City Council members introduced legislation Tuesday to allow same-sex marriage here. If it passes, as expected, Washington would be the first city below the Mason-Dixon line to allow such unions. The city’s bill is expected to become law by December. But the measure is likely to draw harsh criticism from Congressional Republicans and conservative Democrats, many of whom face mid-term elections next year, and they could act to overturn it.Leaving aside Rep. Chaffetz's gripes about the legislative process as a member of the minority party (and a certain expression about turnabout springs to mind), I'd just like to say that I'm pleased that [people who are cranially reminiscent of phalli] from Utah aren't able to prevent people in DC from getting married. It's bad enough that he and his ilk can make gays and lesbians in Utah (the ones crazy enough to live there, that is) miserable.
[snip]Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah, said he did not believe his fellow opponents of same-sex marriage would be able to block the city’s measure legalizing it.
“Given the other issues Congress is focused on, such as health care, it hasn’t got much attention,” said Representative Chaffetz, the ranking member of the House subcommittee that oversees the District. “You couple that with the Democrats’ stranglehold on House rules, and the minority is left out of the legislative process.”
A stickier subject is this:
For the city, the issue has piqued race and class tensions, as most of the vocal opponents represent inner-city black churches, while the more liberal and white population largely backs the measure.Ta-Nehisi raised serious doubts about the role the black community played in overturning marriage equality in California, and I'd rather not touch the issue with a ten-foot clown pole. But it's hard to ignore the role the black church is playing in DC. Sad to say, Bishop Jackson, but bigoted is as bigoted does, and wrapping yourself in the defense of "faith" doesn't make your actions any less lamentable.
[snip]“ ‘Let the People Vote,’ is the cry that is rising among the many ministers and churches in the D.C. area,” said Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church and chairman of a group called Stand4MarriageDC [ed: if you think I'm keeping the link active, you're crazy]. Bishop Jackson, who helped file the petition for a referendum, said: “The faith community has been concerned for months, that it’s been cast as bigots, racists, and worse. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
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I'll touch on the minority issue.... Blacks and Hispanics were responsible for defeating our right to marry in California...plain and simple. This painful fact was obviously from the exit polling. First, Hispanics continue to suffer from the brainwashing of the Roman Catholic Bishops and they vote to keep themselves from going to Hell. Gays are not considered by the most of the Afro-Americans I personally know as having a civil rights issue, but a preference to lifestyle issue. (Like we have a choice) I lived and worked in DC many many years and the majority of my staff was Afro-American, thus I speak from personal experience. We have less minorities here in Maine but we do have a our share of red-neck bigots, just travel to the northern counties and have a look around. It was not so many years ago Charlie Howard was tossed from a bridge in Bangor and drowned because he was gay. I personally know a young gay man from a small town about 60 miles from here who committed suicide about fifteen years ago because people found out he was gay. Yes times have changed here in Maine since then, but let's see what the numbers say on election evening. You were not here for "Maine Does Not Discriminate" amendment, but it passed with overwhelming support. Let's hope we can do the same again. On another matter Dan, donations, I just received a letter this morning addressed to me with my first and last name on the inside, my first name had a line through it and written in Jesse Connolly's writing thanking another person in town who has the same last name but a different first name. Also written was a line that said, "Thanks ****!" This was our sixth generous donation. I am so angry and pissed off at this because this is the 3rd time this happened. Talk about being slighted. Once I can understand, twice is a bit of a push, but 3 times!!! That is a 50% error and that is unacceptable. Hey I am now feeling better that I have sounded off and not one scatological reference nor four letter word, but definitely less colorful.
ReplyDeleteHi Dan. Thanks for this post. I always love reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteJust now I went to the site you listed above and made a donation to the Protect Maine Equality group.
Thank you for letting us know how we can support the causes we care about in ways that are tangible. Have a great day.
Em
Thanks for the donation, Em! Glad to provide the requisite information.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say how silly it is to make an issue of DC being below the Mason/Dixon line? It's not as if DC is at ALL a Southern city, politically speaking. A brownshirt has a better chance of being elected to Council than does a Republican.
ReplyDelete"people who are cranially reminiscent of phalli"
ReplyDeletebahaha ha ha. Outstanding.