Gay Republicans in Denial

The BoifromTroy has the following post about the Senate's upcoming vote on same-sex marriage.

I am hopeful that the President's pushing for a vote means one thing--he does not want it to be an election issue and, perhaps, in his heart, he really does not believe in it. Maybe I am wrong about this...but it would be encouraging for gay Republicans (and all gays for that matter) not to be politicized--and to fight an election over national security and the really important issues of the day.

I apologize if it sounds like I'm making fun of Boi. It's because, well, I am making fun of him. Even Andrew Sullivan has decided he can't vote for Bush because of his politicizing same-sex marriage for such nefarious reasons: "I do indeed feel betrayed, as do many other gay people who trusted this president and paid a price in many ways for supporting him. . . . My only dilemma now is whether to support Kerry or sit this one out. . . ."

You're right, Boi, I don't think Bush gives a fuck about same-sex marriage one way or the other, but he'll certainly butt-fuck you without a smile or lubricant if it gets his zealots and bigots out to vote. Getting anything to do with homosexuality on a ballot during an election year is designed to stir up the bigots and idiots of the religious zealots who own the Republican party these days. I think that's covered in Slime Politics 101.

There are a lot of issues this year that are much more important to me than same-sex marriage. Despite Sen. Cronym's disingenuous logic of blaming same-sex marriage on liberals in Massachussetts, the parade to keep same-sex marriage on the front page is being led by Conservatives who ought to be demanding instead a fair method of taxation to pay for the War in Iraq. I haven't heard any Conservatives expressing concern and opposition to the TRILLION dollar deficit this administration is saddling onto future generations. When I was growing up, to be a Conservative meant that you had standards and principles. It was not a code word for bigotry. Times have changed.

This was not the most important issue on my list. It became the most important issue when the Republican Party has decided the most important social issue in this country is to enshrine religious bigotry into the Constitution at my expense. Up until that time, we had common ground. Where's your common ground with the Republican Party, Boi? Not at a booth at the Republican state conventions in Texas, Virginia, or North Carolina. Do you think you'll be welcomed in New York? Like the last convention when the openly Gay legislator from Arizona addressed the convention and the entire Texas delegation which was seated directly in front of the podium, stood up and turned their backs to him? Did you enjoy that?

I do not believe that Gays and Lesbians have a choice this November. If you value your own human dignity, there is no way you can support the Republican Party or the President. He has sold you down the river. Let those who have eyes, see. Let those who have ears, hear. This is not an exercise in abstraction or hyperbole. The ass on the line is yours and mine.

Comments

[andante]

....it ain't just a river in Egypt.

How can ANYONE be so totally, absolutely blind, deaf, and ignorant?

The GOPers have made it plain in every way they can that gays and lesbians are not welcome.

[wanda]

Frankly I have always been puzzled by anyone not full fledged straight (as in narrow minded) who could be a republican. Republicans traditionally are far too concerned with the religious and sex lives of the general population.
It is very important that the rest of us remember come Nov 2nd it's not going to be enough to simply not vote for Bush. You must get out there and vote for Kerry. Every vote not cast is a vote for Bush. Same with votes for Nadar. This is a case where there mantra works in reverse. You are either against them or your with them. We have to get not just Bush out of the White House, but this bunch of uptight,busy-body, American Taliban, bigots out of the Senate and Congress as well. Sanity and comman sense must regain the majority if this country is to remain the home of the free.

[sam]

I'm not sure what's up with these folks, and surprisingly there are a lot of them.

http://www.gop.com/About/PartyPlatform/default.aspx?Section=4

"For the same reason, we do not believe sexual preference should be given special legal protection or standing in law."

Three paragraphs later, under the heading "Upholding the Rights of All" -

"Equality of individuals before the law has always been a cornerstone of our party. We therefore oppose discrimination based on sex, race, age, religion, creed, disability, or national origin and will vigorously enforce anti-discrimination statutes."

Except for gays.

[Michael]

Andy will vote for Bush. He's just having another of his patented snits, but I'd bet real money he'll be back to kissing Duh-bya's hind end within two weeks.

I don't honestly know what to make of the scheduled vote on the Hate Amendment next month. I think, if I'd been Santorum, I might have made the vote two days later, to coincide with Bastille Day--because I think it's going to be a bloody slaughter for the Repugs. Santorum has admitted he doesn't have the votes to pass it, yet, unlike the budget bill a few weeks ago (which they pulled from the agenda when it became clear it wouldn't fly), he's scheduled the vote anyway. In fact, Santorum doesn't even have the 60 votes he'd need to stop a filibuster by the Democrats and at least a few moderate Republicans.

And if Santorum doesn't think they're going to filibuster this bill, then he's crazier than I thought. A filibuster, it seems to me, is the perfect response. It lets the Democrats talk non-stop on C-SPAN about why this is a hateful, nasty bill, an unwarranted and unnecessary tinkering with our foundational document, and a complete waste of valuable legislative time that might be better spent in getting the federal budget fixed, supporting our troops with more than mere words, doing something to protect our ports and other vulnerable facilities from terrorist attack because Emperor Chimpy has failed to pony up the money he promised for such protection more than two years ago. It also gives cover to those Democrats (and moderate Republicans) who might have to vote "Yes" if the amendment actually came up, to cover their asses with the voters back home in conservative-leaning districts.

[oldcatman]

Where's Beau?

Excellent, excellent POINT: Too damn many people in this country chose a candidate because of one issue--really dumb! I guess the key word is "compromise" on ALL of the key issues!

[Houston]

The only reason to vote on this bill at this point in time is an attempt to force Democrat senators up for re-election to go on the record for the folks back home. Republicans are convinced that Americans hate faggots more than they love their country. I don't believe Bush is a true believer with this cause, he's just a whore responding to opportunity. Others like Santorum and Musgrave, they're the ones you wonder about. What we need to do is to convince moderate Republicans that they are enabling the extremists in their party. When I point out things like the Texas Republican Party's platform to my moderate Republican cousins, they just poo poo it as so much rhetoric not binding on their points of view. And the Extremists march on.

Beau's hanging out helping me around the house. No pictures 'cause my good camera's in the shop and I can't get a good shot using my old one. He strikes a good pose and if I move to try and get it, he adjusts me my moving and the pose is gone. He likes Saturdays though. His daddy's home all day. I get up, he gets up. I sit down, he sits down. I take a constitution, he takes a constitution. Me and my shadow. It's kind of cute, actually.

[Jaye]

Andrew Sullivan is really odd. How could someone that bright actually think that "sitting this one out" really means sitting this one out.

Not voting is voting for Bush.

Unless of course he lives in a state that doesn't matter.

As for me, I live in Texas. Kerry doesn't have a prayer here. But I feel better about going to the polls, voting against the Son of Bush than to sit this one out. Not that my vote matters. It matters to me.

Gay marriage is a campaign issue no matter what Congress does. The national security issue isn't so much about IRAQ, but where else the SOB will take us. Oh, yeah and a draft to get us there.

[Michael]

I'm not so sure, Jaye. At least according to the WaPo yesterday, it seems to be a bit of a dud thus far--even with the Repuglican base. The Hate Amendment could well be another one of those Bushit projects that gets announced with great fanfare, lands with the resounding thud of the proverbial lead balloon rediscovering the surly bonds of earth, and then fading off into the mists of time without even Mr. Eliot's patented whimper.

[TIMMY!]

it isn't one issue that makes the president, it is all the issues that we have to decide on.

[Charles2]

Great post, Dallas. I've never been able to figure out why there are any gay Republicans. I can hold many other conflicting ideas in my head at one time; but that pair completely escapes me.

Despite any advantages a Rethug administration might give to gays with portfolios, the mere fact that they'd like nothing better than to confiscate that portfolio and use the proceeds to exterminate them and their GLBT bretheren ought to be enough to dissuade them from voting R.

I just don't get it.