Comments

1
I think we should have Chenney waterboad bigots to make them stop taking our rights away
2
14013 228th St NE
Arlington, WA 98223
3
good post Dan! Couldn't agree more!
4
Oh boo-hoo you are oppressing me and my feelings that you are so icky.

Christ, fuck that shit. I love the idea of gay and lesbian folks going over to their neighbor’s houses and introducing themselves as the real, flesh and blood people whose rights are being taken away. They always say that people who know LGBT folks personally don’t generally engage in this sort of political bigot behavior.
5
If Larry wanted to do something that's, oh, I don't know, actually beneficial to himself and his family, he could start with losing some weight, and stop making an ass out of himself by being such a blatant bigot. He should also tell his pussy son to shut it and stop acting like such a little butthurt bitch.

Unfortunately, this is the last time I'm going to use this tone on this issue. I will miss it so.
6
A simpler message might be "we are for openness in government, open debate, and freedom. Just like freedom to marry is a fundamental right, public records can be put online, and everyone is free to see them. Why do these people hate our freedoms in America?"
7
Ah the good old, "You're so intolerant for refusing to tolerate my intolerance!" canard - truly a classic!
8
Funny that Cheney (aka: The Devil) has put himself back on record as being more pro gay marriage than Obama (aka: Our Lord And Savior).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/01…

A position that is perfectly consistent with his position on the topic in 2000 and 2004 (which I pointed out (to much derision) here in January 2007).

http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/01/can_…

Surprising that with the Stranger’s laser like focus on this topic there is no mention of this here. I mean come on, I wouldn’t want to go hunting with the guy, but give him a little credit where its due. Or would that be to great an apostasy?
9
We should be nice to people who want to take away our rights. Bring them a bunt cake. Shower them with hugs. Isn't that what they mean when they say "do unto others what you'd have them do to you"? Now if you'll excuse me I have to go wash my mouth out with soap.
10
You know, a small part of me had been thinking that naming names like this might be too mean. Thanks for putting it in perspective.
11
"Gay activists, unlike religious activists, aren't really violent."

Yea Verily-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VS3Us-TR…
12
@11

How is that violence? Fucking moron.
13
Request mormon missionaries be sent to all their houses. Including the the ones who are already mormon.
14
Well, it's a good point and all, but at the same time this is the same sort of tactic and the same sort of rhetoric that gets people killed. See, for example, Dr. Tiller. Publishing the names and addresses of people you disagree with and encouraging random people to go and engage with them opens the door for all kinds of non-process-based reprisals that are, frankly, a little bit ethically uncomfortable.

The issue here isn't whether or not these sorts of intimidation tactics are effective -- they are -- but whether or not the gains are worth trading in a little piece of your moral compass. And I'm kind of surprised nobody's raised the idea that if this were being done on the other side -- if Larry Stickney or Ken Hutcherson had published the names and addresses of everyone who signed a petition supporting full marriage rights for the 'mos and encouraged their supporters to go and demand an accounting -- how terrifying and intimidating that would be. I have to believe there'd be a (rightfully deserved) outcry about that. Are we, then, the pro-marriage rights supporters, different simply because we're different? I don't trust this sort of justification.

And aside from all that, it's *unnecessary*. This isn't a debate where the outcome is in tremendous doubt: gay marriage is going to be legal in the next ten years across the board. The generational momentum has shifted. We're winning. Why do we need to adopt the most disgusting tactics of our opponents to chase after something we're already getting?
15
Andrew @ 14

What "rhetoric that gets people killed"? Please be specific, since I've read nothing from our side that is murder-inducing. Since when is "having a conversation" equal to "kill the bastard"?
16
If we were adopting their "most disgusting tactics," Andrew, we'd be trying to strip them of their rights, working to make their families more vulnerable during medical and financial emergencies, and stepping in to rub their noses in their second-class status at a moment of maximum grief and pain (on the death of a loved one).

All we're threatening to do here is make public records... public.

Yes, we're winning. One of the reasons we're winning is because we've taken the gloves off now too. People who donated to Prop 8 in California who didn't realize that their donations were a matter of public record are on the record saying they are less likely to donate to a future campaign to strip gay people of their rights.
17
@14

So, using your logic, if you're playing basketball and you score a few points, you might as well just stop playing, because the rest of the points will score themselves. You've totally won! Yay!
18
But think of how many divorces the poor man would have had if gays had been allowed to marry! Don't you think pay two alimonies are enough?!
19
@14: It's really not -- There's a huge difference between "holding people accountable" or "doing outreach to try to get them on your side" and "killing someone because you are a psychopathic zealot."
20
@14: Well, considering how WhoSigned has backed off on the extent of information listed to essentially creating a database of names and zipcodes for pro-equality supporters to pore over in an effort to make sure nobody got put on the petition fradulently, I can't see how your stance makes sense.

We are only given 3% of signatures to make an educated guess at the validity of the petition, and it's random and we can't pull up images of those signatures for verification. Nor can we really get a chance to see if a petition form has "John Smith", "Jane Smith", "Rover Smith" and "Dishwasher Smith" all in the same handwriting.

And it does force people to admit their support for this and we do get a clearer picture of their chances of signing this petition. The only people who should be afraid are Stickney, Randall, Swecker and Shea, since state law makes them complicit in any deliberate fraud.
21
Many of those signers have never met anyone gay I would venture. If they are just hostile, don't talk to them. But if they are just deluded, yes talk to them. What is this fear of talking? Isn't talking why we HAVE the first amendment? Telling your side "okay, do everything but actually talk to our opponents" seems like throwing away one of the means of persuasion.
by all means get a band of gays and gay friendlies to go rove around say...enumclaw...or west seattle....bring your kids and grandmas...and go knock on some doors. Bring some cookies and a photo album and explain you want freedom to have domestic partnership and even to marry just like anyone else.
Have your 9 year old kid explain it.
Give cookies to KIRO news team, they'll be eating out of your hand.
Make it funny. KIRO news team: "why are you doing this?" Pro marriage team spokesman, a nine year old kid of two gay parents: "I'm on a mission to find out why if my two dads got married this would harm other people's marriages. So we're asking people who signed that petition. So far, I haven't found anyone who actually got cooties!"
KIRO news team zeros in on petition signer, an elderly guy with a scowl on his face: "Sir, are you afraid of getting cooties, if we have same sex domestic partnerships or marriage ?"

Have at it. Talking is good. Just be nice and all pro marriage. Fuck, show them the Cheney clip.
22
Urgutha: Mormons should get Jehovahs Witnesses ringing their doorbell -- twice a day every day.
23
@11

You keep posting this video, but it doesn't show any physical violence. I don't see anyone laying a single hand on this old biddy. She went out there looking for trouble, undoubtedly hoping to be a martyr for the cause, and she found it, but I don't see any violence against her, despite her provocations.

Contrast this with the cold-blooded assassination of Dr. Tiller in his church by an anti-choice activist, who undoubtedly used the volumes of personal information about Dr. Tiller published by anti-choice groups to plan his violent attack.

Maybe in your mind stomping on a hastily made cardboard cross is equivalent to murder, but to sane folks it isn't in the same ballpark.
24
Softball bigot. Too easy to waste this much text on.
25


"Contrast this with the cold-blooded assassination of Dr. Tiller in his church by an anti-choice activist, who undoubtedly used the volumes of personal information about Dr. Tiller published by anti-choice groups to plan his violent attack."

You could substitute Dr. Tiller for signer of petitions for I-71 and anti-choice activist for gay group activist, and any level headed thinking human can see the danger in this.

One can only hope that just as some are so eager in publishing the names and addresses that they will also take responsibility for the possible harm done by the wackos who will see that info and persecute those who sign the petition. I cannot even begin to ponder how un-american, an-anti Democratic DANGEROUS such an idea is. Here's to hoping that people all throughout the states specially those outside Seattle do not let the extreme groups intimidate them into not signing it.
26
@25 How is persecution worse then getting shot in your own church?

I might picket, write a letter, think the guy is a douche bag, flip him off if I see him in public even, but I will never try to take away his rights or SHOOT HIM or threaten bodily harm to him or his family. Show me one instance where a gay rights activist has threatened bodily harm to someone in the same manner the anti-choice and homophobic pricks harass, threaten, beat and cause actual physical and psychological harm to abortion clinics, patients and doctors or Gay and Lesbian American Citizens.

There is a major difference between persecution for being an outright douchebag whose threatening the rights of human beings and threatening violence and death to individuals because they don't believe the same things that you do.

There is also a major difference between rights and beliefs. Keep your "beliefs" to yourself and let me keep my rights.
27
25, Gay people have a lot more to fear from the people on your side of the debate than you have from gay folks.
28
Hateschild

You really need to keep up. Whosigned.org isn't publishing addresses only names and zip codes.

Signatures on petitions are PUBLIC RECORD, the details of Dr. Tiller's personal life were not. You also seem intent on ignoring the history of violence from the anti-abortion movement, specifically previous attempts on Dr Tiller's life. I am not aware of any reports of violence against anti-gay activists by equality supporters (and no the video @11 is not violence). Can you provide us with examples? Can you even attempt to show an equivalence between the levels of violence from anti-abortion groups vs pro-gay groups? Or are you just spouting shit to make you feel better and more justified in your bigotry?
29
Dear "Gay Activists are God's Special Gift to Mankind," who posted topic 11:

Being at the Palm Springs rally that night, I can tell you KESQ, the local televised news station that has as much, if not less, integrity as Fox News, did not give a proper synopsis of what occurred that night. The lady, who is notorious in the Palm Springs area for heckling and preaching to passers-by during pride parades and other functions with a high GLBT presence, was trying to squeeze herself into the crowd, in an effort to get on stage, where Mayor Steve Pougnet was conveying his wish for outreach to minority communities (only a third of Palm Springs voted against Proposition 8). During this time, whether by accident or otherwise, the lady pushed a handicapped senior who was in a wheelchair, causing him to fall down, and was hitting people with her Styrofoam cross. That is what caused the scuffle; her attendance was expected, but it was her inability to respect the space of those against Proposition 8 that caused ire. A spectator, who was filming the speeches and protest, caught glimpse of a second person ripping signs from participants in the back of the crowd. This also didn't settle well with those in the vicinity. It should be said that, out of the hundreds of people there, only a handful were involved in this confrontation; most people didn't even know what was happening. Alas, the handful was able to make her into a martyr, and caused national attention. Luckily, when she was at the protest a week following, no harm was done, and both sides were civil towards each other. Yes, ripping a Styrofoam cross and stomping on it may not be the best course of action, but, again, she wasn't the "little old lady" KESQ made her out to be.

On a side note: Dan, I am sure you have heard of Obama's recent proclamation. Will you do a blog entry regarding it? If so, I look forward to reading it!
30
29
yeah, I know all that but I just love that clip.
since you've all been so patient and kind here is a treat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHsDa9_HS…
31
28 Disrespectful JohnnyC, Just like in Cali just because its lawful doesn't mean that it's a good idea for the same reasons that are being discussed here. Whatever the initial intention for allowing such disclosures was it obvious it has become a weapon for gay groups and that weapon can be used for the same act that took Mr Tiller's life, destroyed property, vandalized churches and harassed businesses in Cali. All you need is a radicalized gay or a lesbian who thinks of themselves as martyrs and decide to pass judgement, become God and dispose of life. This is a bad law and endangers members of the citizenry of WA state. It wouldn't be such a bad idea that coupled with I-71, petitions would also be gathered for the repeal of the law that allows for such dangerous disclosures. Perhaps they would see a faster increment in the signatures for I-71 if they did.

Your right for tolerance ends when you cross the line at try to endanger my life and that of my family.
32
@15 I'm not saying there are gay-rights advocates calling for the murder of anti-gay-rights dickholes, but, uh, see for example the first comment on this post. Yeah, obviously it's not a serious suggestion, and the Slog hasn't risen (fallen?) to the thudding witchhunt of o say Bill O'Reilly, but I'm guessing for all the hundreds of thousands of commentors who post KILL TEH FAGS LOL most of them aren't serious *either*. But all you need is one guy, and posting names and addresses of people you disagree with opens the way for that one rabid loon to go out and kill some poor asshole.

@16 That's a disgusting end, not a disgusting tactic.

@17 No, using my logic and your analogy, if you're winning playing the game fairly, you don't need to start fouling people off the court.

@20 Well, okay, then. That makes a difference. I'm all for verifying names and signatures, and I'm all for shaming people for what they support, I'm just really not comfortable with putting addresses out there and saying "Hey, look at all these guys, these guys are assholes. Somebody should do something. (pregnant pause)"

Though I keep thinking of the poor closet cases who get their names and addresses published in their newspapers because they got busted in a cruising sting, and this just feels so slimy. Saying, "Yeah, but we're doing it for a good cause!" just isn't reassuring, because of course you're doing it for a good cause. The newspapers are doing it for a good cause. Bill O'Reilly's doing it for a good cause. Everybody's doing it for some damn good cause they think is worth it.
33
It was rather unfortunate that KESQ focused on the Proposition 8 fallout. They did a "special" on the California Proposition 8 donor list, and actually went around to several homes, telling them they were on this list, and that they can become targets from those who don't agree (aka the queer mobs). It was by far the most deplorable show of journalism I have ever seen in my 20 years. Granted, that makes me a youth compared to many, but the only TV I bother watching is the news. On the flip-side, they have lost a portion of their audience after these event, and their ratings are significantly lower, so I suppose good riddance to bad rubbish.

Let this be an example of what to watch out for, all in Washington. Be attentive of the portrayal of the situation in the local media outlets, lest this occurs there as well.
34
@31: Loveschild, I'm sorry, but didn't you say you were against this petition in the first place since it's not "marriage"? You are a liar.

And why are you afraid? It's names and zips, something you can get for every single registered domestic partnership in this state almost immediately. We aren't afraid of you, and you know that in the long storied history of attacks and assaults on those perceived to be gay, the facts stack up against your side more than the pro-family/pro-equality side. The anti-family/anti-equality factions like Stickney, Swecker and yourself don't think violence against the GLBT community exists, but you're quick to grasp onto petty and comparably insignificant acts done in reaction to the harsh dismissal of rights post-Prop 8.

Your attempts at linking the death of Tiller, someone you are virulently and fundamentally against, with those fighting for rights is idiotic. You, Loveschild, are complicit in his death. Not us. Murderer.

And I can guarantee that the more you radicalize this altogether routine FOIA request, the more likely it is that you or one of your anti-family/anti-equality activists will attack and hurt a pro-family/pro-equality supporter for supporting equality and GLBT rights.

Then again, I'm sure you'd like Dan to be the next big news story. You've already stepped up your rhetoric against him, insulting his family, insulting his child, insulting his base right to life. This is why you're anti-family. This is why you're a liar. You are complicit in the hate and ensuing murder you fiercely advocate.
35
Hate's bitch,

I'm respectful of people deserving of respect, and far more respectful of you than you are of me.

Lumping common forms of civil protest such a boycotts, with actions like murder shows that you are completely without a moral compass. This without even getting into the hypocrisy of lumping together non-violent acts by those you oppose with violence by those you support.

You see, unlike the situation with Dr Tiller, a "radicalized" gay rights supporter doesn't hear the leaders of his movements equating legal activities with murder and claiming anyone, who doesn't stop it has blood on their hands. Also, I fail to see how knowing your name and zip code puts you or your family in any danger.

I'll repeat, there has yet to be any evidence to support claims, like yours that making this PUBLIC DATA more readily available endangers anyone. In fact, we have ample evidence that it does not.

If Referendum 71 is such a noble endeavor why are it's supporters so afraid of having their support known?
36
You don't have to worry about gay activists, Loveschild. You will most likely be taken out by black-on-black crime, which is rampant in your neighborhoods. But apparently you don't seem it is that big of an issue to confront as you are too busy preventing gays from marrying
37
Why are bigots such cry-baby cowards?

Stand up for your convictions if it is what you truly believe.
38
I am an ardent supporter of gay rights, and I completely agree with Andrew @14. As a woman who is active in reproductive rights, this sent a shiver up my spine. For years, anti-abortion groups have published the names and addresses of abortion providers and those who work for reproductive rights organizations. It's an intimidation tactic.
I know this organization is not publishing addresses, and I listened to their spokesman on KUOW today, and he certainly did not advocate vigilante action. There are no cases of beatings or murders of anti-gay spokespeople, but still....this an intimidation tactic, plain and simple.
We're winning. There is no need to stoop to this level.
39
34 I support civil unions and domestic partnerships that grant all the protections that a homosexual pairing could need. But in the face of such vicious attacks, I will not condone the publishing of names and addresses of those who would want to exercise their right of not wanting to support them and make use of our democratic system. I would not vote for such a measure once put in-front of me but I will defend their right to gather the signatures and letting the people decide if they like it or not. You and those who support such an atrocious witch hunts here are the ones who will be responsible for deaths like that of Mr Tiller. Those like me support life above everything else and I would outright oppose any measure that would name gay activists who advocate for gay marriage and make their addresses public because I know that would endanger them. That's the difference between you and me, I can make that difference even with people I disagree with, I'm able to take a rational approach and side with them (homosexuals) not to be persecuted and harmed by crazies who might wish to do so.

You on the other hand it seems would be more than happy to inflict harm on those of us who want to defend traditional marriage through the electoral process or those who might have a different view of yours in anything having to do with homosexuality as the people gathering signatures for this measure. You're a ruthless vicious person and the more abuses people like you come up with the less people will side with the things you are trying to implement.

People like you who condone these name and address publishing witch hunts that you know could lead to abuses should be ashamed of yourselves and dare I say, might have blood in your hands already.

People like me are against violence period. No violence against straights, no violence against homosexuals no violence used against anyone. We are all americans, If we need to settle our differences that's why we have the voting process for.
40
@39: Who said I condoned violence against you and other anti-family/anti-equality groups? And did you miss the part where WhoSigned is moving to just publishing zips and names?

You deliberately twist the truth so you don't have to live with the fact that you want to destroy families at any cost. You don't want to acknowledge that by screaming "they're going to get you, defend yourself at all costs", you're radicalizing the issue. With a deliberate lack of proof of any legitimate violent acts against anti-family/anti-equality groups in the face of decades of violence against the GLBT community and pro-family/pro-equality groups, you have no leg to stand on.

You hate families unless they're exactly like yours, Loveschild. You're the one who attacked Dan and his family and implied Dan and Terry's child had been or would be molested (http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…), you're the one who is threatening people ("Your right for tolerance ends when you cross the line at try to endanger my life and that of my family.") and you're the one who has lied about your support for various issues when it became easy to do so.

If you listened to the intent for publishing names and zips, if you cared to have any rational thoughts, you would understand that this, regardless of what you assume to be its intent, is not something that is meant to obliterate the democratic process you pretend to support. The creator himself stated he was against violence or deliberate approaches. Most of the GLBT community is against this.

Most of us are arguing that this is legal. It is. It is a part of an initiative passed decades ago. It is part of the democratic process and was passed by initiative. You claim to love this process, but you don't support it in this regard?

So let's recap:
-You hate families and think Dan and Terry are child-molesters or bring them into their home
-You lie about supporting civil unions, only saying so when it's convenient, but blasting them as encroaching on your "tradition" in other threads
-You lie about understanding the dynamics of crimes against the GLBT and pro-family/pro-equality communities, creating a fiction where the GLBT and pro-family/pro-equality communities are all violent and eager to strip rights from others
-You hate the GLBT and pro-family/pro-equality community so much you insist we're violent, when it's always those opposing families and equality that do these attacks, even when their victims aren't GLBT (like the brothers murdered for holding hands)
-You don't understand the democratic process and willingly take your lot from judicial fiat and acts of congress that never saw a public vote once
-You are threatening the GLBT and pro-family/pro-equality community.
41
gay marriage is going to be legal in the next ten years across the board. The generational momentum has shifted. We're winning. Why do we need to adopt the most disgusting tactics of our opponents to chase after something we're already getting?


@34/38: No offense, but the fact that most liberals suffer from an outsized sense of guilt is why conservatives so frequently win -- They believe in their cause and don't try to attain an impossible consensus that everyone will agree to.

They act for the causes they believe in. We apologize. We hem and haw and say we'll take our right slowly, whenever it's convenient for the conservative minority. Sorry if we offended you!!!

I'm not saying we go the extremes they do, but I think there's a lot more "stooping" we can do before we even come close to being at their level.
42
No one is going to be publishing the addresses of people, who sign petitions for this referendum. Anyone, who claims otherwise and uses such a claim to say that signers or their families are being endangered, is lying.

Names and zip codes are all that is being planned by whosigned.org. This is the same level of information that is revealed when one writes a letter to the editor. Is the paper trying to intimidate letter writers by publishing this information on writers? Seems to the only reason the anti-equality groups would fear such information being readily available is because they hope to get the signatures of people, who know this referendum is bigoted and don't want their name publicly attached to it. I would have no problem what so ever with my name and zip being published by Equal Rights Washington as a signer of the "Decline 2 Sign" petition. In fact I'd encourage them to do it. I'm proud of my position in favor of equality.
43
@42 oo, is there a decline 2 sign petition?

They're so tight assed about the whole thing. If you aren't proud of being a bigoted asshole then maybe you really need to think twice about the referendum...

I would offer up my name and zip code on a Declined 2 Sign petition as well.
44
We're winning because our side is fighting! You can't win if you don't fight back! Seriously, if you're attacked by the school bully you aren't going to win by curling up in a ball and letting them kick you! You have to fight back! You might not win many rounds. You might not have anyone on your side, but you've gotta stand up for yourself!
45
We're winning because our side is finally fighting! You can't win if you don't fight back! Seriously, if you're attacked by the school bully you aren't going to win by curling up in a ball and letting them kick you! You have to fight back! You might not win many rounds. You might not have anyone on your side, but you've gotta stand up for yourself! You don't get respect unless you demand it.

(sorry if this is a double post)
46
Baconcat @ 40,

You sound like me a few weeks ago: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…

Sometimes, we have to accept a brick wall, is a brick wall when discussing certain issues.

Best wishes,
k

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