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News & ArtsWednesday, December 2, 2009
Homo / Religion Americablog On Today's "No" Vote On Gay Marriage in New York Senate: It Ain't Over
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 3:04 PM
A lot of gay money was spent to help Democrats retake control of the State Senate in New York last fall. That was documented in a piece in the New York Times on October 26, 2008, which included this excerpt:"Far from trumpeting their involvement, gay rights groups have been largely silent about their role in Senate campaigns for fear of raising the ire of social conservatives. But a review of campaign finance disclosure forms shows that gay and lesbian advocates have become a quiet but potent force this election season.
"All told, gay rights groups and donors affiliated with them have given a total of at least $480,000 this year to Democratic Senate candidates and campaign funds controlled by Democrats, according to the most recent disclosure documents available. Much of that money was donated in the past month and pointed at a handful of competitive races, campaign finance filings show."
So, gays helped put the Democrats in control of the State Senate—and that is widely known. And, what did we get for that? A crushing defeat. This is so not over.
2
Whew, I thought that the sanctity of all those NY marriages (Woody Allen's specifically) were in danger!
4
Well, according to towleroad or whatever its called, a lot of them ran either unopposed or won by some rather small margins (53% in some cases). Usually folks like that cannot handle a primary challenger. So all it takes is finding a Gay/Gay friendly candidate and promoting the hell out of them and their views on not just gay rights but the rights for everyone in their area.
7
The problem jumped out at me and gave me a bitch slap! "..gay rights groups have been largely silent about their role in Senate campaigns for fear of raising the ire of social conservatives" FEAR FEAR FEAR FEAR on the part of Gay Americans. The time for FEAR is over Gay America. Time to grow some balls, boobs, or what have you.
13
You know, in the almost 20 years my brother has been a gay Republican, they've never once tried to help him get the ability to get a gay marriage in NY.
Ever.
Yeah, go join the Whig Party and their Talibangelists if you want, but don't expect to get any gay rights, cause that ain't happening.
Ever.
Yeah, go join the Whig Party and their Talibangelists if you want, but don't expect to get any gay rights, cause that ain't happening.
15
@11: Marched in a small Pride parade in South Texas a few years in a row, fought for an SGA in my high school in Texas (an effort that dissolved over one spring break, sigh), wrote my mayor asking for "gay rights" (non-specific, doy, 'cuz I was a kid, but he was still receptive (and supportive!)), knocked, doorbelled, phonebanked, e-mailed, lettered, protested, celebrated Lawrence v. Texas, marched in a 12 person pride parade on my college campus, knocked, doorbelled, phonebanked until I got too sick to do so and protested for R-71 (ask Lurleen about the canvassing for R-71), called for Maine, letters to editors, stood up to cops for harassing transwomen in my neighborhood back in TX, fought off gaybashers, donated, sign-waved.
But that's all off the top of my head, so I probably missed a lot. What do I win?
I've been out politically since my early teens and out socially since my late teens, so I'm guessing I haven't got this "fear" thing SB is ascribing to gay americans.
But that's all off the top of my head, so I probably missed a lot. What do I win?
I've been out politically since my early teens and out socially since my late teens, so I'm guessing I haven't got this "fear" thing SB is ascribing to gay americans.
18
Guys, 8 dems failed us. 6 in New York City, at least one of whom was pretty up front about it. This doom and gloom shit is what got us 8 years of Bush. Instead of this all-or-nothing nonsense, we should be doing our damnedest to make sure those who voted yes stay in office, and that the no votes (Monserrate and Diaz in particular) are out with viable dem replacement candidates. Give your money to some one like Jose Serrano, who co-sponsored the bill, with a Spanish Harlem/South Bronx constituency. Find out who the no votes last faced in the primaries, an what their tack on the situation is, and give them money. Crying about Whigs and Republicans gets us no where. And remember, the State Assembly voted yes. The Governor is committed to this as well. This is a hurdle, and it's a pain in the ass, but this CAN be done! We can have more states legalize Marriage Equality!
21
@20 - Actually I want the government to get out of the marriage business altogether, but that's a whole other topic.
Meanwhile, I really would like to see is hyperventilating blowhards like Aravois stop blustering about the Democrats, and New Yorkers to remember how pissed off they are, and next election cycle give generously to primary opponents of the people who voted no and help remove them from their seats, creating a Democratic majority that will pass marriage equality in their state.
I understand how pissed off people there are right now, and it's justified, but as happens so often these days, they'll get mad enough to tweet about it, and by the time some donation checks and volunteer time can make a real difference in the state Senate races - which are all small, and the kind where a bunch of angry people can change EVERYTHING - they'll be on to something else.
Please, let my pessimism be proven wrong.
Meanwhile, I really would like to see is hyperventilating blowhards like Aravois stop blustering about the Democrats, and New Yorkers to remember how pissed off they are, and next election cycle give generously to primary opponents of the people who voted no and help remove them from their seats, creating a Democratic majority that will pass marriage equality in their state.
I understand how pissed off people there are right now, and it's justified, but as happens so often these days, they'll get mad enough to tweet about it, and by the time some donation checks and volunteer time can make a real difference in the state Senate races - which are all small, and the kind where a bunch of angry people can change EVERYTHING - they'll be on to something else.
Please, let my pessimism be proven wrong.
22
Oh, and I want Loveschild to finally experience the love of a good woman so her inner turmoil can finally be replaced by a chai-infused, cat-owning, softball playing life of bliss.
23
Oh, one final thought.
I grew up in the NYC area, spent most of my life in coastal blue-state places, and now here i am in Houston, TX. There have been all kinds of interesting revelations living down here, but here's one of the biggest: my utter respect for Texas liberals.
Texas isn't nearly as Republican as you think when you look at those election maps but it is, of course, pretty conservative. When nothing is easy, you don't have time for self-absorbed blathering because you didn't get everything you want. You have to be smart and you have to work your ass off. And that's exactly what I've seen here.
So while Dan is blathering about how bad Obama has been and Aravois is spurting spittle onto his keyboard, I can go to lunch with the local progressive bloggers and be amazed at how well they know their shit, down to sounding like walking spreadsheets of a decade of voting patterns to figure out which heinous state rep really can be unseated by a Democrat, where the money needs to come from, who the players are, and how to make a difference. (And for their efforts are often patronized by fellow progressives in places like Seattle.)
Lots of people outside of Texas have been surprised that Houston seems to be about to elect the first openly gay mayor of a major US city. The tone of the comments is "OMG! Who'd have thought? It's a miracle." It's not. It's going to happen because a whole lot of people with no time or interest in self-pitying crap have been working their asses off and writing checks and getting on the phone and walking blocks and putting up signs. I've seen a lot of campaigns play out, and I'm just amazed by the consistency and discipline of this one.
And I have to think, if everyone who's busy playing drama queen in blog comments put that kind of effort into electing people who support marriage equality, you'd see amazing changes take place.
So that's why I have no patience for "where's my pony?" politics. You want your pony? Get off your ass and go get it.
More...
I grew up in the NYC area, spent most of my life in coastal blue-state places, and now here i am in Houston, TX. There have been all kinds of interesting revelations living down here, but here's one of the biggest: my utter respect for Texas liberals.
Texas isn't nearly as Republican as you think when you look at those election maps but it is, of course, pretty conservative. When nothing is easy, you don't have time for self-absorbed blathering because you didn't get everything you want. You have to be smart and you have to work your ass off. And that's exactly what I've seen here.
So while Dan is blathering about how bad Obama has been and Aravois is spurting spittle onto his keyboard, I can go to lunch with the local progressive bloggers and be amazed at how well they know their shit, down to sounding like walking spreadsheets of a decade of voting patterns to figure out which heinous state rep really can be unseated by a Democrat, where the money needs to come from, who the players are, and how to make a difference. (And for their efforts are often patronized by fellow progressives in places like Seattle.)
Lots of people outside of Texas have been surprised that Houston seems to be about to elect the first openly gay mayor of a major US city. The tone of the comments is "OMG! Who'd have thought? It's a miracle." It's not. It's going to happen because a whole lot of people with no time or interest in self-pitying crap have been working their asses off and writing checks and getting on the phone and walking blocks and putting up signs. I've seen a lot of campaigns play out, and I'm just amazed by the consistency and discipline of this one.
And I have to think, if everyone who's busy playing drama queen in blog comments put that kind of effort into electing people who support marriage equality, you'd see amazing changes take place.
So that's why I have no patience for "where's my pony?" politics. You want your pony? Get off your ass and go get it.
24
BACONCAT you big idiot. Read the fucking quote from the NYTimes. Christ you did all those uber Gay things, what in your head alone at night while high?
The NYTimes article talks about fear, I'm just parroting it back. CHRIST thanks for thinking I have the brains to utter an original thought. I can only conclude that with you doing all those brave and wonderful things we've been set back 500 years! Now come here and let me sqeeeeeeeeezzzeee you deeply deeply deeply into my amble bosom! Feel better now? I sure do.
The NYTimes article talks about fear, I'm just parroting it back. CHRIST thanks for thinking I have the brains to utter an original thought. I can only conclude that with you doing all those brave and wonderful things we've been set back 500 years! Now come here and let me sqeeeeeeeeezzzeee you deeply deeply deeply into my amble bosom! Feel better now? I sure do.
26
@24: That quote you used? They're talking about gay rights groups, not "gay america"-- there's a difference. I'd say more, but thankfully you dismantled yourself completely so I don't have to. Yo preemptively losing the will to live really is admirable... I'd hate to have to actually talk about other people!
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