Dorie Rae Gallagher wrote:
Why does Natalie Lee Johnson have to explain what her beliefs are aboutWM: Were I in Ms. Johnson Lee's position, I'd want to put as much space between me and Bachman's proposal as possible. If I were Bachman I'd want NJL's alleged support to give the impression that the African American community supports the bill. (This bill closely follows the teachings of the Christian Missionary Alliance Church, one of the most virulently homophobic, fire and brimstone churches.)
marriage/civil unions are anyway? She has nothing to do with Bachmann's
Amendment and it should not be government's business nor peoples concern how
she feels about them. Her elected position is to take care of Minneapolis
City business and that does not include personal feelings on personal
issues. If a person wants to get married..get married...want a civil
union...go for it. Keep government out of it.
I would suggest that Battle wants to push NJL into taking a stance; I would further suggest that Battle's position would agree with Bachman's. (BTW: the history of the Battle family in St. Paul and Minneapolis is very important. If I remember correctly, a Battle--or more than one--came to the landing in St. Paul on a raft poled upriver from the deep South with some 20 other African American families who had just been emancipated. This initial group of emancipated slaves to come to Minnesota formed the core of the AfricanAmerican community in St. Paul circa 1865.)
As a member of the GLBT community, I would like a declaration from my government that marriage, from the point of view of the state, is noted and "recognized" by the state simply to exercise census bookkeeping, planning, and taxation. If the state were to do so, then any two adults could declare themselves a unit for the purposes above and get certified as such through a civil process--justice of the peace. Then marriage would become a solely religious institution and various churches/mosques/synagogs/temples could marry those they chose to marry and deny same to others, thus maintaining the separation of church and state.
Then, for example, my long time roommate and I could pay taxes jointly and reap the savings thereof when we are raising another foster teen. We would not ask a church for marital recognition, of course; he's the wrong gender for me.
The truth of the matter is that members of the African American community are, proportionately, as homophobic as members of any other community. (Some say moreso, but I think it's a misimpression largely due to the size of the AfricanAmerican community as compared to the CaucasianAmerican community.) Some understand that no one is free until all are free, others do not.
I feel bad for Ms. Johnson Lee. Someone has thrust her in the middle of a struggle she didn't choose to deal with on the level it's being ramped up to.
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