Have a new “favorite” in this series of Texts from Hillary.
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Category Archives: Poltics
Obama’s support for same sex marriage is a game changer
President Obama “came out” in support of same sex marriage yesterday. Why he chose now and how he got to this point is irrelevant to me. What does matter is a sitting President is on record supporting marriage equality, and that is a game changer for three crucial reasons.
First, although his support does not change Federal Law, having the public support of the highest elected official in the country matters (and it matters a lot). When Massachusetts legalized Same Sex Marriage on May 17, 2004 it was only because incremental changes and advancements which had started years before came to fruition. Obama’s support is more than an incremental advancement.
Obama’s standing within the African American, Black and Arabic communities here and abroad is without equal. These communities have long been some of the most vocal opposing same sex marriage. Obama’s endorsement and framing the issue as one of equality and fairness will have significant impact on these communities. No doubt there will be some heated sermons in traditionally black churches this Sunday through out the United States.
Lastly, Obama has set a standard which all future Presidential nominees will now be found wanting if they don’t support marriage equality. While this will fire up those opposed to same sex marriage; I believe this is still a gain for the President and for states currently debating legalizing same sex marriage. Americans love to support winners and the prejudicial arguments to oppose same sex marriage is sounding more and more like a losing argument. Obama’s support is a game changer.
Anti-gay Amendment One passes in North Carolina
The decades may pass but hatred seems to always find no greater ally than a Christian (or so it seems). Thank you North Carolina and all the “Christian” churches who lobbied so hard to legislate hatred with Amendment One last night. You’ve lived up to my stereotype of what it means to be a Southern Christian.
Richard Grenell resigns from Romney Campaign
Richard Grenell was hired as Mitt Romney’s foreign policy spokesperson three weeks ago. His hiring caused immediate controversy with conservatives who did not like the fact that he was gay and in favor of same sex relationships. With the conservative base in an uproar, Grenell tendered his resignation this week.
Although the Romney campaign has expressed disappointment and said they tried to dissuade Grenell from resigning, the NYT reports, “when he (Grenell) had sought forceful support from those who had entrusted him with a major role, the campaign seemed to be focused, instead, on quieting a political storm that could detract from Mr. Romney’s message and his appeal to a crucial constituency.”
Hardly shocking considering Romney’s pandering
I don’t want to paint Grenell as a hapless victim. He’s taken swipes at high profile leaders in the Republican party and apparently has quite a sharp tongue so no doubt some of the controversy was manufactured political payback. However, if you happen to be a gay man it is hard not to see the venom that the Republican base spewed because this qualified, knowledgeable individual is gay and would like to be able to marry his spouse. This party sickens me.
Chris Evans LGBT ally
Actor Chris Evans whose brother, Scott Evans, is gay and who he accidentally outed in an interview recently said the following about same sex marriage.
“Are you kidding me? It’s insane that civil rights are being denied people in this day and age. It’s embarrassing, and it’s heartbreaking. It goes without saying that I”m completely in support of gay marriage. In 10 years we’ll be ashamed that this was an issue.”
While I don’t speak for the LGBT community, I think I speak for many when I say, “Thank You”. I agree that those who oppose same sex marriage are on the wrong side of history and should be ashamed (cough, cough) Mitt Romney… or should I have typed nearly every elected official of the Republican Party.
Is it any wonder at times I feel like a leper in my own country?
In case you are wondering, your votes matter – register today.
“I was a severely conservative Republican” – Mitt Romney
Now that the Republican Presidential primary season has essentially ended, President Obama’s re-election team has released this video.
The impact of the Occupy movement
Could the Occupy Movement’s theme of “fairness” be resonating? Frustration with executive pay and income disparity is a cornerstone to this movement, and part of the reason their protests took off in 2011.
Yesterday CitiGroup became the first major business that I’m aware of to get a “thumbs down” over proposed compensation for approving pay for its CEO by it’s share holders. The embarrassing snub to Vikram Pandit’s pay is not quite a trend but it is noteworthy considering this is one of Wall Street’s and our nation’s largest companies.
Considering the horrible job Pandit has done the snub hardly seems to be without merit. In 2011 Pandit’s pay was $14.8 million. If this was a Tweet, I’d feel compelled to end it with #Occupy, because as more time passes the more I sympathize and identify with this movement.
We don’t need health care reform
If air travel worked like healthcare
Of course health reform is unnecessary. We’ve got it all figured out in the United States. Let’s keep the system we have. You know how the saying goes, “you reap what you sow”.
If Romney is such a great businessman why is he so out of step with the business community
The depths of despicability NOM has sunk is not news, nor is the fact that Mitt Romney donated $10,000 to this organization a few years ago .
What is news is the growing divide between corporate America and Romney. His support of organizations like NOM shows his “business-friendly” policies are limited to tax breaks only. To paraphrase Microsoft, Romney’s views and support of NOM are “bad for business.”
Microsoft’s support for LGBT marriage equality in WA
Microsoft is by no means alone in their opposition to organizations like NOM. Many of our country’s largest and most admired firms (e.g. Apple, Starbucks, TJX, etc) have become more outspoken for marriage equality and LGBT acceptance. In recent years, these firms have shifted from providing a ‘welcome’ workplace to advocating for LGBT rights.
Romney’s support for NOM deserves your disdain.
If asked, no I’m not a huge fan of Obama’s but I’ll take my chances with a candidate who isn’t bankrolling organizations like NOM. Screw the economy, I have bigger issues like dignity and personal pride – voting for a candidate who supports organizations like NOM is bad for American business and even worse for those hoping for a more inclusive America.
Senator Scott Brown Bay Windows guest opinion
Photo by Mark Stockwell
I’ve been openly critical of Senator Scott Brown’s lack of dialog with the LGBT community. No matter how you slice the demographics, MA has one of the largest LGBT populations in the country so to categorically ignore such a vocal and politically active constituency has made no sense.
Compound his total silence to date with the fact that his predecessor (the late Sen. Kennedy) not only maintained open dialog with the LGBT community but was also a huge champion and leader of LGBT rights. To have such sudden and unwanted silence from our US Senator has been more than disappointing – its been disconcerting.
You may read Senator Brown’s guest opinion in Bay Windows, but if you cannot get access to a hard copy it is also available online here.
In the guest opinion, Senator Brown describes how he approached such important LGBT votes like DADT (by the way his support was crucial). He spends a fair amount of time addressing how much he and President Obama agree and have worked together which is rather refreshing to hear in an age of party bickering, but I’m not won over yet. I’m still unsettled by a US Senator who has treated me and my community like we are invisible and my vote is still firmly for Elizabeth Warren.
Mitt Romney supported NOM
Last week I wrote about confidential documents from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) made public in my post here. These documents detailed a blueprint written by NOM to drive a wedge between gays and blacks with a “divide and conquer” strategy.
NOM has been considered a fringe group from the beginning. Their rhetoric and techniques have made them notorious and for that reason only the most virulent opponents to same sex marriage have associated themselves with this organization.
Mitt Romney’s support of NOM is shameful
It was both surprising and disappointing to learn last Friday in 2008 Mitt Romney donated $10,000 to NOM. With scores of organizations opposing same sex marriage, Romney could and did financially support many organizations opposing marriage equality. So why did he feel the need to also provide such a generous donation to NOM? Political posturing? His belief in NOM? Regardless Mitt Romney’s support of NOM is shameful.
April Fools’ Day
Today is April Fools’ Day. A day many use as an excuse to play all kinds of jokes and foolishness. While the day is meant for pranksters and all in good fun, not all jokes are funny and sometimes a Fool really can try one’s patience.
Who is the bigger fool these candidates
or the men and women looking to them to lead our nation?
So I thought I’d share three fools who I’ve lost my patience with and who I no longer laugh or jest about. These three men in particular have successfully moved the political dialog in the United States so far to the right that I no longer can bear the thought of any of them.
These three men have dashed so far to the right that their meaningless debates have been about topics like should birth control be made available, initiating a war with Iran and building colonies on the moon – no joke. If I had told friends likely to vote Republican in the next election these would be the topics dominating Republican debates I’m fairly certain I could have wagered them all $100 (or maybe I should’ve bet $10,000 as Romney did to Gov. Perry in one debate).
Confidential NOM documents show a strategy to “drive a wedge between gays and blacks”
NOM protester from anti-gay marriage rally from 2010
On Monday in Maine the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released confidential documents from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). These documents were shared as evidence in Maine’s ongoing ethics investigation into NOM’s campaign finances.
According to the articles from TruthWinsOut.org and Human Rights Campaign these documents were part of a continuing investigation by the state of Maine. The court-ordered disclosure shows how NOM’s strategy and tactics are racially and ethnically divisive and filled with false political calculations.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, personal opinions may vary on the morality of sexual identity / orientation, but legally everyone must be treated fairly under the law. A law that restricts the freedoms of one group over another will eventually find itself on the wrong side of history, and those opposing same sex marriage will be remembered by history with scorn.
Jason and Randy
This past weekend I attended a wedding, and the justice of the peace pointed out while the tradition of marriage is not new, the two getting married were among the first generation of gay men in the US to legally wed each other. So I wanted to take a quick moment to recognize the two grooms, Jason and Randy who invited me to bear witness to their ceremony and say, “Thank you.”
Their reasons for marrying had little to do with politics and more to do with a desire to build a life together, but their actions taken in context of a larger trend show that as more men and women come out of the closet and come together the taboo of being “gay” is disappearing. Massachusetts would have never legalized gay marriage in 2004 had it not been for the tens of thousands of gay men and women who stepped out from the closet in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even recently.
For those living in places where being gay is still “bad” or “wrong” I hope you read this post and can see your future in the life Jason and Randy are now starting together. No matter where you live in this country, the laws are changing because the public’s perception of what it means to be gay is changing, and a lot of that is due to men like Jason and Randy who are just living the American Dream with a bit of a gay twist.
BosGuy 