Democrats Confused by DC Progressiveness
They're glad they won, they're glad the GOP has collapsed under the weight of its own holier-than-thou-ness. Now it would be nice if they would step up and lead the country into a peaceful, prosperous, and free future.
What about if the Democratic Party took a stand on something? What if they said, we have some beliefs, we believe is that it is good to treat people fairly, that government should provide equal opportunities to all citizens, we believe that couples who are in love and want to start a home and a family should have the chance to do that regardless of what some religious hypocrites want? What if they said that?
But no, they're going to fight among themselves.
All DC is saying is that they will recognize marriages that are legal in other states. They're not going to marry people of the same sex themselves, they're just going to say that if you're married in Massachusetts you're married in Washington, DC.
I like to think at least one party knows which way is north on the moral compass. Apparently that is asking too much.
Oh, did you see what Marion Barry said about this? The Washington Post has it:
Sometimes you just don't know what to say...
The city council in the nation's capital voted Tuesday to recognize same-sex marriages from states that approve them, a step that could propel the emotional issue into Congress and draw Democrats into a culture-wars battle with each other.
President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders responded to the 12-1 vote by the District of Columbia Council with near silence — hoping to avoid aggravating Democratic factions already at odds over that issue and more.
Republicans, usually willing to exploit differences between Democrats, also barely reacted to the council's gay-marriage decision. GOP leaders and their aides, asked whether anyone will try to use the decision as a wedge issue, said they were preoccupied by matters such as the economic downturn and swine flu.
But they have time.
The city council vote is considered the first step toward eventually allowing gay marriages to be performed in Washington. Congress, which has final say over the city's laws, has 30 days to review the bill, assuming Democratic Mayor Adrian Fenty, a supporter, signs it.
If Congress takes no action, the bill will become law automatically. DC gay marriage vote could entangle Congress
What about if the Democratic Party took a stand on something? What if they said, we have some beliefs, we believe is that it is good to treat people fairly, that government should provide equal opportunities to all citizens, we believe that couples who are in love and want to start a home and a family should have the chance to do that regardless of what some religious hypocrites want? What if they said that?
But no, they're going to fight among themselves.
The White House declined to comment on the council's vote, repeating Obama's general support for civil unions and belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said through a spokesman that Congress should not interfere in the D.C. government decision.
Pelosi already has one vexing D.C. issue on her plate: giving its residents a voting seat in the House. The U.S. Senate has voted to do that, but only as part of a measure abolishing most of the city's gun control statutes. Pelosi has been reluctant to bring the district voter rights issue to a showdown vote between gun control advocates in her party and moderates concerned by the political power of the National Rifle Association.
Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who is gay, said he expects congressional opponents of gay marriage to rally to repeal the city's decision but doubts they'll get very far.
"For this to be overturned, it'd have to pass both houses and be signed by the president, and that's highly unlikely," Frank said.
All DC is saying is that they will recognize marriages that are legal in other states. They're not going to marry people of the same sex themselves, they're just going to say that if you're married in Massachusetts you're married in Washington, DC.
I like to think at least one party knows which way is north on the moral compass. Apparently that is asking too much.
Oh, did you see what Marion Barry said about this? The Washington Post has it:
D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), the only council member to vote against the bill today to legalize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, predicted today there could be a "civil war" in the District if the Council decides to take up a broader gay marriage bill later this year.
"All hell is going to break lose," Barry said while speaking to reporters. "We may have a civil war. The black community is just adamant against this."
Barry made his remarks a few hours after a group of same-sex marriage opponents, led by black ministers, caused uproar in the Wilson Building after the Council voted 12 to 1 to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. They caused such a ruckus that security guards and police had to clear the hallway. The protesters shouted that council members who voted for the bill will face retribution at the polls.
Although he has been a longtime supporter of gay rights, Barry said he voted against the bill to satisfy his constituents in Southeast Washington.
"What you've got to understand is 98 percent of my constituents are black and we don't have but a handful of openly gay residents," Barry said. "Secondly, at least 70 percent of those who express themselves to me about this are opposed to anything dealing with this issue. The ministers think it is a sin, and I have to be sensitive to that."
But Barry said he disagrees with the ministers' antics today at the Wilson Building, saying the chaos "sets the movement back." Barry Warns of "Civil War" Over Gay Marriage
Sometimes you just don't know what to say...
posted by JimK at 9:52 PM
28 Comments:
The vaunted "rally" that the ministers had outside the District Building on Freedom Plaza yesterday wasn't much.
I work on the 8th Floor of a building overlooking Freedom Plaza. The sound system, with music and speechifying, was quite loud, interfering with my work, so I looked out my window. There were about 50 people there. Not exactly the outpouring of opposition that had earlier been predicted by Bishop Jackson.
It was hard to hear what was actually being said, but I could glean shouting about how God is against same-sex relationships.
I had two reactions. First, I felt (maybe unfairly, but maybe not) that this was the equivalent of a Klan rally -- except that the targets were not Blacks or Jews, but Gays.
Second, I felt great sorrow for the children in these ministers' congregations who happen to be gay. They are being made to hate themselves, or are being driven away from faith communities that may otherwise be important positive aspects of their lives. This is so sad and so unnecessary.
Andrea- not anon
Tax criminal, drug user Marion Barry should just go away and shut up. As someone said in the paper he is no one to lecture anyone on what they should do.
Do I hear “Pot calling the Kettle Black”?
Gay Leaders Terrorize Ex-gays
From the Mass Resistance Web site (http://www.massresistance.org/)
Prominent homosexual activists lead screaming demonstration, terrorize Boston church sponsoring ex-gay religious event. Police make no arrests. "Jesus was gay" pamphlets also handed out.
Tuesday afternoon, several major homosexual activist figures, including a prominent state employee, led a screaming demonstration to terrorize a downtown Boston church while it was holding a peaceful religious training event inside. Using a bullhorn, they illegally trampled through an adjoining Revolutionary War-era cemetery in order to be directly outside the church's windows. Despite numerous apparent violations of the law, the Boston Police talked with them but refused to make any arrests.
The group of about 30 hardcore homosexual activists started their demonstration across the street from the church, in the Boston Common, around noon. After a few haranguing speeches, they marched (with a high-powered bullhorn) to the sidewalk in front of the church and began screaming and chanting.
Then the group went into the cemetery (where Sam Adams and other Revolutionary War figures are buried) and stood next to the big windows on the side of the church and screamed, chanted, and even put the bullhorn right against the windows as it made various screeches and siren noises. The intent was to terrorize the participants inside the church.
They also passed out "Jesus was gay" flyers (see below), just to make sure they made their point to the Christian attendees.
Why were the homosexuals so enraged? Because Park Street Church was holding a religious conference (from Exodus International, http://www.exodus.to/training/) about helping pastors support people dealing with unwanted homosexuality. But the homosexual movement can't handle that concept. So even though this was a private event in a church, the homosexual movement has decided that this must not be allowed, and that the church must be intimidated into submission. Constitutional rights? Just a minor annoyance.
And the Boston Police Department went right along with it. There were obvious violations of the law, including at the very least (1) a clear violation of the Massachusetts Civil Rights statute http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/265-37.htm (2) holding a demonstration (in the graveyard!) without a permit; and (3) creating a public disturbance. But the one uniformed Boston Police officer and two plainclothes officers who were there made no effort to arrest anyone. The uniformed officer asked them a few questions and went on his way (see our video). The Boston Police Department told us yesterday that there were no arrests in the incident.
This was no ordinary demonstration. It was definitely meant to send a message. Though it was relatively small in number, it included several high-profile homosexual activists.
See our video, more photos, and full report at http://www.massresistance.org/docs/gen/09b/ParkStreetChurch_0428/index.html
Among the homosexual leaders at this event (and in our photos):
Wayne Besen. Often featured on The O'Reilly Factor, he is one of the most vicious homosexual activists in the country. His personal attacks on people reveal his over-the-top rage. His particular venom is saved for the ex-gay movement. See http://americansfortruth.com/news/gays-hating-ex-gays-wayne-besens-verbal-assault-on-greg-quinlan.html/
Chris Mason. A former staffer for Mass. Senate President Therese Murray, Mason has a long history of hateful and angry activities and writings against pro-family groups and individuals. See http://www.massresistance.org/docs/events07/mason/index.html He was an organizer for MassEquality and Queer Today and is now a leader of the homosexual group Join the Impact.
Tom Lang. Lang is the founder of KnowThyNeighbor.org, which put the names and addresses of all the signers of the Marriage Amendment on line so they could be harassed and intimidated by homosexuals and others. He seems to have a particular interest in the public schools, having testified at the State House against the Parents Rights Bill.
Stewart Landers. Landers is Director of Community Health Access & Promotion for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. He also describes himself as an "LGBT Health Activist." He apparently took part of his work day to harass a church. Your tax dollars at work.
Pat Gozemba. She is a nationally known lesbian activist who runs CourtingEquality.org, a group that uses the tax-funded Mass. Commission on GLBT Youth to put a homosexual "marriage" books in school libraries across Massachusetts.
Oops. Pushed a button too soon. The last post was from me.
Oops. Blew it, again.
I am not the Anon relying on the report from MassResistance.
Here is my response to the 3d post in this thread.
Anon is totally missing the point of my post. Even assuming the accuracy of the report from MassResistance, this could not be an example of the pot calling the kettle black, since, in my many years of activism in the D.C. area, I have never raised the volume of my voice at a demonstration and have never done anything that could be construed as seeking to silence those opposing the views I hold.
While Anon may simply assume that all those who speak out in favor of the rights of LGBT people are all part of one interlinked tactical conspiracy, Anon is simply misinformed.
More to the point, my post did not refer to tactics, but, first, to the rather woeful turnout of people opposing the DC Council's actions. Second, and most significantly, my post was a comment on the substance of the speakers' message -- a message of fear and the diminution of the humanity of a segment of our community.
Anon, what, actually, do you believe about gay people and whether there is something wrong or evil about gay couples having monogamous, live-long committed relationships? And why do you believe that such relationships should not be accorded the same legal rights and responsibilities as those of straight couples?
This is Mass Resistance, the group that orchestrated the phony David Parker controversy - http://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/2009/04/nom-lies-about-david-parker-controversy.html
It's a falsehood that gay is o.k.
Everyone loses.
Especially the children who are told it's o.k. It's deviant behavior and you're trying to push it as normal.
So, Anon, in your view people who happen to be gay should have shame at their sexual orientation and should either pretend to be straight (and make lives miserable for their unsuspecting spouses) or live celebate and alone.
Would you want that for a child of yours if that child happened to be gay? If you would want that for a child of yours, please explain why.
So David, don’t you support these ex-gay haters?
How can anyone who quotes MassResistance claim to engage David in a reasoned discussion?
I wouldn't bother.
I worry about the politics of the anti-marriage movement in DC. Is it being framed as an issue of race by Barry and Jackson? DC doesn't need this. The people who are most hurt by such positioning are lgbt people of color.
Robert,
Every once in a while, I think it a useful exercise to so engage. Anon's failure to answer simple questions exposes the narrowness and lack of simple humanity of his/her statements.
Over time, I would like to think that such discussions may help people like Anon at least question their own narrowness. And even if they do not, these exercises help sharpen our own thinking, to help us in discussions with those good-hearted people who are just perplexed by a world they never imagined existed.
I, too, am concerned about Marion Barry's desparate attempt to same his dying political career by turning to demagoguery (particulary ironic when it is recalled that he used to cultivate gay support).
Perhaps it would be useful for Congressman John Lewis, the patron saint of the Civil Rights Movement who is a strong supporter of LGBT rights and dignity, spoke out on this particular issue. I'd stack up John Lewis against Marion Barry any day. Both came out of the Civil Rights Movement; one stayed true to the principles of the Movement, while the other utterly lost his way in a miasma of drugs and corruption. A juxtaposition of the two is a fascinating case study of what can emerge from such revolutionary change.
Mass Resistance demonstrates hypocrisy when it complains about groups and individuals, "which put the names and addresses of all the signers of the Marriage Amendment on line so they could be harassed and intimidated while it lists the names and affiliations of marriage equality activists who disagree with them. The language Mass Resistance uses, from "screaming demonstrations" to "intended to terrorize" to "over-the-top hate" is carefully selected for the purpose of whipping up their own wingnut base to harass and intimidate marriage equality activists.
David - if you want to be gay in your own home, be gay. It is still a behavior choice. Just as alcoholism and drug use. Just as many other decisions. It requires self control, not giving in or believing that's just how you are.
Marion Barry decided to change his bad behavior. Good for him.
"Level headed"
Alcholism and drug abuse are self-destructive behaviors. How can it be self-destructive for people who happen to be gay to enter into committed monogamous relationships, accorded full rights and responsibilites, just like straight couples are permitted?
I await your response.
Bad anonymous said "David - if you want to be gay in your own home, be gay. It is still a behavior choice.".
As we discussed before, to be gay is to be same sex attracted - it is not a behavior, virgins can be gay. We do not choose who we are attracted to.
"Anonymous" - perhaps you could adhere to your own advice ("if you want to be gay in your own home, be gay. It is still a behavior choice. Just as alcoholism and drug use. Just as many other decisions. It requires self control, not giving in or believing that's just how you are.")
Bigotry, hatred, homophobia, and ignorance are behaviour choices. You should exercise some self-control and confine these behaviours to your own home, where they will not do damage to the lives of other people.
Citizen
As for Marion Barry, where did that $270,000 he owes the government in taxes go? What behaviors does he need to change?
Barry explained his about face on marriage by saying that almost all of his constituents were black. It seems to indicate that he is trying to exploit racial tensions to foster his limping political career.
Again, the people who get hurt are our lgbt brothers and sisters of color.
David. . . .no one "happens" to be gay. It's a desire and so is uncontrolled eating and shopping and drinking, etc.
If I had a child who was gay, I would love them, but not agree with or condone the lifestyle.
Never, because it is not normal
behavior. It never will be.
Mr./Mrs./Ms Level-Headed : What in your skewed life-view makes you normal? Protect us from "normality" if you are an example of it!
Level Headed,
Every mainstream American medical and mental health professional association has concluded that being gay is not an illness or a disorder. It is just a way some people are.
What you are telling me is that because you do not consider homosexuality to be "normal," you would urge your child, if gay, to be a life-long celebate and alone. And if your child chose to follow his or her heart, not harming anyone, that rather than embracing him or her you would continue express your opposition to even a monogamous, committed "lifestyle." It is this sort of needless rejection that drives families apart and, sadly, often leads to sad outcomes for gay youth, including suicide.
For children's sake, I pray that you never have a gay child.
Bad anonymous said "no one "happens" to be gay.".
Of course they do, just like most people happen to be heterosexual
Bad anonymous said "It's a desire and so is uncontrolled eating and shopping and drinking, etc."
That's correct. Its a desire just like heterosexuality. Glad you've acknowledged your mistake in claiming that it is a behavior choice.
I'm just thinking today:
Yay for Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, DC, Maine, and Iowa.
Also: President Barack Hussein Obama.
Love the child, don't agree with or encourage the behavior.
Children need guidance, not another friend. We don't let children eat whatever they want.
We steer them to what is healthy.
Gay behavior is not healthy.
So, we shouldn't say it is o.k.
when it is not.
Teach your children well.
Level-Headed: Should we assume that you would teach your children that hatred and ignorance and stupidity are acceptible? That's healthy?
You said: "Children need guidance...We steer them to what is healthy. Gay behavior is not healthy. So, we shouldn't say it is o.k. when it is not."
Would you also teach them that heterosexual behaviour is not healthy? (The facts certainly substantiate that!)
Unless throughly brain-washed, you will not be able to control what your children nor any other children think. You are on the losing side of this "debate"; your hateful kind is a dying breed. The more you rant and tear your hair and tear your clothing...the more it becomes obvious that you are a loser.
(Can't wait for your usual snide response!)
Citizen
Children are impressionable. Children are vulnerable.
Teach them to know right from wrong. Teach them to uphold values and to avoid people and situations that clamor to corrupt them.
Teach them to avoid deviant behavior.
Teach your children well.
And most importantly, love your children unconditionally.
Yes, love your children unconditionally.
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