WTF???
I've said it before and, guess what children? I'm-a-gonna say it again! "Gay Republicans" make about as much sense as "military intelligence" or "Jews for Jesus." I don't, for the life of me, understand how anyone of my ilk could possibly vote against their own best interest. Really, unless you are white, heterosexual and in the top 1% of the top 10% income bracket, the Republican Party could care less about you. People such as the "religious right" and the "Log Cabin Republicans" are little more than tools used to bolster the public image / voting power of the GOP.
The biggest tool of them all, in the GLBT forum, is president of the Log Cabin Republicans, Patrick Sammon.
In an interview with the venerable GLBT news magazine, "Advocate," Kerry Eleveld reported on Sammon's views as to the Log Cabin Republican's endorsement of John McCain:
The Advocate: Where do gay rights fall in terms of priorities for Log Cabin Republicans as an organization?
Patrick Sammon: We’re a gay rights organization working from inside the Republican Party, and so we’re completely focused on how do we advance equality for LGBT people. And the fact is, doing so will require votes and support from Republicans, and so we made this endorsement of Senator McCain with the very clear focus on how this decision will impact and benefit our community. The fact is, even those who disagree with our decision should realize there’s a 50% chance that Senator McCain wins this election, and I ask those people, do they really want our community sitting on the sidelines for the next four years? I say no. I say that Senator McCain, in the totality of his record, is someone who has demonstrated that he can be a maverick, that has demonstrated he’s an inclusive Republican, and I believe that if he’s elected, as a community we will make progress on some of the issues that are so important to all.
What???? Is Sammon taking too many lithium flakes in his Cheerios? Here's what I've researched as to McCain's REAL record, when it comes to GLBT rights.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, McCain's voting record speaks for itself, though he will likely continue to espouse himself as a "maverick" who works outside the beltway, blah, blah, blah.
A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans
OPPOSED Ending Discrimination Against GLBT Americans in the Workplace. Senator McCain cast a deciding vote against the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act.
OPPOSED Protecting GLBT Americans from Hate Crimes. Senator McCain voted three times against expanding the federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation.
PROPONENT of Discriminatory Military Policy. Senator McCain supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and does not believe that gays should serve in the military.
OPPONENT of Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples. Senator McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal rights and benefits in any state.
ACTIVELY SUPPORTED State Ban on Domestic Partnerships. Senator McCain campaigned for a ban on same-sex relationship recognition in his home state of Arizona – even appearing in a campaign television ad.
SUPPORTED the Confirmation of Anti-GLBT Equality Judges. Senator McCain voted to confirm President Bush’s judicial nominees who had taken anti-GLBT positions. He has pointed to Justice Samuel Alito as a role model for future Supreme Court appointments.
SUPPORTED a Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policy. Senator McCain supported a Jesse Helms strategy to cut off funding for prevention efforts aimed at the gay community and voted to prohibit foreign nationals with HIV from immigrating to the United States.
It makes even less sense, then, when Sammon defends his opinion, and that of the Log Cabin Republicans, when he told "The Advocate:"
He’s the only candidate in the field who’s actually paid a political price for a vote that benefited gay and lesbian people. The fact is, one of the reasons social conservatives distrust him is because he twice voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment -- that took political courage, and he paid a price for it with his base. He paid a price that made it harder to win the nomination. I think he needs to be applauded for that. He’s not where we want him to be on every issue -- I’m the first one to admit that -- but at the end of the day, on the most significant issue that our community has faced, he was on the right side of it.
But wait! Didn't the Human Rights Campaign report just tell us McCain voted FOR the Federal Marriage Amendment?
According to a CNN.com report, http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/14/mccain.marriage/, McCain did not so much oppose the CONCEPT of the amendment as it did what Republicans usually do... pass the buck off on the state governments to enforce their own laws regarding GLBT rights. The bill was ultimately dropped and yes, McCain did openly oppose it... but not because it was wrong... but because he didn't wish the Federal Gov't to take on the heavy responsibility of looking like a bunch of old, baby-boomer homophobes... especially in an election cycle.
It is this writer's opinion that Patrick Sammon is little more than just another mouth piece willing to repeat and regurgitate the rhetoric and talking points of the GOP. I know we as Pagans are supposed to be understanding, all-inclusive and open to new points of view, but I cannot when that point of view is little more than a skewed spin on the truth. I certainly cannot when a group of my own kind supports someone who would have nothing to do with our rights as people. How long do these idiots have to exist as a politically-active entity before they figure out that a Republican-run Oval office, Congress or even Judiciary do NOT have our best interests at heart. Hell... I knew that all the way back to Regan!
Raven-Feather Phoenix / Lord Daniel
GLBT Support Director for the tradition
Path Of The Wise Ones
www.wise-ones.org
The biggest tool of them all, in the GLBT forum, is president of the Log Cabin Republicans, Patrick Sammon.
In an interview with the venerable GLBT news magazine, "Advocate," Kerry Eleveld reported on Sammon's views as to the Log Cabin Republican's endorsement of John McCain:
The Advocate: Where do gay rights fall in terms of priorities for Log Cabin Republicans as an organization?
Patrick Sammon: We’re a gay rights organization working from inside the Republican Party, and so we’re completely focused on how do we advance equality for LGBT people. And the fact is, doing so will require votes and support from Republicans, and so we made this endorsement of Senator McCain with the very clear focus on how this decision will impact and benefit our community. The fact is, even those who disagree with our decision should realize there’s a 50% chance that Senator McCain wins this election, and I ask those people, do they really want our community sitting on the sidelines for the next four years? I say no. I say that Senator McCain, in the totality of his record, is someone who has demonstrated that he can be a maverick, that has demonstrated he’s an inclusive Republican, and I believe that if he’s elected, as a community we will make progress on some of the issues that are so important to all.
What???? Is Sammon taking too many lithium flakes in his Cheerios? Here's what I've researched as to McCain's REAL record, when it comes to GLBT rights.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, McCain's voting record speaks for itself, though he will likely continue to espouse himself as a "maverick" who works outside the beltway, blah, blah, blah.
A Record of Opposing the Interests of GLBT Americans
OPPOSED Ending Discrimination Against GLBT Americans in the Workplace. Senator McCain cast a deciding vote against the federal Employment Non Discrimination Act.
OPPOSED Protecting GLBT Americans from Hate Crimes. Senator McCain voted three times against expanding the federal hate crimes law to include sexual orientation.
PROPONENT of Discriminatory Military Policy. Senator McCain supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and does not believe that gays should serve in the military.
OPPONENT of Equal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples. Senator McCain voted for the Defense of Marriage Act which prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal rights and benefits in any state.
ACTIVELY SUPPORTED State Ban on Domestic Partnerships. Senator McCain campaigned for a ban on same-sex relationship recognition in his home state of Arizona – even appearing in a campaign television ad.
SUPPORTED the Confirmation of Anti-GLBT Equality Judges. Senator McCain voted to confirm President Bush’s judicial nominees who had taken anti-GLBT positions. He has pointed to Justice Samuel Alito as a role model for future Supreme Court appointments.
SUPPORTED a Discriminatory HIV/AIDS Policy. Senator McCain supported a Jesse Helms strategy to cut off funding for prevention efforts aimed at the gay community and voted to prohibit foreign nationals with HIV from immigrating to the United States.
It makes even less sense, then, when Sammon defends his opinion, and that of the Log Cabin Republicans, when he told "The Advocate:"
He’s the only candidate in the field who’s actually paid a political price for a vote that benefited gay and lesbian people. The fact is, one of the reasons social conservatives distrust him is because he twice voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment -- that took political courage, and he paid a price for it with his base. He paid a price that made it harder to win the nomination. I think he needs to be applauded for that. He’s not where we want him to be on every issue -- I’m the first one to admit that -- but at the end of the day, on the most significant issue that our community has faced, he was on the right side of it.
But wait! Didn't the Human Rights Campaign report just tell us McCain voted FOR the Federal Marriage Amendment?
According to a CNN.com report, http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/14/mccain.marriage/, McCain did not so much oppose the CONCEPT of the amendment as it did what Republicans usually do... pass the buck off on the state governments to enforce their own laws regarding GLBT rights. The bill was ultimately dropped and yes, McCain did openly oppose it... but not because it was wrong... but because he didn't wish the Federal Gov't to take on the heavy responsibility of looking like a bunch of old, baby-boomer homophobes... especially in an election cycle.
It is this writer's opinion that Patrick Sammon is little more than just another mouth piece willing to repeat and regurgitate the rhetoric and talking points of the GOP. I know we as Pagans are supposed to be understanding, all-inclusive and open to new points of view, but I cannot when that point of view is little more than a skewed spin on the truth. I certainly cannot when a group of my own kind supports someone who would have nothing to do with our rights as people. How long do these idiots have to exist as a politically-active entity before they figure out that a Republican-run Oval office, Congress or even Judiciary do NOT have our best interests at heart. Hell... I knew that all the way back to Regan!
Raven-Feather Phoenix / Lord Daniel
GLBT Support Director for the tradition
Path Of The Wise Ones
www.wise-ones.org
Add a Comment
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Comment by Roberta Anne on December 21, 2008 at 3:21am - Fantastic....FANTASTIC post........
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