While there is a lot of noise being made over the National Organization for Marriage's pledge to supposedly "protect marriage," a passage in that pledge is escaping some much deserved scrutiny. Amongst other things, those presidential candidates who signed the pledge, should they get elected to the presidency, has promised to:
In the world of the jaded gay community who has reputedly seen it all from the religious right, even this sentence should raise alarms.
First of all, who would be on this committee? Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown? Or how about Peter Sprigg or Tony Perkins? Or even worse, Matt Barber? I would say Peter LaBarbera but even I'm not that crazy.
And just what would they investigate or rather how would they investigate certain matters? Remember during the Clinton Administration, how investigations of Whitewater "magically" pivoted to other matters having absolutely nothing to do with legal matters but more about Clinton's personal life?
Whose to say that this "commission" wouldn't turn into a fishing expedition determined to undermine and destroy pro-gay organizations? And I haven't even mention bloggers. Imagine being called before a committee and forced to give personal testimony about some false claim (which will no doubt be played up heavily by Fox News, conservative bloggers, and religious right groups) simply because you published a fact as to how religious right groups lie. And knowing the folks who suggested the committee in the first place, it certainly isn't a farfetched notion.
No doubt, a list of pro-gay organizations and bloggers to be "investigated" is already forming in the minds of NOM and its allies.
The gay community would do well for itself to lose its jaded pose and get itself into the game of the 2012 election. We already seem to have a huge target on our back this election cycle - as unfortunately we always do every election cycle - so it seems to me that the best thing to do is to stop griping about being targets and start establishing a few targets ourselves.
Uh oh. Now maybe I will be investigated for saying that.
Appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of traditional marriage supporters.
In the world of the jaded gay community who has reputedly seen it all from the religious right, even this sentence should raise alarms.
First of all, who would be on this committee? Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown? Or how about Peter Sprigg or Tony Perkins? Or even worse, Matt Barber? I would say Peter LaBarbera but even I'm not that crazy.
And just what would they investigate or rather how would they investigate certain matters? Remember during the Clinton Administration, how investigations of Whitewater "magically" pivoted to other matters having absolutely nothing to do with legal matters but more about Clinton's personal life?
Whose to say that this "commission" wouldn't turn into a fishing expedition determined to undermine and destroy pro-gay organizations? And I haven't even mention bloggers. Imagine being called before a committee and forced to give personal testimony about some false claim (which will no doubt be played up heavily by Fox News, conservative bloggers, and religious right groups) simply because you published a fact as to how religious right groups lie. And knowing the folks who suggested the committee in the first place, it certainly isn't a farfetched notion.
No doubt, a list of pro-gay organizations and bloggers to be "investigated" is already forming in the minds of NOM and its allies.
The gay community would do well for itself to lose its jaded pose and get itself into the game of the 2012 election. We already seem to have a huge target on our back this election cycle - as unfortunately we always do every election cycle - so it seems to me that the best thing to do is to stop griping about being targets and start establishing a few targets ourselves.
Uh oh. Now maybe I will be investigated for saying that.
Not that such a investigative body would ever be commissioned, but yes, this could definitely be a witchhunt, but couldn't this also be an excellent opportunity to literally point that out and further lgbtqa aims and agendas?
ReplyDeleteAny committee made up of conservative, even religious, anti-lgbtqa activists or like-minded politicians would be sitting ducks, literally dripping with prejudice and intolerence.
If called before such a "investigative" hearing, depending on any issue germaine to the committee's purpose, I believe within the time it takes two or less witnesses (on our side) to testify, it would result in the country clamoring for the dissolution of such a committee, a positive change of attitude toward marriage equality, and within a week, could see a (nominally speculative) ten to fifteen percent favorable increase. (yes, I'm an optimist)
Imagine what a great forum this could be for Dan Savage, Jeremy Hooper, or you Alvin, or any of the brilliant lgbt activists and bloggers of today.
If called before this so-called "investigative" body, they would be representing the lgbtqa community and would expose, dissect and tear down the real purpose of rank bigotry that the very existence of such a "committee" would reveal to the country.
I say let them try and I we would be ready.