George Bush, directed by Karl Rove and assisted by Ken Mehlman, ran for president in 2004 on a gay-bashing platform, hooking his fate to a series of anti-gay marriage referenda in key states. As religious right-wing voters rushed to the polls to make sure gays couldn't marry, they carried the tide for the Republicans, reelecting Bush by a hair.
Watching Bush's campaign, wiley Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney began slowly establishing himself as a major anti-gay voice in preparation for seeking the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. The immediate stimulus for Romney's increasingly anti-gay stance was the Massachusetts State Supreme Court's decision in November 2003 to allow gay marriage in the state. Although technically complying with the law, Romney supported an amendment to the state constitution to ban gay marriage -- it never passed -- while lobbying in support of the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban gay marriage.
Somewhere along the way, the American landscape shifted towards supporting gay marriage. Actually, we can trace the switch in American public opinion to this summer. Between August 2009 and August 2010, Associated Press polls went from 46% in favor of same-sex marriage to -- ta-da -- 52%.
And so, Romney's shift may not have been in time. Or, rather, not at the right time. Other Republicans have become more muted on the gay marriage issue. For example, few Republican politicians expressed disapproval at a federal judge's decision to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. They may see the handwriting on the wall.
And now comes the vote on repealing the military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," originally implemented by Bill Clinton in 1993. Led by John McCain, Senate Republicans blocked the Senate from considering the defense authorization bill that would have repealed DADT. And they were, to judge from McCain, proud of it. Every single Senate Republican -- except for Lisa Murkowski, who was in Alaska -- voted with McCain and the Republican leadership.
It takes some thinking to figure why the Republicans are so unified in opposing a pro-gay position that Americans support even more than they do gay marriage -- although wording can make responses fluctuate 10% in either direction. In this case, however, McCain and other Republicans can hide behind the ongoing Pentagon study of the likely military impact of repeal.
How long will Republicans care to hold out against granting gay Americans equal rights, with pro-gay support rising every month? It is difficult to say, since there in all likelihood will be more, probably many more, Republicans in both houses of Congress following the Fall elections. But even among that group, there will be increasing defections. Pressure was applied on Massachusetts' new Republican Senator Scott Brown until the end to keep him in line, and Maine Senator Susan Collins said that her "no" vote was based solely on procedural grounds.
And so, somewhere along the line Republicans will eventually shuck the mantel of oppressors of gays and opponents of civil rights for all citizens, at least on the issue of homosexuality. It will be both belated and welcome. But the delay will once more mark Republicans as "the party that doesn't like others" -- its enduring legacy.
Follow Stanton Peele on Twitter: www.twitter.com/speele5
The homophobia comes from the same place as the Islamophobia. The Republicans know that they are a minority in the nation, but if they sweep up enough of the dirtballs lying around, they may be able to get enough votes to win something. So they play to the lowest common denominator, the cockroaches scuttling along the floor of our nation. Fear, hatred, bigotry are their stock and trade. But as -- who was it, Goethe? -- said, "There's nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come." So this is the Republican last gasp.
It's about
A-- Gays voting shows the power of the Gay vote, giving an increased political voice, and showing that the Repubs have not driven you out of the game.
B-- Most importantly: You can't count on having friends, you can merely vote for the more friendly side, if you are a minority of 10% or less, in most states. Gays can count on "friends" in places where there are larger blocs of Gay voters.
It is a heterosexual one.
For far too long, heterosexuals have allowed themselves to luxuriate in the false sense of superiority so many of them immorally hold over the gay children they created.
It is foolish to blame this on Republicans alone. Or Democrats, either. The political climate is very much reflecting the citizens of this country, who do so desperately want to codify into our laws and our Constitution that heterosexuals are superior the the gay children they created.
The citizens of the U.S. are every bit as responsible for the abuse and dehumanization of gay citizens as the politicians are. In fact, it seems to be the ONE area that the majority of U.S. citizens can seem to agree on - that it's perfectly OK to abuse and dehumanize law-abiding citizens of the gay variety via unfair, unjust and immoral laws.
This is NOT a partisan issue. It's a heterosexual one.
I am a woman who remains legally married to my wife in California. We sadly watched as 52.2% of California's voters upheld the discriminatory Prop 8. It pained us to know our LGBT friends' were being stripped of their rights. HOWEVER, it gave me great hope that 47.8% of the voters wanted to OVERTURN Prop 8 and stand up for gay marriage. Numbers like that come from a vast percentage of heterosexuals supporting our rights. Come 2012, gay marriage will most likely be legal in California. Mark my word, across this entire country, heterosexuals (Democratic AND Republican) will be on the front lines fighting for us.
If you must point fingers, point at those that DO oppress the LGBT community - the under-educated and the hyper-religious. Fortunately, their impact on others' lives is continuously declining :^)
As the heterosexual mother of a gay child, I resent your assertion that I "luxuriate in the false sense of superiority" over my child. I supported him even before HE knew he was gay, by creating a home environment where gay people were respected, the same as straights. I took him to his first gay youth meeting, his first gay movie. I knocked heads with his school principal on more than one occasion. I homeschooled him and found other sources of education for him when school became unbearable. I volunteered for PFLAG, speaking at schools about the injustice of homophobia. There was never a moment when I didn't support him and his friends, 100%. Tarring straights with the hate brush is no better than the reverse.
You need to direct your anger in a direction where it will make a difference.