organization which will target specific politicians who spew their vicious hatefull anti-Gay rhetoric. And dig till one can’t dig any further to discover all the dirt there is about these scumbags and force all the skeletons to come tumbling out of their closets………
Then make the information as public as possible and make an example to these scumbags: If you are going to target our community with your hate and venom because we are considered an “easy target” and unlike other minorities who you can’t openly cast hate upon any longer you target the Gays and you better be squeaky clean with not a single misstep in your past……….
A prime target would be that little hatefull scumbag Sen Ruben Diaz, who last week hosted what can only be described as an anti-Gay hatefest. Despite having two Gay brothers and a Gay granddaughter. He has been a major player in the cesspool of politics that is Albany. I would some serious coin that scumbag has a closet ready to burst full ‘o skeletons…….
robert in NYC
Plays well with others, I agree completely. I’ve been advocating for that for a long time on several websites. Sen. (Rev) Ruben Diaz’ recent really was funded by NOM which has spent or spending $1.5 million to make marriage equality a non-starter in our state. As you know, they were very successful in California, Maine, Maryland and Rhode Island and probably New York. From what I know of Diaz’ past, I believe he was involved with drugs during the 60s, but nothing else has come to light. NOM Is also trying to get Iowa’s marriage equality law overturned. I suspect the Koch Brothers are the main sponsors of NOM’s finances, among other right wing organizations.
Jim Hlavac
@Robert in NYC, alas, it was Bill Clinton who signed DOMA into law, and DADT — Bush had nothing to do with it.
As for Republicans for gay rights — Mr. Republican, Barry Goldwater gave the most forceful plea for gay rights by any politician ever: “you don’t have to like it, but gays deserve full constitutional rights including marriage and military service.” He said it in 1994 while Clinton was signing DOMA.
Massachusetts marriage law came to be while a Republican was in office. in 1962 Republican led Illinois abandoned its sodomy statues, while the Democrats in the Old South were busy with Jim Crow and arresting gay folks. It was Ronald Reagan in 1968 who got rid of California’s sodomy statue.
Meanwhile, Fred Karger is a gay man who qualified to run for Republican presidential nominee. Gary Johnson, 8 year gov of New Mexico and a Republican running for president says “yes” to gay marriage. And Republican John Huntsman says he’s for “civil unions” but not the word marriage, and he’s a Mormon.
Meanwhile, it was Republican John Lindsey, Mayor of NYC who stopped the gay bar raids after Stonewall, and the rest of the nation took its cue from him — they almost stopped overnight.
Meanwhile, Democrats are either evolving, like the president and Hilary, or they’re dreadfully opposed to us — like the Catholic Hierarchy whom is solidly Democratic, as well as the African-American black evangelists. And on May 15th Democratic State Senator of NY State, Ruben Diaz, held a rally in the Bronx calling for our death. I hardly think the issue is that clear of which party is for gay marriage or equality and which is not.
I could go on and on, but it’s time to put to rest the Republicans hate us and the Democrats love us meme. The Dems had overwhelming majorities in both houses for two years and the presidency and could have rid this land of DADT and DOMA on straight party line votes — they did not. The Congressional Black Caucus — Dems all — are very anti-gay.
Not to mention that the Libertarians are solidly behind gay folks, and Libertarians hold more sway in the Republican Party that one would think. Meanwhile, socialists, and the left, all over the world are quite sure we are dangers to society.
No, it’s not that simple. We are a difficult thing to deal with, and we all know that; but it’s not a political divide nearly as neat as many portray.
Dean
We have had a lot great news on the marriage front lately. Rhode Island, Illinois, Delaware, and Hawaii have all passed civil unions legislation. While it is quite disappointing that New York and Maryland have not done so and that the aforementioned states have not yet passed full state legal marriage, these are huge gains.
Joshua
Breathe. We have civil unions in Hawaii, Illinois and most likely Rhode Island. It is progress. I will take progress over nothing like we practically have in Maryland.
Joshua
@Dallas David: Well said. We forget the big picture.
deurker
@Jim Hlavac: Your analysis is really ahistorical. You are really downplaying Republican homophobia and playing up Democratic.
The Republican Party despite the has-beens, nobodies and dead guys you named (who the fuck is Karger?) is 99% homophobic. The Democratic party is 50%. I’ll take that 50%, thank you very much.
You are sucking too much conservative cock, Hlavac.
deurker
I read your shitty blog, Hlavac. You should thank me for giving that place some hits, because it doesn’t look like any else does. You are one deluded losertarian. The Repubs are “oh who cares?” and the Democrats want to kill gays? Do you know what’s happening in MN and which party pushed the Gay marriage amendment? And Ruben Diaz, a marginal member of the NY Dem party is proof Dems want to kill gays?
No offense, but are you retarded? That is a serious question.
Hyhybt
@Joshua: And I, in turn, would gladly take the “nothing” you have in Maryland. True, despite the name, you cannot marry in Maryland… but if you go next door to DC for the wedding itself, you’re still considered married when you get home. And your legislature came within an inch of allowing weddings! That means it will happen sooner rather than later, even though, of course, it’s never soon enough.
In Georgia, it’s a dead issue, and has been ever since the 2004 election. Well, except for a couple of gubernatorial candidates last summer… and that was hardly a positive development: basically, one candidate “accusing” another of not being strongly enough anti-gay, and the other responding “nuh-uh, I am too!”
(Which, I realize in turn, is still a better situation than in certain other countries.)
tjr101
@Jim Hlavac: That’s the biggest load of crap written all day. Ok, so you’re a gay republican we get it but stop trying to rewrite history. The religious right and teabaggers control the GOP not libertarians which us why Ron Paul doesn’t have a chance in hell of being nominated. Ron Paul supports DOMA btw. Your god Ronald Reagan ignored the AIDS epidemic.
Mitt Romney would have vetoed same-sex marriage in Mass had it gone through the legislature. It is Democratic state legislatures across the nation that are voting for gay rights not Republicans.
The congressional black caucus voted for repeal of DADT under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi, very anti-gay huh?
Your drivel would be more believable on Faux, oh wait.. They hate you!
Danny
I wonder if New York will have marriage equality before the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, so that the remembrances can mark how New York protects human rights for all. That would make the anniversary all the more meaningful – especially for the 9/11 families who lost gay and lesbian family members. And would honor the 9/11 heroes who were gay and lesbian who gave their lives during the rescue at the towers and while fighting back against the terrorists who attacked America.
robert in NYC
No. 19, tjr101, I totally concur and you’re right about Ron Paul
Jim Hlavac….since John failed to provide me with any answers to my questions, perhaps you or someone from the Log Cabin or GOProud can. Can you or any of you republicans who post here name one of your own currently in office who is sponsoring any legislation favoring LGBT equality in any way shape or form? If there are any, who are they and why aren’t they speaking up? Since the GOP has a majority of two in our state legislature, why hasn’t Dean Skelos or anyone on his side of the aisle come out in support of marriage equality? Not one of them voted for it in December 2009, whereas we had at least 24 democrats out of 32 who voted for it. Is the GOP going to support passage of ENDA? Very few of them voted yes for repeal of DADT. Another thing, if according to the Log Cabin and GOProud, the GOP is changing, why aren’t gay rights addressed at their conventions? Why isn’t the leader of the Log Cabiners or GOProud ever going to be given a place on the platform to address their constituents about it? Surely someone can provide the evidence or reasons why they shouldn’t do just that, assuming the GOP is slowly changing?
deurker
@tjr101: Yeah, there’s more of that BS on his blog. No one reads it, and his 1-2 commenters all support him, so he’s living in an echo chamber where he is always right.
Jim Hlavac
@Deurker — my point is not to say that Republicans are for us — nor is it to say that Democrats are against us — my point is that neither party seems to be for us and yet some in either are against us — and that the usual meme that “Leftists” are for us and “Rightists” are against us is wrong. And that there’s something else going on. I don’t know what, but something.
My plea for liberty crosses both bounds. And I’m sure that the tax rate is not a gay issue. And I cause unholy terror on right hetero blogs to be sure. And here: http://iowntheworld.com/blog/?p=75277
>The same weekend I was getting “happy b-day and long life” from a very Tea Party site I was being condemned to death by a Democrat. So whom is for whom?
My thesis, had you really read my blog, is – there’s no clear cut divide — and we gays are lulled into a false conclusion that the Democrats are pro-gay and the Republicans are anti-gay.
And in some ways, that’s why I love this site — it excoriates both sides, but not as much as me. And I welcome the critique of both sides by us — it needs to be done. Join me sir, don’t condemn my methods — what have you done to get accolades from the right, while awaiting approbation from the left? And what have you to say about taxes? Which latter is not a “gay” issue, but an American issue. And we’re Americans, I do believe.
delurker
@Jim Hlavac: Your methods are really stupid and you rely on anecdotes (the plural of anecdotes is not data) and false equivalences. Never mind that Republican “liberty-loving” state legislators all over the country are attempting to pass anti-gay legislation. Look at Ruben Diaz! Jim Karger (who da fuck?) proves that Repubs are not all anti-gay. Because some guy who has no chance to be president is running as a repub. So dumb.
I don’t give a shit about taxes. I make a lot, I live very comfortably, and I could pay more.
delurker
wow. you are 40? the years have not been kind, my friend. stay out the sun and wear sunscreen.
DavyJones
@Jim Hlavac: Let me start with a quote from Ronald Regan during his 1980 Presidential Campaign: Said Reagan during the 1980 presidential campaign: “My criticism is that [the gay movement] isn’t just asking for civil rights; it’s asking for recognition and acceptance of an alternative lifestyle which I do not believe society can condone, nor can I.”
That’s an important quote because by many accounts Regan was very ‘tolerant’ of gay people, he was even the first president (that I know of) to allow a openly gay couple stay in the White House together. (http://igfculturewatch.com/2004/06/10/reagan-and-gays-a-reassessment/) However, in order to win a presidential election as a Republican candidate; Regan had to shelve his personal ‘tolerance’ and toe the party line of ‘they’re bad and shouldn’t be accepted by the rest of us’.
Are all Democrats completely pro-gay? No, certainly not. But today; in the Democratic party the above quote would spell the end of a presidential nomination bid, where-as within the Republican (and even more so, the Tea-Party movement) something along the lines of the above is almost required. That’s the important distinction; how the base of both parties view LGBT right, not necessarily any given politician, but the base; because they’re the ones the politician is going to have to appease to win.