Anti-Gay, Anti-Family

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[Steve]

NY Times
Nov. 11, 2008
Op Ed by Dan Savage
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/opinion/12savage.html?ref=opinion

COUNTLESS Americans, gay and otherwise, are still mourning — and social conservatives are still celebrating — the approval last Tuesday of anti-gay-marriage amendments in Florida, Arizona and, most heartbreaking, California, where Proposition 8 stripped same-sex couples of their right to wed. Eighteen thousand same-sex couples were legally married in California this past summer and fall; their marriages are now in limbo.

But while Californians march and gay activists contemplate a national boycott of Utah — the Mormon Church largely bankrolled Proposition 8 — an even more ominous new law in Arkansas has drawn little notice.

[southernbelle]

Steve,
I'm working with author Richard Stevenson on a project right now. (He writes the gay P.I. Donald Strachey series.) We have been talking about the Arkansas law plus prop 8 et al the last few days and Richard made the comment that often it is gay couples who are the ones adopting children who are otherwise not adoptable--special needs, bi-racial, older, etc. It will be interesting to see if someone comes out with figures to support that or makes that argument.

So much for family values. My experience is that right wing Republicans often espouse views that actually hurt those in need such as children who need homes, in this particular incidence. Their so-called values just seem to be for a small segment of the population, otherwise, forget it. Hopefully soon, they will be this small isolated group that is shunned by the rest of us. Nothing like a good old fashioned New England shunning to put you in your place.

And speaking of shunning--the Mormon Church is certainly getting a blistering from the gay political action groups!

[A Blizzard of Words]

"So much for family values. My experience is that right wing Republicans often espouse views that actually hurt those in need such as children who need homes, in this particular incidence."

My feeling also, Southernbelle.

The Repubs want to outlaw abortion but don't want to help a mom who keeps her baby under very trying circumstances.

I'd heard about the Arkansas law did not know how outrageous it was until you called it to my attention, Steve.  Thank you for doing that.

Self-righteous sanctimonious bigoted extremists.

[Jaime from Wasilla]

The adoption travesty in Arkansas is another example of one of the dangers inherent in Democracy - the tyranny of the majority.  When the majority is the oppressor, great wrong can be done. That is one reason the founding fathers went to such pains to create a representative republic instead of a pure democracy.  The mob is dangerous.

It seems to me the Mormon church is taking a much rougher beating from within than from the protests. The defections and resignations of long time members is way more blistering than the demonstrations.

[Fresh Tracks]

Nice, thoughtful posts here.  It is important that all loving families receive our collective support. 

[Julia O]

Their so-called values just seem to be for a small segment of the population, otherwise, forget it. Hopefully soon, they will be this small isolated group that is shunned by the rest of us. Nothing like a good old fashioned New England shunning to put you in your place.

They are not yet small enough, but more and more are experiencing an "enlightening".  It is my hope that in the days to come, this powerful group can just be marginalized.

[mimi]

JuliaO - absolutely with the marginilizing!!    The more that people are willing to speak up against this abuse of "democracy" the sooner these people will be recognized as the minority that they are - My son wrote on a big poster and hung it in his room - Mean People Suck - applies here