SARAH PALIN SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE!?
I was protesting in front of the Minneapolis Hilton just minutes ago with the "LEGAL MARRIAGE FOR GAY COUPLES NOW" shower curtain, unaware that Sarah Palin, the GOP Vice President nominee, is apparently staying at that hotel. Really, I was downtown just to recharge my parking card when I went by the Hilton and there were mounted police and a small group of demonstrators dressed in pink on the street. I wasn't planning on protesting anywhere but the banner was still in the van from a previous occasion and I thought, what the hell, maybe I can get trampled or gassed. So I parked a few blocks away and walked there, positioning myself across the street from the hotel's main entrance which was crowded with SUVs, Cadillacs and police. During the half hour I was there, there was nothing but affirmations of my message from pedestrians and passing motorists.
One well-dressed man in his thirties, looking very much like a Republican delegate and later identifying himself as an Alaskan, walked up and stood beside me, leaned forward to look at the sign and said, "Palin supports that. I know, I'm from Alaska." I guffawed, "She doesn't' even support domestic partner benefits." He said, "Yes she does." I said, "She stopped domestic partner benefits for state workers." He said, "Only three people signed up for that program." I said, "It's the principle." He reiterated that he is absolutely sure Palin supports gay marriage. I expressed more disbelief and he said, "I'll go ask her." He crossed the street, went passed the police and into the Hilton. I stayed for another five minutes or so but my meter was running out so I had to go.
I think it would be pretty funny if she actually supports marriage equality. My, wouldn't that convention feel screwed by McCain?
Still, we have a lesbian friend, Amy, who used to live in Wasilla, AK and likes Palin. She told us of Palin, "She loves the gays." Hmmmmm.
One well-dressed man in his thirties, looking very much like a Republican delegate and later identifying himself as an Alaskan, walked up and stood beside me, leaned forward to look at the sign and said, "Palin supports that. I know, I'm from Alaska." I guffawed, "She doesn't' even support domestic partner benefits." He said, "Yes she does." I said, "She stopped domestic partner benefits for state workers." He said, "Only three people signed up for that program." I said, "It's the principle." He reiterated that he is absolutely sure Palin supports gay marriage. I expressed more disbelief and he said, "I'll go ask her." He crossed the street, went passed the police and into the Hilton. I stayed for another five minutes or so but my meter was running out so I had to go.
I think it would be pretty funny if she actually supports marriage equality. My, wouldn't that convention feel screwed by McCain?
Still, we have a lesbian friend, Amy, who used to live in Wasilla, AK and likes Palin. She told us of Palin, "She loves the gays." Hmmmmm.
posted by Doug @ 2:27 PM
1 Comments:
At 7:26 PM,
Anonymous said…
http://www.ontopmag.com/article.aspx?id=2313&MediaType=1&Category=25
Gay Republicans, Media Incorrectly Repeat Palin's Gay Positions
By Carlos Santoscoy
Published: September 02, 2008
In a statement supporting Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting Senator John McCain's pick for VP, Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, members of the gay group Log Cabin Republicans said they liked the choice because “Gov. Palin is an inclusive Republican who will help Sen. McCain appeal to gay and lesbians voters.” Several media pundits, including conservative talk show host Glenn Beck and syndicated columnist Debra Saunders, expressed similar positions.
Conservative host Glenn Beck told a CNN Newsroom audience on Sunday that he liked Palin because she showed “common sense” in giving gay state couples marriage-like benefits. “She is the first administration in Alaska's history to provide benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian employees. So she's not – she's, she's common sense. ... Real conservatives have common sense values, and they'll look at things and say, 'Okay, I believe in traditional marriage. But why would I stop somebody from getting, you know, benefits, they've lived together for 20 years?'”
Beck, who has said he remains dubious about voting for McCain, later added, “I have to know more about Sarah Palin, but what I do know, if she is who I think she is, I'll pull the lever for John McCain.”
Columnist Saunders expressed a similar view in her August 31st opinion, “[Palin] is not a hard-core social conservative. For example, Palin supported awarding benefits for same-sex couples.”
It is true that Palin vetoed an Alaskan bill that denied gay state employees spousal benefits in 2006, but she did so only on the advice of the state attorney general who told her the bill was unconstitutional. Alaska's Supreme Court had already said denying such benefits was unconstitutional.
Palin is staunchly opposed to gay marriage or marriage-like benefits for gay couples. In a written questionnaire, completed while running for governor in 2006, she was asked if she agreed with the State Supreme Court's ruling giving gay couples spousal benefits by the conservative group Eagle Forum Alaska. Palin's response: “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.” Voters in the State passed 2-to-1 in 1998 a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
While she may have vetoed a bill denying spousal benefits to gay state employees, Palin very much disagrees with the rights of gays to marry or be given marriage-like benefits.
Meanwhile, gay Republicans continue to push for inclusion in the Republican party, and claim some progress – such as their presence inside the convention this year. Unfortunately, they remain only a nominal voice for change; the 2008 Republican Party Platform calls for a federal constitutional ban on gay marriage.
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