W E D N E S D A Y , N O V E M B E R 0 3 , 2 0 0 4Did Gays Cost Kerry The Election?by Michael in New York on 11/03/2004 03:05:00 PMCertainly, the one in five of gays who VOTED for Bush didn't help.(What were they thinking?)But gay marriage bans passed in 11 states, and the harshest onepassed in Ohio and helped drive evangelical voters to the polls.</p><p> Andthat is one major factor why Bush won that crucial state.So did gays cost Kerry the election? No.</p><p> Gays and lesbians did notpush the issue forward and did not press Kerry to be more forthright.It gained national prominence because of court rulings and thenatural desire of U.S. citizens to claim their basic civil rights.</p><p> TheBush campaign played on hate and bigotry -- constantly making gayslurs about Kerry and Edwards, passing out fliers in some states thatlied and said Kerry would allow gay marriage and ban the Bible, goingback on his word and pushing a Constitutional Amendment that forthe first time would take away basic civil rights of Americans ratherthan bringing new people to the table and the list goes on.</p><p> Gaysdidn't lose Kerry the election.</p><p> But hatred and bigotry against gayAmericans certainly helped Bush win.Blaming gay Americans who believe they deserve the same basic civilrights as everyone else for losing the election is like blaming slavesfor the Civil War.</p><p> Gays aren't too uppity.</p><p> Bigots are too backwards.And they are the past.</p><p> Every look at young Americans demonstratesthat they don't blanche over mixed race relationships (like theirparents still do), don't think being gay is a big deal one way or theother (it's just the way people are).</p><p> And BOTH Presidential candidatessaid they supported civil unions for gays. (Not that Bush will lift afinger to make that happen.)The future is clearly on our side, no matter how many Supreme Courtjustices Bush may appoint.</p><p> It's just, for now, that the present feelslike a step into the bleak and narrow past.</p><p> Add New Comment Logged in as AnonymousUser Logout from DisqusLogged in asusing Facebook Connect (Logout)Type your comment here.</p><p> HuffPost PoliticsJeffrey Smith: Governor Sebelius Must Veto KansasBill That Endangers Milk Safety - Governor Sebeliuswants to be our new Secretary of Health andHuman Services.</p><p> But before she is sworn in, shehas an important job to...17 minutes agoEschatonOvernight - Rock on.52 minutes agoDaily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Tonight's RescueRangers are Louisiana 1976, jlms qkw, shayera,dopper0189, ybruti, and srkp23 with vcmvo2editing.* ~ World order will be secured only ...56 minutes agoCrooks and LiarsC&L's Late Night Music Club: The 50 State Strategywith The Pine Box Boys (CA) - Title: Mr.</p><p> SkeletonArtist: The Pine Box Boys San Francisco isn'tknown for Bluegrass, but maybe if there weremore bands like The Pine Box Boys, it would ...1 hour agoFiredoglakeLate Nite: Michele Bachmann Stars in “Birth of anAberration” - Minnesota's wackiest export treadsthe boards of the Wingnut dinner theater.2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Did Ga...http://www.americablog.com/2004/11/did-gays-cost-kerry-elect... 1 of 64/7/09 1:45 AM
