Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Anti-Gay Organization Focused on Next Election

The anti-gay organization, Vote On Marriage, announced yesterday that they would not try for another anti-gay marriage amendment this session. To do so they would have to file paperwork by August 1st. It would be pointless to do because the question would come before the same legislature that just voted it down last month.

The leader of Vote On Marriage, Kris Mineau, continues to threaten Massachusetts with his remarks, "This campaign is far from over, believe me," Mineau said. "Some of these legislators will go away, but we will not."


Instead of collecting signatures for yet another anti-gay marriage amendment, Vote On Marriage will be focusing their energy on the 2008 elections. The Boston Globe reports:

The group vowed to publish voter guides and urge its members to unseat lawmakers who opposed the amendment, especially those who campaigned in favor of a gay-marriage ban, but changed their minds.

This is slightly comical when you consider the success Vote On Marriage and other anti-gay groups have had in past elections. They have never been successful in defeating a pro-equality incumbent, not even once. Yet, in every election since the issue has been on the radar, we have been successful in taking out one of their anti-equality incumbents. Their candidates do not win. That is a fact.

It is funny that Vote On Marriage still believes that voters actually care about gay marriage. In reality, voters care about education, health care, jobs, and taxes. Gay marriage is way down on people's lists of important issues. But shhhhh, don't tell Vote On Marriage that. I like watching their candidates get all riled up about gay marriage. They always lose. And I love winning elections!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Presidential Candidates to Debate LGBT Issues

The leading Democratic candidates for president will be participating in an historic televised debated devoted solely to issues affecting the LGBT community. The debate will be held in front of a live audience in Los Angeles on August 9th. The debate will be aired by LOGO and will also be available online through live streaming video at LOGOonline.com.

This is the first time in our nation's history that the leading candidates for the presidency will participate in an LGBT focused debate. During the 2004 presidential campaign all but two leading Democratic candidates participated in a similar, HRC-sponsored forum.


The leading Democratic candidates have confirmed that they will participate in the debate. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards will most likely be joined by other Democratic presidential hopefuls. The panel questioning the candidates will include HRC President Joe Solmonese and outspoken lesbian singer Melissa Etheridge.


Questions from the panel will range from marriage equality, workplace discrimination, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", hate crimes, HIV/AIDS, and other issues. Let's hope we get some real answers from the candidates.

You will be able to submit your own questions for the candidates through LOGOonline.com and HRC.org.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Senator Barrios Gives Farewell Speech

Senator Barrios, the only openly gay Massachusetts Senator, gave his farewell speech on the floor of the Senate Chamber today. He was introduced by Senator Wilkerson, who mentioned Barrios' husband in her remarks; "behind this great man, is a great man." She then paused and said, "you were supposed to laugh."

Senator Barrios' speech was very moving. He spoke about being yo
ung and realizing that he was gay. He found a book on a library shelve about an openly gay athlete. He was grateful to find that book because he was able to relate to what he read. It helped him to read about someone who had gone through it before him.

He spoke about when he first sought public office in 1997; he couldn't fin
d a book about running for office in Massachusetts with a name like "Barrios". He was the first, and still is the only, Latino Senator in Massachusetts. He had to write that book himself, as did many of his female colleagues in the Senate. However, after they write their own books, they will leave them on the shelve for others to pick up after them.

Senator Barrios has written a very powerful book in Massachusetts. He stood proud as an openly gay Senator and led the fight for safe schools for LGBT young people and against the discriminatory amendments that would have banned equal marriage rights. As he departs from the Senate, he will leave the book he has written on the shelve. Perhaps one day one of us will pick up that book.