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Discussion: NY Gov's support: a step forward or a step back?
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atmasilver |
NY Gov's support: a step forward or a step back?
Apr 30 2009, 2:30 AM EDT
So a couple of days ago there was the Equality and Justice Day in Albany to lobby NY state legislators to pass the bill Gov. Patterson introduced to recognize same sex marriages, and the governor met with the attendees. And the governor met with supporters and his remarks made the papers.BECAUSE apparently when our governor opened up his pie hole: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/04/29/2009-04-29_governor_paterson_guilt_drives_opponents_of_gay_marriage.html "Gov. Paterson said Tuesday gay marriage foes - including religious leaders - are driven by guilt over their failure to oppose discrimination and violence against homosexuals." "Paterson told a gathering of about 2,000 gay rights advocates that many of the people speaking out against his bill to legalize gay marriage were silent when gays and lesbians were beaten, chastised or blamed for AIDS. "Where were these leaders of faith when college students of gay and lesbian orientation were beaten and often brutalized for expressing their feelings for each other," Paterson said. BTW, I first read this in the NY Post, which frames the story totally differently, first saying opponents failed to stand up against attacks on gays and lesbians, and then says "he at one point attributed opposition to same-sex marriage to some kind of religious "guilt". Anyway, he's being accused of being a bigot. Do you find this valuable?
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atmasilver |
1. RE: NY Gov's support: a step forward or a step back?
Apr 30 2009, 2:43 AM EDT
I was going to add a couple of cents, but... it's hard for me to figure out what actually happened. Well let's see...1) I think it was very stupid of the governor to wade into the topic of the opposing activists in the first place. I could be wrong, but the campaign against the bill hasn't really picked up much media attention or gone in full swing yet. So this is a preemptive attack. And when you do that, you'd better land a very good blow because you are going to be struck back. This one appears very poorly executed. If you're going to attack the opposition, you do it to persuade people. You don't do it to motivate the people who are already so motivated they're in the state capital already. 2) I do believe that many of those who are most willing to organize against gay marriage, including the Catholic Church, have an ongoing history of dropping the ball on anti-gay violence. They deliberately avoid the problem and are completely unwilling to provide any ideas or solutions in their overconcern about legitimating gay relationships. I don't know anything about the past for the gay AIDS epidemic. 3) Patterson's statement that opposition to gay marriage is motivated by guilt--if that's what he really said--is inexcusable. In a perverse way I'm glad he said it. But wait, the two articles say different things about what he said. 4) Fortunately, the gaffe was made by the governor, so it hurts him more than it hurts us. Although his approval rating is so low I'm not sure he'll even feel it. 5) The problem is that that a majority of NY state voters oppose this bill without any major campaigning pulling them in one direction or the other, and I presume without any strong feelings of guilt over the 1990s and 1980s. The governor is very out of touch. Do you find this valuable? |
mewimi |
2. RE: NY Gov's support: a step forward or a step back?
Apr 30 2009, 1:42 PM EDT
I grow tired of politicians dodging the past and sugar coating it with the dictionary. It is better to be out spoken and clear in word of truth than worrying more about your political career.Wise? Who knows, those bigots really need more political figures speaking out against them in as brutal a manner as they deserve. Do you find this valuable? |
