The Respect for Marriage Act

19th of October 2009


THE RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT


The Respect for Marriage Act is a great step forward, but it is not the answer that it is being tallied by Gay Right’s Activist. This bill would only repeal the Federal DOMA and would give the ability for people living in states that voted for changes to their State Constitutions a right to file for unconstitutionality of any state DOMA that was enacted.

Please be aware this is the step that we need to get behind and support. If Respect for Marriage is passed, it would be the wedge that could be used to turn every state that approved by a majority, the changes in that state’s constitution by defining Marriage as “the union between one man and one woman” as unlawful. This is a great step in the right direction, but it will not be the instant gratification that gays and lesbians around the United States are hoping it will be.

Once The Respect for Marriage bill is passed, then residence within each state that defined marriage in some way excluding the rights of all gay citizens from wedding would then be able to challenge the constitutionality of those changes. It will not be an the all important answer and there will remain a battle at which many gay men and women will continue to be denied our civil rights to unite with the soul of our choosing.

David Mixner has a very good blog: “Democrats: If You are NOT on This List Then Not One Penny!” that everyone should read. This is a good organizational effort and not a bad start, but our managerial push must go beyond what Mr. Mixner is requesting. We do need to garner the support of our friends, family and colleges by writing letters, sending emails and placing phone calls to all of our Representatives and Senators. We need to make them aware that this bill and their voting on it will be scrutinized and used against them in all upcoming campaigns. Regardless of party affiliations, we must spread the word, in an organized manner telling all politicians we mean business. But the numbers are the only thing that will make a difference.

All independent polls show that the majority of US citizen supports the rights of all other citizens and individually do not wish to oppress any other people. So talk with your neighbors, friends, colleges and branch out in normal conversations to those surrounding you including the continued oppression of the homosexual base as a group overtly being oppressed. There is a direct stigma associated when another person who is made aware that they are in fact oppressing another soul from experiencing the very rights they think little of.

But our efforts can only begin there. The power base for the Republican Party is the Religious Right, so we must engage religious leaders speaking directly with them. Our goal with religious leaders is either to sway them into supporting our cause and not preaching against it, or at the very least to abstain from igniting their followers against us. Our approach is that the Bible or their religious texts was written to unite their parishioners under the focus of LOVE and not HATE. By abstaining, they will let their individual followers decide for themselves without in sighting their parishioners against any group of souls. It is one thing to believe in the words within their religious text, and yet another to propel other souls to do harm against another living soul. The Bible was never meant to be the bat of God wielded by non-judging souls; but rather a guide by which those who believe should live their individual lives…not used to judge others.

To remain exactly where Mr. Mixner says too, by telling any Democrat that you will not donate to them if they do not support this bill is a baseless treat that carries no weight. It has been used for years without effect and the reason for that is when you call your Congressperson or Senator, they have databases that tell them your party affiliations and your donation history. It will mean nothing to them if they see that you don’t regularly donate or that your donations are of small amounts. They will call your bluff if you are not a political party broker, meaning that you get involved in elections, throw fund raisers or wield some base of power within their party. So while I applaud Mr. Mixner for spreading the word, his call to arms will not move the people we need to be moving.

As for why Mrs Nancy Pelosi is not listed in Mr. Mixner’s list is because she was taught how to play hard ball politics. Mrs. Pelosi has tied herself very tightly with the Democratic Party line and to our President. The President and thereby Mrs. Pelosi are using all Gay Rights Bills as their bat to garner support for the bills that they decide matter to them. We watched President Bill Clinton use the gay community as his bat to in order to garner the support he needed for other bills. He used us and we paid with Don’t Ask Don’t Tell instead of getting any of what we truly needed from him. Now President Obama has found that there is no better scare tactic for the other bills that he deems more essential than the threat that he will pass the Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell or bills such as the Respect for Marriage Act. You will not receive either President Obama direct support on this issue and neither will we receive Mrs. Pelosi’s. We need to change how the homosexual vote is tallied, pushing our issues beyond the status of ball bat and up to the status of deliver or we use our organization efforts against you and your political friends. Until we cause the loss of an elected position, will we never change our perceived threat!

As for Mr. Franks; what a loathsome hypocrite of a man he is. I know Mr. Franks and was once a constituent of his. He uses the Gay Agenda for his betterment and in doing so against our interest. It should be far easier to nail his butt down on the issues, even as scummy as his tongue may be. The best way to do that is to have something, like pictures of the closest place he frequents. He used to love the steam room in the Metropolitan Gym in Boston. During its hay day Mr. Franks would frequent it as the closest thing to a legal Bathhouse that he could find. He is motivated by dirty sex and you can find him at any of the Washington seedy dive places where sex trade is on the menu. It shouldn’t be that difficult to corner Mr. Franks in a way that forces him to bring about a sincere reflection of this bill…..and why he has neither supported it nor come out against it. I would garner a guess that he too is being used as a Washington Power Broker by the White House in gaining support for other initiatives the White House needs to push through.

There is much work that needs to be done and thanks to people in the forefront like Mr. Mixner for spreading the word. Every gay and lesbian American needs to get involved like we did in the 70’s and 80’s. If we want to be including at the table of equality, we must stand up against those who wish to oppress us and be counted. No closet doors and no hiding behind a veil. We must galvanize our own group and branch out very systematically to all people surrounding us in order to expand their support. We must be smart about what we do, but we must start by getting involved. We need to get beyond a fight for our own rights so that we can help to defend the rights for those around the world who are being killed, hanged, castrated and hunted like dogs because those who wish to oppress others, chose the gay and lesbian group as the weaker one as an outlet for their crimes. We have been at the end of their sword for far too long and the only way out is through organization and follow through.

GAY RIGHTS = CIVIL RIGHTS


LOVE CAN NEVER BE WRONG – HATE IS NEVER RIGHT


Your humble servant – Todd M Dobson