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[TS] From today's Star Tribune:
"Said Blois Olson, co-publisher of the Web site MNPolitics.com: "My gut is telling me that if you talk about jobs, education, and health care, you're doing pretty well. But if you get into a battle over this issue, then you might have a little trouble. Then you are fighting on grounds that are very polarizing."
"Olson said one way of deflecting potential attacks may be to couch the debate as one involving civil rights."
Couch away Guy.
Also in the Strib coverage of the rally - from Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson:
Johnson, who said he heard one prayer in the rotunda condemning all homosexuals to hell, said the anger of some of the demonstrators reduced his office staff to tears.
Johnson described some of the rally-goers as the most vicious and mean-spirited he has ever heard in his elected career.
"This is more about politics and certifying right-wing conservative credentials for the 2004 election," Johnson said afterward.
This speaks volumes. According to the Pioneer Press one of the signs said: Death Penalty for Homosexuals. It seems pretty obvious that this rally was about rallying hatemongers. Signs pictured in the Pioneer Press say "No Sodomite Marriage". It seems that Swift is glossing over much of what was going on at that rally.
Hopefully Thune's resolution will speak out strongly against this mean spirited visciousness - as Dean Johnson calls it.
As I said yesterday, black Minnesotan's were well represented yesterday at the Capital rally and several made a point of expressing their extreme anger at the gay lobby's use of their struggle. BTW, while not pertinent my argument per se, I'd like to point out that while I'm fully aware that some prominent black leaders have come out in support of homosexual unions; consider what dividing the black vote further will do to the make-up of our legislature to say nothing of Savannah, GA.
Walter Fauntroy - who supports the FMA and is on the Alliance for Marriage Board of Directors has said he does not see any signs that Black voters will vote Republican over this issue. Clearly Blacks are divided on this issue - as are other demographic groups.
Clearly the anti-gay activists groups are now doing outreach in Black Churches - to get additional numbers in support of their anti-gay agenda.
One of the more prominent Black Ministers who favors the FMA was quoted in the NY Times saying: "If the KKK opposes gay marriage, I would ride with them."
A straight friend of mine who wrote the St Paul Pioneer Press favoring gay marriage got a letter in the mail from Mesa, Arizona. This letter included extreme anti-semetic and anti-gay clippings. She was quite put out by the bigotry in that letter. I got this material from her and gave it to OutFront Minnesota.
Eva Young chimes in:
>From what I hear - and I didn't go to watch the circus - but both sides were down at the capitol.
[TS] Yes Eva I did see approximately six counter demonstrators (an honest accounting). They were treated cooly, mostly ignored, but were patiently tolerated by people they chose to confront.
There was a woman pictured in the Strib - carrying a sign that said: I love my gay son. There were some others pictured in the Pioneer Press.
In fact, I happened to be standing next to a black man (he was briefly profiled last night on channel 5) who was confronted by a very loud, angry, "radical looking" lesbian grrl of approximately 18 or 19. The grrl was castigating this man for not supporting her fight to legitimize her realtionship: he was black after all..how dare he.
If Swift is accurately describing this young woman's argument, it's nonsense. There's no reason to expect that skin color would affect one's position on this one way or another.
The man listened for awhile, then said (paraphrasing as closely as memory will allow):
"You are a very young woman, how could you think that you know what my life is and has been like....If after all of the struggles my family and people have been through, our freedom rested upon or resulted in the debauchery and sin that you are lecturing me about I believe that I would be better served taking back my chains."
He then told her he loved her and said that he would pray for the day she freed herself from her own self-imposed chains.
From a National Black Justice Coalition Press Release - that addresses much of this.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2004 Contact: Jasmyne Cannick (212) 330-6599
NEWS RELEASE
NATIONAL BLACK JUSTICE COALITION CONFRONTS HOMOPHOBIC MINISTERS
Boston -- Members of the National Black Justice Coalition today confronted religious leaders at a press conference held by a right-wing group in Boston.
On the eve of a Massachusetts Constitutional Convention that begins on Thursday, the conservative Family Research Council brought in black ministers to the state Capitol in Boston to speak out against marriage equality. But before they could finish their press conference, they were questioned by leaders of the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), an organization of black lesbian and gay activists.
Donna Payne, who serves as vice president of NBJC, was joined by NBJC members Sylvia Rhue and Rev. Irene Monroe, each of whom spoke up at the press conference and challenged the ministers not to use religion to divide the community. Gary Daffin, the co-chair of the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, also took part in the counter event.
The press conference was moderated by Tony Perkins, a white religious conservative who heads the Family Research Council. The event also included Rev. Gregory Daniels of Chicago, who told the New York Times recently, "If the KKK opposes gay marriage, I would ride with them." Another speaker at the press conference, Timothy McGhee, represented a conservative religious-based think tank founded by a prominent black Republican.
"This event is a sham," said Donna Payne, a participant in the counter-event organized by NBJC. "The white religious right is trying to exploit the black community for their own cynical political objectives," she said.
The Coalition released its own list of black religious leaders who support marriage equality, including Rev. Peter Gomes, the chaplain at Harvard University, Rev. William Sinkford, the president of the Unitarian Universalists Association, Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco, Rev. Al Sharpton of New York, and author and minister Michael Eric Dyson.
Keith Boykin, the president of the Coalition, promised that his organization would continue to confront homophobic right-wing groups seeking inroads in the black community. "This is a warning shot to the radical right," he said. "If you come to our community, we will be there to fight you."
###
The National Black Justice Coalition is an ad hoc coalition of black lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered leaders who have come together to fight against discrimination in our communities.
The goal of the organization in 2004 is to build black support for marriage equality and to educate the community on the dangers of the proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to discriminate against gays and lesbians.
EY: The National Black Justice Coalition can be found at: http://www.nbjcoalition.org
Be interesting to see how "your" crowd treats counter demonstrators (as a matter of fact, I think I'll check that out personally).
I'm not surprised. I tend to see Mr Swift at gay political events such as the speech by GLSEN's Kevin Jennings and the house hearing on the topic.
[EY] I'm just curious though - which other Republicans - besides Bachmann - spoke at the rally?
[TS] The entire Senate caucus Republican came to the podium, one at a time, to introduce themselves as supporters not only of the amendment, but of traditional families.
Well hopefully they don't live in glass houses.
We'll see how the DFL handles it's time in the spotlight (couches anyone?).
The debate in the house will be interesting. I hope that an adultery amendment to this amendment gets added - and while we're at it - why not add some other amendments to the constitution based on other biblical passages:
http://www.godhatesshrimp.com
Eva Young
Near North
Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Blog is up:
http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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