Judas, anyone? Just recently, Hawaii State Democratic Rep. Georgette “Jo” Jordan has joined a rarified group of one, becoming what is believed to be the first openly gay lawmaker in history to vote against marriage equality. Jordan has been open about her struggle to support the bill and her insecurity about whether or not a majority of the voices of the citizens she represents are being heard, and even the demise of DOMA didn’t help to push her onto the marriage equality bandwagon.
“Has anybody been denied before DOMA or after DOMA — what has changed in our state?” she asked. “These are questions that I still have to settle in myself and that’s why I’m undecided.”
Jordan has one more shot at getting on the right side of history during the final vote on Friday, but if her words defending her no vote are any indication, it’s definitely going to be an uphill battle. After hearing testimony from people opposed to marriage equality in Hawaii, she was utterly defiant, stating that “…nobody’s going to beat me up. Nobody’s going to throw me out of my (LGBT) community — I’m not quite sure of that… I might vote against something that I personally believe in. I personally believe I should have the right. You know how hard it is for me to say no? I have to say no.”
The desire to represent an entire constituency is understandable, but what is less clear is who she’s trying to appeal to in a state where a majority of people are in favor of gay marriage.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
We’re guessing that this one’s single, so all you gals out there have at her and perhaps you can get a civil union someday…
Cam
Ugh, another pathetic case of too much baggage.
Go tell it to your shrink loser.
Polaro
@Cam: And, on this, I completely agree.
2eo
Your life is dire when you vote against granting civil rights to people.
I suggest a lot of pills and very, very deep sleep.
orcanyc
Please tell Rep. Jordan that you mist vote for that which is morally correct instead of the haters who helped elect her.
Daveliam
I can sympathize with her in a hypothetical way. The idea is that she wants to represent her constituency. However, I think there are two really important distinctions:
1.) Representing her constituency means that she, as the elected official, should do what she believes is BEST. Her constituents already put in her office. They elected her based on her beliefs and stance on policies. She doesn’t have to vote how THEY would vote, they already gave her the position to represent them. It IS a representative democracy, after all.
and
2.) Unfair and discriminatory policies will never change UNLESS people buck the accepted viewpoints (representing the “majority” ie, those in power). It’s her duty as a representative of the LGBT community to also support us, regardless of how her constituents might feel.
Oh, and of course then there is the question of who exactly she’s concerned about NOT representing. My (admittedly limited) understanding of Hawaiian public opinion is that the majority of voters support same sex marriage, so I’m not getting her contextual concern.
Polaro
Well, if the majority of her constituents were in favor of jailing lesbians, would she vote for it? She fails to understand the job she has. Otherwise she could be replaced by a poll on every vote she makes. She may be one of us, but she is not the sharpest crayon in the box.
Spike
Figure. It. Would. Be. A. Lesbian.
Spike
@Daveliam: She represents Wai‘anae, M?kaha, Makua, and parts of M??ili. If you know Oahu, this is not the Bible Belt. More like very local, Hawaiian mix, lower income, live and let live. No way she is representing her constituents, she’s just another very confused lesbian.
RDM
@Spike: Ugh, another self-absorbed gay man with someone else’s body as his profile picture putting down members of his LGBT community because he is unable to critically think of a better response to this woman. (see how that works?)
barkomatic
She’s trying to take the position of voting against her own sense of what is fair and right in favor of representing the will of her constituents–which she seems to believe are opposed to gay marriage.
I think she is wrong to take this stance. We elect lawmakers not just to represent us, but to govern using their own best judgment as to what will ultimately serve the needs of the public. Sometimes, you must make decisions that are actually contrary to the opinions of many of your constituents.
If politicians were simply representatives, we really wouldn’t need them at all. All we would need is someone to measure public consensus on an issue. This woman sounds very immature for her age. I wonder how some people get elected.
RevJames
She could tell her constituent who are against equality the human rights for the minority should not be up for a vote at all.
[email protected]
Jo Jordan represents Waianae, which is strongly AGAINST marriage equality in every opinion and exit poll that?s ever been taken. Her claim that “75% of my constituents support marriage equality” is simply untrue and she knows it. (She may be referring to emails she received a few months ago, when the LGBT community was trying to rally support.) The reason Jo Jordon is voting against marriage equality is very simple: TO GEt RE-ELECTED IN HER DISTRICT. SO, not only is she voting against her conscience, she?s lying about it.
doug105
Same stupid mind frame.
NEVADA: GOP State Rep Says He’d Vote For Slavery If Constituents Want It
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/10/nevada-gop-state-rep-says-hed-vote-for.html#disqus_thread
Different argument.
Rockery
@[email protected]:
Exactly
Shameful
etseq
@[email protected]: WRONG! Her district went for Obama by 70% and Romney was under 25%. Unlike some parts of Hawaii, there is no significant evangelical or mormon constituency – its a suburban working class district. Her vote had nothing to do with her district – it was all about internal Democratic party coalitions. She was a big supporter of the former House Speaker, who lost his leadership position and was replaced by a member loyal to Governor Abercrombie. She basically voted to screw Abercrombie, along with several other democrats. She is a hack.
rextrek
I say Every Gay person should SHUN her, she needs to be persoanlly and publically SHUNNED by ALL LGBT people!!!!!!!!!
Cam
I think she is still self hating and wants to be the “Good Gay” the one who says to bigots “See, I’m not like all those OTHER gays”.
The thing that the idiot seems to have forgotten in your scrambling addle-brained quest to lick bigots boots is this…..
If her voters didn’t want gays to have jobs why would they vote for an out lesbian?
Again, this woman has major baggage and needs to be in some serious therapy. She is worse than when Melissa Ethridge tried to tell us all what a great guy pastor Rick Warren was just because he had had a conversation with her.
Spike
@RDM: Ugh, another self righteous lesbian whose is too ashamed of her body to include it in her profile picture frame sticking up for a sister lesbian whom is actively denying LGBT in Hawaii marriage equality because she is unable to critically think of an intelligent comment of her own so she only replies to other comments, makes it personal and makes no point. (works just great, doesn’t it!)
HirsuteOne
Her logic is flawed. Among other things.