2012 election was a gamechanger in gay history

Last night's election was such a gamechanger when it comes to lgbt equality in so many different ways. First of all, let's repeat the main victory:

Marriage equality is now law in Maine, Maryland, and Washington State. Meanwhile, Minnesota turned aside a ballot initiative which would have put a banning of marriage equality in the state constitution.

Naturally the National Organization for Marriage, which wasted over $5 million in these efforts are very disappointed. The organization issued an official statement of disappointment, but for my money, I rather enjoy the statement that its founder Maggie Gallagher made:

The Obama electorate defeated marriage. I’m guessing we lose at least three of tonight’s four races, and maybe four of the four. We were outspent eight-to-one — and no one was willing to speak for marriage, while the whole Democratic establishment and Hollywood campaigned for marriage. Last night really is a big loss, no way to spin it.

Oh Mags. I have one way to spin it. The people have spoken and you lost. Hard. And after so many losses which you threw up in our faces, these victories feel might good.

Now while our victories in marriage equality were awesome reason for celebration, they should be not the only reasons why the lgbt community should be in a party mood.

According to the Huffington Post:

Tammy Baldwin's groundbreaking Election Night victory has already been praised by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights advocates, who said the Wisconsin Democrat's success in becoming the first openly gay person ever elected to the Senate in America's history was evidence that "candidates should be judged on their qualifications for the job and not their sexual orientation." In addition to Baldwin, 2012 proved triumphant for a number of other LGBT politicians. New York Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and became his state's first openly gay member of Congress. Baldwin's vacated seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District was succeeded by Democrat Mark Pocan, making it the first time and openly LGBT member of Congress was succeeded by another in the same district.While it's too soon to tell for sure, California's Mark Takano looks poised to win a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in his state's 41st  Congr essional District and become the first openly gay member of Congress who’s also a person of color, the Washington Blade reports.

Not only did the lgbt community finally shut NOM's mouth (at least for now) by handing the organization a HUGE defeat, we did rather well when it comes to representation in the Senate and House of Representatives.

And NOM is not the only organization upset over last night's "shellacking." The Family Research Council held the following video bitchfest:



Bring it on guys. 

Marriage equality wins in all four ballot initiatives, NOM fails to defeat Iowa judge

Brian Brown, president of NOM, has a lot to cry about after last night.

To add to the happiness over Obama's re-election and Tammy Baldwin's election to the Senate comes another bit of good news sure to make the lgbt community shout from the rooftops.

We won ALL FOUR marriage equality initiatives in Maine, Maryland, Washington State, and Minnesota. Maine, Maryland, and Washington State all voted to approve marriage equality. And Minnesota became the first state to defeat an anti-marriage equality initiative.

All victories are sweet but three of those victories should be considered extra sweet by the lgbt community. In 2009, voters initially passed a referendum in Maine defeating the state's pro-marriage equality law. Last night, Maine became the first state to approve marriage equality through a popular vote.

Maryland was also a hard fought battle. In 2010, a marriage equality law just missed being passed by the state legislature after a coalition of religious leader and African-Americans legislators voiced a huge disapproval of it. When it was passed last year, it was almost immediately put up to vote via referendum.

Washington State was one that gay equality advocates really expected to win and as the votes slowly came in, marriage equality always led the count.

Minnesota was one many gay equality advocates expected to lose. Leaders of the Catholic Church fought tooth and nail to pass an anti-marriage equality law, including Archbishop John Nienstedt, who led the charge for the initiative by blurring the lines between politics and the church even in the face of much criticism.

At press time, the National Organization for Marriage has yet to comment on these losses, which is not surprising. The organization was involved in each initiative and has to be shocked at losing them all.

To make matters worse for the organization, NOM also lost a sparsely watched but crucial battle in Iowa to defeat a judge who voted for marriage equality in that state. Judge David S. Wiggins handily won another term  in spite of a huge campaign by NOM and other religious right figures to have him dismissed. His victory comes two years after NOM led a successful effort to defeat three other Iowa judges who ruled for marriage equality.

To many in the lgbt community, last night brought a sense of completeness that they should have had in 2008. That election night, President Obama became the first black president, but we lost the Proposition 8 vote in CA. Last night, brought a huge change from four years ago.

And it felt so right.

 

President Obama wins re-election, Tammy Baldwin makes history

They said it couldn't be done, but guess what . . . President Barack Obama just won another term as president.

Through all of the hatred and nonsense, through all of the lies and the disrespect, Obama forged forward to help the country and now the country has shown its appreciation by giving him another term.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy! And I am so glad he won.

But I would be remiss if I talked only about President Obama.

Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin has become the first lgbt ever to be elected to the United States Senate.

Now as for the initiatives in Minnesota, Maine, Maryland, and Washington State regarding marriage equality, votes are still be tabulated, but we are ahead. I will talk about that tomorrow morning. But for now, let's just bask in these two awesome moments in history.



Editor's note - Karl Rove is whining and hinting about a recount but if you ask me, it's probably because he fears going back to those funders he took millions of dollars from and explaining why he wasted their money.

A white woman's reason to vote for Romney

From my online buddy Pam Spaulding comes a tweet from a young woman giving the reason why she is voting for Romney. That some folks share this sentiment doesn't surprise me.

But for someone to put down a tweet like this is the main reason why I always wanted to shoot my television every time I hear a pundit ask whether or not Obama's election in 2004 would create a "post-racial" society.

It's a dumb question. A black man as president won't change the mind of a rabid racist anymore than laws outlawing racial discrimination.

People will be stupid and hateful. The trick is not to end their hate, but contain it so it does no damage.

Anyway, Obama/Biden 2012!!!!

'Maine's anti-marriage equality group: Gays have too much sex to receive equality' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Preserve Marriage Maine: Gay People Have Too Much Sex To Deserve Civil Rights - What is with these people and gay sex? They think about gay sex more than a vast majority of us are getting any. And the most offensive part of this man's screed? He whines about being thought of as "intolerant" or "homophobic" for expressing such an opinion. Oh poor him! Whatever happened to the "good old days" when folks could make ugly charges against gays without fear of verbal reprisal?  

Audio: More extremity from Maryland Marriage Alliance allies; toleration will 'bring a curse on this nation' - And it gets more interesting in Maryland. Personally I feel that for all of this man's bleating, we don't have a think to worry about. We aren't seeking "tolerance" or "acceptance." We merely want our fair share. And we will get our fair share. 

 James Robison Compares Fighting Gay Rights to Helping Victims of Hurricane Sandy - We know this is a lie because James Robison and folks like him would never drag themselves out of their comfortable studios and get their hands dirty like the brave folks who are actually helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

How Today’s Election Could Make History For LGBT Equality - Finally, how today would be a serious hallmark in the history of gay equality. 

Plan to sabotage Obama's African-American support fails

Today is the day which so many people have been working - whether through good works or evil works - towards. For now, it looks good. We are talking about a historical presidential election here, more important than the last.

Those of us rooting and working hard for President Obama and marriage equality have our hopes up tremendously. And while we are waiting for it to be over with our fingers crossed, we can take solace in one thing.

The plan to keep African-Americans from the polls failed tremendously. It was a plan by the Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) (which some believed was secretly backed by NOM) to tell black folks that Obama is pushing them over for the gay community and therefore, they shouldn't vote for him.

More specifically, that they shouldn't vote at all.

It was a plan which was doomed to fail. We all knew it and I think CAAP knew it also.

The idea that black folks would spit on the memory of those who fought to gain us the right to vote simply because of a disagreement on marriage equality was ludicrous. And it was insulting that an organization (whoever was funding CAAP) would think that greasing the palms of a few pastors with less scruples than integrity would give them the power to turn back historical mindsets.

This is what CAAP was up against and it was the reason why they failed:




 

Marriage equality and lgbt political policy - What's at stake in tomorrow election

The above video by the  Full Frontal Freedom demonstrates the importance of tomorrow's marriage equality votes.

In four states, Minnesota, Maryland, Maine, and Washington State, voters will decide the whether or not they support the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry.

It looks good right now. At least one victory would create a huge chink in the armor of the religious right's fight to stop marriage equality.

Of course why stop with one victory. Let's go for a clean sweep and I think it can happen.

Also even if you don't live in any of the above states, it is important that you vote tomorrow. You don't have to decide who you want to vote for based on a single issue, but remember what's at stake.

For better or worse, Obama has been an excellent ally to our community and we have accomplished a lot with him. If he is re-elected, we have the potential to accomplish so much more.

A vote for Romney is a vote for people like Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown and for organizations like the National Organization for Marriage and the Family Research Council.

Imagine them close to the White House and shaping policy which in turn would affect the lgbt community.

If the thought scares the hell out of you or gets you angry, then good. Get your asses up and vote tomorrow.

Don't  sit on your behind, not vote, and then talk about how angry you are at the outcome because this time, the first words out of my mouth to you will be:

"Did you vote?"

And God help you if you say "no."