Get With It Paterson and NY Democrats!
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| Sat, 11-29-2008 - 9:15am |
The New York Governor David A Paterson and NY Dems led people to believe they would move to legalize gay marriage in New York NOW, not later. Now the Dems are letting us down.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/nyregion/29marriage.html?hp
Get with it Paterson! No excuses. This does not cost money, like all the other reforms you are shooting down as too costly. Paterson you are blind. You know what it's like to be different. Remember back before the law said people had to act decently in making accommodations for blind people?
And you are black. How did Jim Crow make you feel? Not so good I am guessing. It was a disgrace. Just like the fact that gay people can't have their relationships acknowledged like everyone else. Gays are separate but equal. They can have civil unions sometimes, or maybe even marriage but always tomorrow because of some excuse.
And you grew up with gay people Paterson. You know the truth. You have experienced it. It's not just hypothetical for you.
New York Democrats, the Californians are starting to see the light. Polls are shifting. The Cals are beginning to realize they were duped by another flood of right-wing money. The Cals are beginning to see that gays are scapegoated by the right to further political ends. The Cals are beginning to see more light about the disgrace going on.
Trust the people Paterson and New York Democrats. Do something. Do something now. Stand up for us and stop the injustice. We demand it. If you are worried about negative consequences at the polls, that makes you as bad on this issue as the Republicans and mark my words it will backfire on you.

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This is the ugly side of politics and elections - people think nothing of stripping rights from others when the rights have no impact upon themselves, and they think nothing of using the issue as a pawn in their election machinations.
While I appreciate the strategising on one level, it is disheartening on another level - why not at least be out there making a case for why it is the right thing to do, instead of hiding out hoping for stronger numbers? Those stronger numbers will come when more knowledge of the issue exists.
I do understand there are huge issues that require attention in the here and now... but real people
Full length fiction: worlds undone
"You have no power over my body..." ~ Anne Hutchinson
"This is the ugly side of politics and elections - people think nothing of stripping rights from others when the rights have no impact upon themselves,"
. . . which is why we have to show our leaders that if they don't lead in the way they promised there will be an impact. That will be the end of their power. If Paterson renegs on this promise I and millions of others will be very disappointed. He has no excuse other than he's gotten cold feet. He has killed so much of the Democratic agenda because of his hand wringing over the budget. That excuse won't work here.
If anything, permitting gay marriage in New York would be a sorely needed huge boon to our economy. What about super-rich bicoastal gay people? If New York struck the disgraceful Jim Crow laws against gay people right after California reaffirmed them, to where do you think a bunch of them are going to move their primary residence?
We have to show Paterson that on the one hand passing the reform will benefit our economy and be consistent with his save the budget at all costs moves, and on the other hand if he wimps out on this he will pay a dear political price. And we need to make sure that he feels that piece of his soul he knows will be lost forever if he lets the discrimination against gay people continue when the Democrats have promised to end it.
If you hose the gay people David Paterson, if you hose those hundreds of thousands of New York citizens by perpetuating Jim Crow laws again them, you will feel it David Paterson. You will feel it in your soul, just like Lee Atwater. And you will feel it in all the lost money money money that you and the Democrats will lose in campaign contributions, and all the votes you can kiss goodbye, and all the bad press like this that you will keep getting and getting and getting. We will be your Energizer Bunny David Paterson, to help you do the right thing, God bless your soul.
Maybe the government should not be involved in acknowledging any marriages, only have civil unions.
I personally believe we will one day have civil marriage for everyone - this is what government will recognise. Churches will then be able to offer to marry people as their rules dicate, but this marry is in addition to, not a replacement for civil marriage.
Full length fiction: worlds undone
"You have no power over my body..." ~ Anne Hutchinson
I agree with that and that should happen but to compare that to the discrimination of blacks and jim crow laws is silly.
Sorry, but it is the same. Discrimination is discrimination, and measuring the relative worth of the discrimination is not a worthy excercise - it all harms, and it all does damage.
Coretta Scott King was a huge supporter of gay folk, she firmly believed the two were interconnected and relevant.
People blow this off because it mostly does not affect them, yet they turn around, step in a voting booth, and toss away someone's rights. That is an unconscionable act, and I like that the Governor claims it will get tossed by a court. I like that he supports it getting tossed by a court.
When one is on the receiving end, as I am with this... the dynamics are different. I see the hurt it causes, I see wonderful people denied the right to legally declare their commitment to each other.
I am a feminist, and I am a gay woman. Both causes are dear to me, one carries no more weight than the other, both get my heart and my soul.
Full length fiction: worlds undone
"You have no power over my body..." ~ Anne Hutchinson
Marriage has evolved through various meanings through time and across various societies. Kate has posted this stuff a billion times on this board.
Same sex marriage will be a non-issue in 30 years, legal across this country.
Full length fiction: http://llhaesa.org/ (pronounced la.hay.ess.sa)
Full length fiction: worlds undone
"You have no power over my body..." ~ Anne Hutchinson
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