In my recent comments about Scott Walker on Zach’s post about domestic partnership rights, I tried to paint the contrasts between the Democratic Party and the GOP, as demonstrated by Scott Walker on not only this, but on a range of issues. As further evidence of the stark contrasts between the parties,listen to President Obama speaking to a group of LGBT activists at a Tuesday night reception at the White House on the 41st anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.
Here is part of what President Obama had to say about key rights, that people like Scott Walker would deny gays & lesbians:
“In addition, I’ve issued an executive order to extend as many partnership benefits to gay and lesbian federal employees as possible under current law. And I’m going to continue to fight to change the law: to guarantee gay federal employees the exact same benefits as straight employees — including access to health insurance and retirement plans. And in an announcement today, the Department of Labor made clear that under the Family and Medical Leave Act, same-sex couples — as well as others raising children — are to be treated like the caretakers that they are.
Because I believe in committed — I believe that committed gay and lesbian couples deserve the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country, I have called for Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. We are pushing hard to pass an inclusive employee non-discrimination bill. No one in America should be fired because they’re gay. It’s not right, it’s not who we are as Americans, and we are going to put a stop to it.”
“And I want you all to know that as this work continues, I’m going to be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with you, fighting by your side every step of the way.
For those of you wanting to hear more about his accomplishments and pledges on GLBT rights, you can watch his celebration of the 41st Anniversary after Stonewall.
Who would you rather have it your side – someone like Scott Walker and the GOP, who would deny your existence and rights – or someone like Tom Barrett, Barrack Obama and the Democratic Party? The choices are clear and obvious, not only on this issue, but on the many other ones that sharply demonstrate the contrasts between our two major parties.
This is the kind of thing that makes me so proud he’s our president. It should be common sense to stand up for equality and justice. I once had someone I know tell me that it’s not “equal” rights but “special” rights. How exactly is one group of people getting the same kind of opportunities as another “special” rights?
I agree with you that this presentation and the results he has accomplished to date have been pretty impressive. There still is a long way to go and I think eventually we will get there.
I suspect that the “special rights” really boils down to what GOP pundit, former Governor and potential GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee calls the “ick factor”. The disdain isn’t about giving people rights, it is their discomfort and personal threats with the sexual aspects of same sex relationships.
bofCudahy: I will take that on…It is in fact “Special Rights” to give one group of people a set of extra rights, because of one set of circumstances. It’s no different than Affirmative Action or Jim Crow laws in reverse.
I don’t care what you do with your love/ partnership life. Commit to each other or not it’s not any of your fellow taxpayers business. But you and Mad-town aren’t happy at that. You won’t be happy until EVERY body else get’s your business thrown in their faces. Until you can force your fellow citizen’s to PAY the bill for your choices through taxpayer paid benefits programs. Let’s face it we all know there are more gays in Govt jobs as a percentage than any other group. That’s why this issue has been rising to higher and higher levels. But the taxpayers are responding that they are TAXED too much already. Now I would be in favor of changing employment plans for Govt. workers to ONLY cover the employee and then they could purchase plans for the rest of their families, partners or whoever with their own money. Private insurance companies can choose to offer extended coverage as they see fit. I am further prepared to stop the civil recognition of Straight marriage as well. The “Marriage Penalty” I believe is returning next year when the Bush tax Cuts expire.
If you REALLY want Constitutional equality This will do it. Not setting up “Special Rights” for one special class of people based on sexual desires. Any more than people with Peanut allergies should get to control everyone else’s Health and diet choices.
You are presenting two things at once. It doesn’t work that way. Equality is equality, not “special rights.”
As to the “there are more gays blah blah” I’m not going to respond to such an incredibly stereotyped statement.
Oh C’mon Cudahy! My points weren’t stereotypical at all. It is common knowledge that more gays are in Govt related jobs as a percentage of the total employee base versus employment overall. Just like it’s common knowledge that MOST gays that are involved in politics are Democrats. Not all of us are, but the majority are. Including those who blog on this site.
I see you failed to address my point, that you are in fact asking for “Special Rights”. If there is any “rights” you don’t have per the US Constitution Sir..I would ask you to kindly enumerate the one’s your missing.
Speech, Religion, Bear Arms, Suffrage, own property, self-incrimination, education, etc. I ask again where is there something “special” for the non Gay people? That you don’t get to have?
My solution, detailed above, levels the playing field as to who gets benefit’s paid by taxpayers..and solves 2 problems at once.. First it saves the taxpayers a BOATLOAD of money.. we are talking BILLIONS..and even Trillions over the next 10 years. It makes Insurance companies more competitive, and back to our immediate point It gives a Gay employee the exact same benefit a single, married, shack-up or whatever.
I suspect you don’t want fairness though Cudahy you won’t be happy until your shoving your Lifestyle in everyone’s faces. Live your life dude, I’ll live mine, but the taxpayers needn’t pay the bills of our “choices”.
As I recall, Obama doesn’t support gay marriage. At least he didn’t when he was trying to get elected (maybe he was pandering to those bigots?). But now he throws out a red herring like “no one in America should be fired because they’re gay.”
Does Obama support polygamy? No? What a narrow-minded bigot.
Polygamy is a lifestyle choice. Sexual orientation is not.
The only “lifestyle choice” is whether to let bigot intimidation drive oneself into hiding and lies for the rest of their life or to accept what one is and try to have the same pursuit of happiness as anyone else. The bigoted lie that sexual orientation is a “lifestyle choice” needs to be called out for what it is.
You are not, moreover, going to see the Democratic Party lobbying for the government breaking into to private bedrooms to arrest people who have relations with more than one partner.
Marriage is a lifestyle choice. I’m not talking about the government arresting people for having relations with more than one partner, I’m saying why doesn’t the government legitimize polygamy? Some states do not allow cousins to marry and certainly all do not allow sibling marriage. I don’t understand why you draw the line at gay marriage and let your bigotry drive polygamists and others “into hiding and lies for the rest of their life” or let them “try to have the same pursuit of happiness as anyone else.”
Also, the bigots tend to not only oppose same sex marriage, but civil unions or ANY kind of legal recognition (just like that bigoted amendment has language about in our own state).
I wanted to vomit seeing the bigot ads about “protecting families.” Oh no, those big bad homosexuals are after the children! Let’s show a bunch of kids playing while making it sound like that has anything to do with our push to maliciously assault the notion of equal rights and promote dishonest misinformation about an entire type of person!