During such an era, gay life is inevitably touched by the politics that surround it, but has it been overly influenced by it?
And we have done more in the two and a half years that I've been in here than the previous 43 Presidents to uphold that principle, whether it's ending "don't ask, don't tell," making sure that gay and lesbian partners can visit each other in hospitals, making sure that federal benefits can be provided to same-sex couples.
Barack Obama
We must make it clear that a platform of 'I hate gay men and women' is not a way to become president of the United States.
Jimmy Carter
From a religious point of view, if God had thought homosexuality is a sin, he would not have created gay people.
Howard Dean
There is so much work to be done to treat gays and lesbians and gay and lesbian couples with the respect that they're entitled to. They deserve, in my judgment, partnership benefits. They deserve to be treated fairly when it comes to adoption and immigration.
John Edwards
I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority.
Barney Frank
4 comments:
I like Howard Dean's quote...too bad the Christianists that spew so much hate and bigotry our way don't recognize that. And Jimmy Carter is right, but I fear the Republican wingnuts will not be swayed my that, and progress we have made in the last 2 and a half years will be diluted if we wind up with a Republican president.
Peace <3
Jay
Joe: While I expect things gradually liberalizes over time, one thing I learned from observing politics is you need to frame the issue in a way that gathers the most support. Take for example same sex marriage. When it's called for by GLBT, the other side frames it as "special rights" -- but once the focus was more on the larger principle of "Equality" did it gain more traction. Cause only unreasonable people would be against equality. And being equal is fundamental to our founding principles.
Other examples of positive vs. negative framing:
Climate change vs. Global warming
Estate tax vs. Death tax
Pro-life vs. Anti-abortion
Well, Joe Blow, another excellent article/summary of . . can we call it 'the Gay Agenda'. . .? Dare we be so blatantly honest?
We better ALL be honest and ACT before it is too late, and everybody gave up and left the party early. . [as in GOP PARTY].
I wish Dean's statement had been said when he was in office and signed Vermont's historic Civil Unions law, [he signed it in private! ] which eventually became Marriage Equality.
Dean ought to "come out" and tell the religious leaders that if God thought being gay was sinful G-d wouldn't have created us.
Now Dean is a politician who actually GREW !!! Bravo!
Justin O'Shea
I can't remember which post was the one where we talked about looking at the whole candidate...I saw this today, thought it was a pretty good endorsement of Obama:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
Peace <3
Jay
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