Just watched the opening segment on Rachel Maddow, and she and I seem to have had a mindmeld on today’s announcement- it’s great, but pales in comparison to what this administration has already done. I don’t know if I conveyed that in my post earlier. She then had Barney Frank on, after pointing out that despite the rest of the country changing, today’s GOP is more virulently anti-gay than they were in the 80’s. While watching the Frank segment, besides having a twinge of sadness that he is retiring, I remembered that Frank, as a successful congressmen, was the subject of GOP homophobic smears. From a GOP Congressman:
“I rule out that it was an innocent mispronunciation,” said Barney Frank from his office this week, reflecting on the slur that shook the 104th Congress. “I turned to my own expert, my mother, who reports that in 59 years of marriage, no one ever introduced her as Elsie Fag.”
Now that the shouting has died down — and the tape of the deed has been widely heard — this much is clear. Dick Armey, the House majority leader, did not, as he hastened to put it, merely have “trouble with alliteration” and stumble innocently over his colleague’s last name.
But neither, in Representative Frank’s view, did Mr. Armey deliberately misspeak. “It was not equivalent to the classic of the genre,” said Mr. Frank, recalling Joseph McCarthy’s “Alger, I mean Adlai, Stevenson.” The Boston Congressman thinks instead that Mr. Armey has heard “Barney Fag” so often in his political circles that “it just popped out.”
What’s equally clear is that Republicans caught in embarrassing situations will try, as a first resort, to blame the press. Once Mr. Armey failed to get reporters to bury the incriminating tape, he whined about “the way the media is portraying this incident,” as if he, rather than Mr. Frank, were the injured party. This is the same playbook Newt Gingrich followed, albeit more successfully, to deflect censure for his own use of the b-word.
That’s how powerful gay men and women are treated. What kind of fresh hell do those not in Frank’s position go through every day?
Vagina Coast Guard Dick Armey is one of the driving forces of the tea party movement (remember, the tea party isn’t Republicans, it’s just people fed up with government!), who have now taken over the Republican party. Do the math. There is a reason the GOP is more anti-gay than ever. The GOP has been distilled down to nothing more than an unholy brew of Bircher bigoted homophobic bile in the service of big money.
ruemara
(r)Amen. Now how about instead of approving disapproving of Obama, let’s talk about how we’re gonna get out the vote for Democratic House & Senate members. And retake our poor states from teatardians.
James E. Powell
The GOP has been distilled down to nothing more than an unholy brew of Bircher bigoted homophobic bile in the service of big money.
The GOP is, and for a very long time has been, the party of the ruling class, now known as the 1%. No more, no less.
They have to rally bigots and morons to their side or they could never contest elections outside of their enclaves. It’s not like they have a choice.
geg6
This is why I come here, Mr. Cole, and why I stay.
Narcissus
Dana Loesch was just on Piers Morgan calling the President a coward forced into taking a position by joe biden and a craven politician for bringing up states rights
I thought I was reading Balloon Juice for a minute
gaz
I’ve considered compiling a list of the names I’ve been called. Some are actually quite clever.
What really gets to me though, is the violence. That shit is pretty tough to take.
BO_Bill
It is very important for us to know that gay marriage is important.
David Koch
Once again, his grace is right.
David Koch
Dolan would make a great veep for Romney.
gaz
@David Koch:
fixed
ETA: Whenever I hear one of these funny hat wearing rapists say “think of the children” I want to punch them in the fucking throat.
gbear
@Narcissus:
Of course you were referring to the comments, not the front pagers…
I’m looking forward to watching Maddow when the show gets posted on their website later tonignt.
pragmatism
I heard you can use a thermomix to reduce the bile into an eggy bernaise.
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
My wife and I are celebrating, but we wanted to check: are any of you straight folks still married? Or do we need to work harder to destroy your marriages?
Random User Name
Anyone else hear Lawrence O’Donnell say that the Obama campaign raised $1 million dollars in the 1st 90 minutes after the Obama interview on gay marriage today?
Woot!
Betty Cracker
Vagina Coast Guard! LOL!
someguy
So Mitt says he’s in favor of civil unions, a position that is essentially a fig leaf to hide screaming outrageous bigotry.
beltane
@David Koch: No offense to the good Cardinal but there should be some kind of court order preventing him from uttering the word “children”.
Spaghetti Lee
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
I’m still feeling a bit hetero over here. Maybe turn the Gaymakin’ Machine up a few notches?
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
@someguy: Rmoney’s statement about civil unions is even weirder:
What does this even mean?
I thought the conservative canard was to claim that civil unions were just as good (for Those People) as marriage, so we should shut up and be grateful for that. Now he’s saying he won’t support civil unions unless they’re inferior enough? In what ways are they required to be inferior?
David Koch
watching Lawrence O’Donnell — man, Krystal Ball is so fuckable
Martin
Ok, I think Obama just punked the right. I’m not convinced this whole episode was planned, mind you, but the result will be the same.
In 2008, nobody here did much work for Obama. He was going to win CA, so we all busted our asses to kill Prop 8. People went all-in on that battle. We don’t have that fight this year here, but the GOP is going to go all-in on this topic against Obama, and we’re going to get his back on it. Obama just got his GOTV topic thanks to what we know the GOP is going to throw at him.
The demographic risk here is Latinos. Obama has almost 80% of Latinos, but roughly 50% support gay marriage. Now, that’s roughly the national average, but Obama only gets roughly half the national vote. The risk is what happens with that 30% of Latinos that support Obama and oppose gay marriage.
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
@Spaghetti Lee: May I remind you that according to such unimpeachable sources as the AFA, the FRC, and Paul Cameron, GLBT people do nothing but have sex all day, every day, and –
Hey, what’s that stampede of straight people doing headed this way?
Quarks
@someguy: Eh, don’t worry about it. He’ll be saying something else by next week. And something else a month later.
Clime Acts
@geg6:
Because hearing what you already think echoed back at you is always a reliable avenue to growth and critical thinking.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@gbear:
To be fair to us, that’s a minority of die hard jackasses who barely add up to double digits. Granted they type with an insistent and petulant fury that makes them seem like many more
Clime Acts
@Narcissus:
BINGO
RossInDetroit
My wife is out of town until Monday. Will we still be married when she gets back? Do we have to go back to the Graceland Chapel in Vegas and go through it again under the new rules?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Martin:
That’s my read, too. It’s the birth control thing all over again. Santorumarola already thinks he’s gonna be the Reagan to Wllard’s Ford, and that the country is just waiting to embrace fifteenth century Catholicism
eemom
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
’bout fucking time somebody remembered. I’ve been waiting NINE HOURS for y’all’s Band Of Marauding Gay Straight-Marriage-Bashers to show up at my door.
Clime Acts
@Quarks:
Maybe Mitt, like Barack, is just “evolving.”
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
@RossInDetroit: You’ll be assigned same-sex spouses by FEMA.
General Stuck
From TNC
Obama is a very good politician, with the obvious instincts of that discipline to make it to the highest pol office in the land.
In the 90’s, he was square for gay marriage, so I would say he re evolved, as pol conditions warranted. Though it is a massive leap of faith for a sitting POTUS up for reelection to a second term, to do what he did. In the face of uncertainty, even with a country that has mostly, or more so evolved, though not completely to accept gay marriage more than a 50 50 proposition nationally, at this point in time. So as a pragmatic politician that is also pragmatically liberal, this was a matter of some courage to do it now, before the election, for a first term president who wants what every first term president wants – a second term.
But if I had to guess, it was Michelle that poked him with ‘a get offin yer ass and do it, you knucklehead’ that turned the worm, after Biden dug it up.
Cacti
Looking at the less important aspects of this announcement, I’d say the President has boxed in Mittens but good.
If Willard doesn’t take a hard right turn on this issue, he risks a full-on rebellion from the God squad. And the more he has to suck up to the Christ-ers, the less appealing he looks to moderates.
David Koch
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker: at the FEMA detention sex camps
eemom
@Clime Acts:
Oh Timmy. Can’t you be NICE this evening?
Cacti
I’d also like to say that I called this one days ago.
Biden saying what he did on Meet The Press was no accident.
redheadedfemme
@David Koch: I hope you meant that as some sort of satire. Otherwise, that statement is sexist and stupid.
aimai
I can not get over the number of people that think that the Biden thing wasn’t totally planned. Biden makes gaffes, sure, under certain circumstances–usually when he is going long on a topic. But the topic itself and the way it was handled? Come the fuck on. The guy is a pro-FESS-ional politician. And so are Obama’s campaign staff. There is no way that Biden’s statement wasn’t approved going into the North Carolina thing, and that Obama’s statement and its timing hadn’t been vetted. He wouldn’t have done it if North Carolina had gone down in defeat, and he chose to do it when he chose to do it. I think the whole “Biden forced his hand” is part of the incredibly weird insistance by some on the Right and Left in discounting Obama as a political thinker because he’s black. He didn’t accidentally fall upwards into the Presidency and no, his hand wasn’t “forced” because of Biden.
aimai
lamh35
I don’t know if anyone answered me in previous threads, but what does this do for the races in those states where Dems are up for election but it’s really close. Yes this is good, but can we realistically expect this to be good for those races or not.
gbear
@gaz:
I’ve been pretty lucky in that I’ve rarely been harrassed and never been physically attacked. My own experience is that nobody could possibly beat me up to the level that I was beating myself up before I finally, finally, accepted that I was gay and was going to have to interact with the world as a gay man. When you grow up learning that fags are the most perverse, despicable slime on the face of the earth, the slow realization that you are one of them is jut a horrifying time to go through. I’m glad I survived it (we all have different ways of surviving that period), and I’m glad that things are better for many (not all) kids than they were back 40 years ago. Today was a good day for gay kids, even if they can’t share it with anyone they know.
gaz
@redheadedfemme: Hai!
If you can’t tell by his screenname, nearly everything David Koch posts is indeed snark. Just mentally ammend the “/snark” tag after his comments and you’ll understand him a lot better.
Glad I could help.
Suffern ACE
@Clime Acts: Boob.
dead existentialist
@eemom: STOP STALKING HIM!!
A Stone Unturned
@David Koch: Especially the children. Deserve better. Like having guys in dresses and funny hats use their rods and staffs to comfort the little ones.
gaz
@lamh35: If you can’t trust one of the best campaigners in modern american politics to have thought this out thoroughly than I doubt you could trust anything. Relax. Enjoy the little victory. It’s okay. really.
gbear
Man, you use just one teeny little slur for gay men and you get thrown into moderation. FYWP.
The Moar You Know
@eemom: Timmy’s a little bit ashamed because he shit the bed.
So he’s a bit cranky this evening.
Clime Acts
@General Stuck:
He lied, prevaricated, and tailored his positions to fit polling results, much as Mitt Romney is commonly mocked here at BJ for doing.
Clarifying…
Keith G
I said this earlier, but I believe that it deserves repeating that I feel Obama’s comments today could go down as an important example of an strong use of the president’s bully pulpit. In future government textbooks there will be a caption about how this is a very good way to do it.
Mark S.
That’s the kind of parsing that speaks to real Americans on the Scranton-to-Oshkosh corridor.
gaz
@Clime Acts: It’s pretty clear that no matter what anyone does, you’ll find some reason to hate it. Not that this is anything new, but you’ve rendered yourself irrelevant.
kdaug
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
Work harder. Entropy’s a bitch.
General Stuck
@lamh35:
The best answer to that I would think, is that no one really knows. It is one of those things that are done when everything that preceded it, leads to saying what your previous actions strongly imply. And when Obama decided to not defend DOMA in the courts, he reached that end point of only one path forward. The only question was the timing, either before of after the election. It is a gamble made, I think, with the basic knowledge that the theme, or main theme or this election, is the economy/ Nationally, for Obama’s fate, it seems they decided it was a go to do it now. Partly, I suspect, because it was the only step to make and to possibly shore up more support from the liberal wing to get fully on board the campaign effort. But the effect on local and state wide races, remains a mystery, I think until election day.
lamh35
@gaz: Doesn’t mean I don’t trust the campaign, but last I looked the races with McCASkill and Manchin and such that are close enough that people like Manchin feel comfortable enough to say that he “may not vote for POTUS”. So all I”m saying is that when these guys gets asked if they agree with POTUS they at least have a good answer, because you know they will be asked. Heck, I’d actually think the GOP compatition in their races would be fools not to get the candidates on the record yay or nay on gay marriage in those states.
Alls I’m asking is will these pol have to say they disagree just to win?
Elisabeth
@aimai:
Heh ~ the cool thing is we’ll never know unless/until someone writes about it in their memoirs. It was just Joe enough to be unscripted but given the Administration doesn’t screw the pooch this badly often (if ever) it may well have been planned.
At this point I don’t care. I’ll take the end result.
Clime Acts
@eemom:
I was VERY nice late this afternoon, even put up a tribute portrait of Obama on my web site to honor his alleged courage…until I actually READ what he said. Which as per usual was a stinking pile of centrism.
He’s against bigotry but supports it where its legal. Got it.
Fuck him.
gaz
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
I would so love to see this very question asked of Rmoney by somebody (anybody) in the MSM.
Perfect.
Calouste
@Martin:
Obama is going to punk the GOP on immigration just the same. And Romney is going to cave in to both the godbotherers and the nativists in his party and the Tampa must be careful it is not going to collapse into a black hole due to all the hate during the GOP conference.
Romney wants to make this election about economic issues, because that is where he can sound vaguely coherent and non-flipflopping. Obama is going to make sure that Romney’s party is going to make this election about hate.
General Stuck
@Clime Acts:
No thread is really complete here in the land of hot air, until a Timmy hissy fit ensues. You are our resident Heather from Hell, so keep thrashing about like you mean it.
4tehlulz
Clime Acts is acting so much like Mitt it’s difficult to believe they’re two different people.
I think.
satanicpanic
Firebagger! +3
gaz
@lamh35: Ahh, so if I understand what you are saying, you are concerned about downticket pols?
** shrug *
FWIW, our congress is about as horrible as it can get right now. It’s hard to imagine it getting much worse. As it stands, nothing gets done anyway, so if we lose a few senate seats over this (in the worst, and – i think – unlikely case) what’s the real harm, at the end of the day? (this is about %50 snark)
Tara the Antisocial Social Worker
@gaz:
Alas, the chances of that are somewhere around the odds of Jonah Goldberg getting an ACTUAL Pulitzer nomination.
kdaug
@David Koch:
Yeop, and if hadn’t been for that stupid Halloween video from her college years, she’d be Congresswoman Ball to you, chump.
Keith G
@aimai:
I am with you 99% of the way, but not with:
I feel that is unsupported in the general way you used it and not helpful at all.
Calouste
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
You need to work harder. I’m already separated but the dissolution isn’t really coming along.
Clime Acts
@aimai:
Precisely. Political calculation trumps principle, every time. Just like with Mittens.
gaz
@gbear:
Being trans is a much different experience.
ETA: At 5’11, and under 130 small feet + hands – I can pass when I want to.. so I’m blessed. But I don’t even like playing that game. Being hit on by a man is often a scary experience. It’s easier to just stay inside most of the time.
TG Chicago
I know this is probably old news, but in looking at the Barney Frank piece JC quoted, I find it interesting to see that the conservative victimology goes all the way back to (at least) 1995. I thought that was a more recent trick, but they’ve been working that one for nearly 20 years if not more. Sure would be nice if the press would wise up to it. Especially since Frank Rich had it figured out way back then.
(btw, Tara’s comment @30 made me chuckle. Thanks!)
RossInDetroit
I used to be on the Civil Unions bandwagon because that would benefit opposite-sex couples who didn’t want traditional marriages as well. Like some members of my family, and a few friends. But a gay friend convinced me that if it wasn’t marriage it wasn’t equal and he deserved equality. In fact he bent my ear about it constantly. Hard to argue with that, though. So I’m glad that the President finally took this stand. There will be hell to pay, but so many Americans who have waited so long deserve their rights at last.
Clime Acts
@Mark S.:
T
Naturally, however, you’re fine with “I support marriage equality for all, except where the bigots say it’s illegal in which case I’m good with that too.”
KPH
Barney Frank got off some of the best lines. Duke Cunningham, the sleazy Congressman who’s still in prison, when asked if he enjoyed his recent prostate surgery, said “I don’t think anybody enjoys prostate surgery, unless maybe you’re Barney Frank”. The reporters ran to Barney and told him what Duke said. Barney said “Unfortunately, I think the Congressman suffered brain damage during the surgery.”
Clime Acts
@General Stuck:
Homophobic much? Fuck you.
Quarks
@lamh35: I’m bisexual and loved Obama’s statement, but I really don’t think by November this will make a huge difference.
In the short term, some conservatives have gotten angry (not that this is news), and the Obama campaign has racked in some donations and perhaps picked up some more volunteers to help out in the fall.
By November, though — in close Democratic/Republican downticket races, the issues are going to be jobs, economy, jobs. Possibly abortion and immigration and various local issues, but mostly jobs, economy, jobs.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@David Koch:
Fix’t for accuracy.
Shorter Cardinal Pedo: “Where else are we going to get fresh kids for our randy priests?”
Clime Acts
@Keith G:
It’s all she’s got.
Mnemosyne
@Clime Acts:
Oh, Timmy. As usual, your total ignorance of history and the law doesn’t prevent you from becoming indignant about an imagined slight from Obama.
Here’s a hint: Loving v Virginia didn’t actually change the ability of states to make their own marriage laws. Read Wikipedia, look at DOMA and what would happen if it were struck down, and see if you can puzzle out what Obama was actually saying, not what you imagine he was saying.
gaz
@Quarks:
I doubt this is about November. This is a calculated move to box Rmoney in, and take early control of the message. He’s keeping Rmoney off guard, and forcing him to defend and define himself on Obama’s terms.
Suffern ACE
@Clime Acts: Yep. Works for me. If that’s where we are at the moment, it seems better than where we were before, and we’ll move from there. Better off than we were under Clinton, who at this point was starting to run those ads letting voters know how he had stood up loud and proud against gay marriage.
General Stuck
@Clime Acts:
LoL. The Heathers are gay? Shit, I swear that I did not know that. And apparently, ‘hissy fits’ as well.
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
Yes.
Again, that is why I went gun shopping today. The bullshit here in NC is cranked up to 11 on the 1 to 10 scale, and the announcement by the President is inadvertantly adding fuel to the fire. (I am not critisizing the President. I just observe that the wingnuts are going full metal apeshit right now)
Something like 60% of trans women experience assault of some sort, and that means the odds are not really in my favor as they say in the Hunger Games.
Clime Acts
@Mnemosyne:
blah blah blah…
Obama: I totally respect states rights to discriminate against gay people because I’m not one of them…or I’m still evolving…or I have no principles…or something.
This man is no more centered than Mitt. There’s nothing he wouldn’t hedge and parse on.
He could have said something like “…and I look forward to a day very soon when gay folks will be able to marry and enjoy full equality in EVERY state in this union. That day cannot come soon enough, and I will do everything in my power to make it so.”
But no…that would require a full spine/testicle package.
Quarks
@gaz: :: nods :: I agree — I was mostly answering the person who wondered how this would affect things in November.
It won’t, much. It can certainly affect things now — his statement already gave him a fundraising boost, and as you correctly note, it boxed Romney in and forced him to make that really pointless comment that he’s remained “consistent” on this issue which just reminded us all just how inconsistent Romney’s been on everything else, and certainly wasn’t strong enough to make him any more popular with the base.
Honestly, Romney, if the only thing you’ve been consistent on is being against gay marriage (and I expect that’s going to turn out to be a lie), you have a problem.
Meanwhile, Obama came across sounding like an adult. He made it clear that he had shared some of the concerns of people that want to keep “traditional” marriage (nonsensical concept, but let’s move on) but he had thought about it, actually bothered to talk to real people about it, and changed his mind. He sounded thoughtful. It may not have been what some commenters on this site wanted, but I think it will play well enough with the general public for a few days and then be mostly forgotten.
gaz
@celticdragonchick:
A gun is not all that effective. You can’t deal with multiple assailants very easily and it’s difficult to fend someone off in close quarters. Not to mention that it’s REALLY hard to shoot the thing accurately while being attacked.
Adding, the threat factor of a gun is overrated. In the hand of a transperson it will often embolden an attacker. They don’t think you’ll use it. And if you won’t, they’ll shoot you with it. You better be prepared to kill.
Google “stun baton”.
Spaghetti Lee
@Clime Acts:
But no…that would require a full spine/testicle package.
And to think, you accused someone else of homophobia just a few posts before this one!
RossInDetroit
@gaz:
According to TPM he’s already feeling the heat. Though I doubt it takes more than a few BTUs to boil him over.
lamh35
@Quarks: from ur lips to someone’s ears.
FlipYrWhig
@Mnemosyne: The word “support” gets misused badly. Obama doesn’t support banning same-sex marriage in NC, and spoke out in opposition to that ballot initiative. That doesn’t mean that the process NC used wasn’t kosher. Obama “supports” the idea that states can set marriage policy because… well… states _do_ set marriage policy. That doesn’t mean he likes it when states do stupid shit, but simply acknowledges that states have the power to do some truly stupid shit.
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
My hands are not, ahem, small unfortunately, and I do not always pass (I will be getting facial fem surgery), but I know what you mean about how disconcerting it is to be hit on for the first time.
When I had a phone job, I got hit on all the time. I took a class to learn how to have a convincing female voice, and suddenly I had guys telling me during a phone product survey how sexy I sounded. I have been hit on several times on the street, but the creepiest was some guy who propositioned me as a hooker while I was dressed professionaly in a skirt suit at a grocery store.
Eww.
Mnemosyne
@Clime Acts:
Shorter Clime Acts: don’t bother me with facts when I have imaginary slights to whine about!
amk
Hey, the birther, deather, racist pig 3-fer troll is here.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker:
Nope, still married after 25 years. You need to try moar harder.
Clime ActsSlime Ass says:I bet you’d like to.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@gaz: You’re aiming too high.
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
A gun is a better option then, ahem, hoping they will let me retreat. I cannot count on that, and I have degenerative disc disease so I will not be running very well or very far. My wife has cerebral palsey, so she doesn’t run too well either. In the case of multiple attackers, I will have to do the best I can, since I would already be in serious trouble.
In any event, I was a door gunner in the army and I know how to use the weapons I own. I really, really hope I never will. I also know that trouble has a knack for finding trans people at times.
Mnemosyne
@FlipYrWhig:
As I keep trying to point out, the states have the power to set marriage policy right up to the point where they run into the Constitution. These anti-gay-marriage laws are only enforceable up to the point where they run into the full faith and credit clause of the Constitution, which is what’s happening with DOMA.
So, yes, IMO Obama has a little breathing space here because the states do have the power to set their own marriage laws. I don’t see the point in establishing federal standards for marriage, which seems to be what Timmy wants. It wasn’t needed after Loving v Virginia and it’s not needed for same-sex marriage, either.
Clime Acts
@Spaghetti Lee:
Explain how that comment is homophobic, please.
Thanks, I ‘ll wait.
RossInDetroit
The Right would love to make November a referendum on social issues like this. In another political climate that might have worked. But people will worry about the candidates stances on the parameters of marriage when they have secure jobs and good prospects. It may turn out that the recession is the condition that allowed Obama to ‘come out’ with this position on same sex marriage while taking relatively little political damage for it.
Randy P
@lamh35:
My guess? Yes. A lot.
Did you see the report at #13 that Obama immediately raised $1 million after, er, coming out with this statement?
I believe we’re seeing a year when Democrats are seeing that supporting progressive policies is good politics, and they’re finding it good to go AWAY from trying to be GOP-lite.
I wish I could remember the topic, but one of the segments on Rachel last week (Thursday I think) also had me thinking this, that there had been some massive fund-raising benefit to somebody from embracing the “controversial” progressive position on something. I turned to my wife and made a comment along those lines, but now all I remember is the warm fuzzy feeling and not the issue.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@RossInDetroit:
Being that Rmoney operates in a near vacuum, he’s easily brought to a boil.
I’m waiting for him to reach triple point. Seeing him exist as a solid, liquid and gas at the same time ought to be entertaining.
PhoenixRising
@lamh35: what does this do for the races in those states where Dems are up for election but it’s really close
Name a race, a state, a district…the reason I’m laughing at your disaster porn instead of responding seriously is that you haven’t. These competitive races in which Dems are close, but will lose now that they had to take a position on marriage equality–where are they? Even state legislative districts are so damn gerrymandered I can’t think of a race where this will be an issue. Can you?
In those states which have not yet passed amendments, there’s no real issue because antigay politics is losing politics..or they’d have an amendment.. In the majority of states which have already passed amendments, it’s not an issue in our state (for a senatorial race) so who cares what the President thinks? Is a perfectly fine answer unless the Dem wants to use it to drive turnout by her base.
Randy P
@Clime Acts:
Don’t be dissing Fox News. That business model has worked very well for them up to this point. Their demographic is not interested in growth or critical thinking. Or thinking, period.
gaz
@celticdragonchick: My biggest problem is my voice. I’ve had some training, but I need more. That’s part of the scary part of being hit on, it’s always a straight guy (scary), or a tranny-hawk (eww), and in the case of the straight guy, I’m afraid to respond, because little boys don’t like their hetro-normative paradigm challenged.
I wish you the best of luck in your personal safety. That’s a tough one. When I was young I took some martial arts, but it wasn’t very helpful. As a young adult I enlisted in some self-defense workshops provided by a group called “Home Alive” (in seattle, but now defunct I think). The nice thing is they catered to women, which meant a lot of the stuff they taught was very relevant. Those courses are what inspired my response to you about the gun. I substituted “transperson” instead of woman but they are completely interchangeable, especially in this regard.
Adding, it’s REALLY HARD TO TAKE A LIFE. most people can’t do it. I came close once, but out of abject fear. I stabbed a guy. It’s not something I can count on being able to do again. It freaked me out for a month.
Clime Acts
@Odie Hugh Manatee:
How quickly the homo-hater Bots expose themselves.
Spaghetti Lee
@Clime Acts:
Fuck do you think it means when you’re saying a guy’s got no balls? You’re calling him a woman, a sissy man, a girly man, take your pick. He’s emasculated, not a “real” man. Insults of that type are among the most common ones lobbed at gay people. Are you really this dumb?
Keith G
@Odie Hugh Manatee: A put down? If so, why that one?
gaz
@Randy P:
I’m not as optimistic. Obama’s campaign as a visionary and governed as a functionary (h/t Jon Stewart). Okay, yes, he did pay lip service to bipartisanship on the 2k7 campaign trail but much of his rhetoric was calling for sweeping change. Change I haven’t seen him always get behind. (Bush tax cuts come to mind). I’m hoping in his second term he’ll be more aggressively pursuing progressive politics, but we’ll see. In the end, I sincerely hope you are correct. I’m sick of the 30 year rightward drag we’ve suffered under in this country. It’s time for a real change.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@Spaghetti Lee: “Are you really this dumb?”
Is that question really necessary? I mean, c’mon… really.
@Keith G:
You’re right, I forgot that Sandusky Rape Apologist, Slime Ass, prefers them young.
I’m sorry about that.
gaz
@gaz: FYWP won’t let me edit! arg.. I meant Obama campaigned as a visionary and governed as a functionary
celticdragonchick
@Odie Hugh Manatee:
Awesome.
Personally, I think he is a tectosilicate (a highly polymerized silicon dioxide framework mineral type), although he strangely has no solid solution series since he has no ability to demonstrate any solid crystal stucture on anything at all.
Amanda in the South Bay
@gaz:
Eh, I’ve always preferred to run. Not a lot of good if someone else has a gun, but then I think I’ll be pretty much fucked anyways. I’ve been 5150’d twice in the past couple of years, so I couldn’t own a gun if I wanted to (and i’ve never had much of an interest in doing so anyways).
gaz
@celticdragonchick: if you haven’t already seen A quantum theory of mitt romney, it’s good for a few lulz.
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
Voice can be tough. If possible, see if a university nearby is offering voice training for t-girls. I was able to get in on a funded university study examining vocal feminization at UNCG in North Carolina. Networking may help find some resources for you. It really does help self esteem when you sound like any other women when people talk to you.
gaz
@Amanda in the South Bay: Fleeing the situation is of course, always a good course of action. When you can. It’s harder to do when you’re not on open ground. I like stun batons for personal protection. They are highly effective and easy to use. Plus it’s nearly impossible to be disarmed, and good for disarming others in close quarters. Mace of course, is also handy, but I wouldn’t stake my life on it’s efficacy. I’ve sprayed myself with it. It’s not that hard to take.
celticdragonchick
@Amanda in the South Bay:
I prefer to retreat if at all possible, but I cannot outrun anybody who wants to hurt me or my family, and that means I am stuck having to fight it out if somebody wants to do something to me or my wife or kid. Not good, so I try to avoid situations where there might be a problem. Unfortunately, I found that you cannot always avoid people (like drunk frat boys at a mall) who may want to talk to you with their fists.
Spaghetti Lee
@gaz:
See, this is why I still like the Times, in spite of all the David Brookses and Tom Friedmans. What other newspaper would even publish that article?
Keith G
A eunuch?
Actually:
More commonly…a coward (without a necessary gender implication)
gaz
@Keith G: The irony of being a transperson is it takes brass balls to deal with all the bullshit. Transpeople are some of the bravest folks you’ll ever meet, if I do say so myself (i’m biased)
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
I am passing that one to friends in the math and geology departments at Guilford College. :D
The Heisenberg theory of Romney!
Keith G
@Odie Hugh Manatee: Well, that wasn’t where I was going, but its passed bedtime so my concern is nada.
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
:)
I’m not brave. Just stubborn and ornery.
gaz
@Spaghetti Lee: The Stranger?
@celticdragonchick: Yes. It was a stroke of genius. I’m glad you got a kick out of that. It’s one of their better pieces. I’m sure your friends will love it. I’ve shared it with many of my fellow nerds =)
Keith G
@gaz: More bravery than most others could muster, I imagine.
gaz
@celticdragonchick: touche. In fairness I’m stubborn and ornery too. But from a distance, it looks a lot like courage. =P cheers hehehe
Amanda in the South Bay
@celticdragonchick:
Yeah, I have the benefit of being young and in decent health (the few pounds I gained after orchi because of a month in bed + no more testosterone excepted). My biggest fears are on public transit or waiting for public transit.
gaz
@Amanda in the South Bay:
Yeah, that’s freaking stupid. Cops+Courts like to pull that crap. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the money for really good legal whenever something like this came up (and it does whenever I attract the attention of LEOs)… The threat of lawsuits over false-arrest/confinement get them to come around really fast. Unfortunately, your ability to defend against this kind of thing is ENTIRELY class based. It’s utterly ridiculous and shameful.
gaz
@Amanda in the South Bay: nixing the testosterone didn’t make me gain weight. I was told I would, but I lost weight – about 20 lbs. I’d kill to be able to put on a little more. I’m a stick.
Ron
@Tara the Antisocial Social Worker: Sorry, you haven’t destroyed my marriage yet.
Scamp Dog
@gaz: That’s something the US military knows from WW Two experience–about 20% of infantrymen could fire for effect at enemies, and much of basic training is to break down that resistance. We’re now up to something like 90%, and that’s why our troops do very well in firefights–insurgents often think they’re ready to kill for their cause, and wind up dying for it instead.
The down side is that killing does tend to be bad for your psyche, and that’s one of those things that hawks don’t seem to know, perhaps because they don’t want to. You know it from experience; fortunately mine is theoretical.
At any rate, stay safe out there!
gaz
@Scamp Dog: If they’d have let me withing 100 yards of a recruiting center I may have signed up. I might as well have Section 8 tattooed on my forehead. =)
celticdragonchick
@gaz:
Read the autobiography of Deaidre McClosky. Her transition was an utter train wreck since she has a sister who is a Harvard trained psychologist. She would get picked up for pysch evals in every state she visited on professional conferences (she is a history and economic lecturer) because her sister would call local law enforcement and tell then her brother is a suicidal nut who wants to be a woman.
gaz
@celticdragonchick: wow. what a jerk! I’m glad my sisters aren’t like that. One of my little brothers is, but he’s a headcase himself so nobody would listen to him in any event.
James Hare
@General Stuck:
I agree. Sometimes I think Michelle would make a better President than Barack. Part of the reason I support President Obama is because he could convince that exceptional woman to marry him.
Michelle should run in 2016.
gaz
@James Hare:
Amen
Another Halocene Human
@RossInDetroit: I’m with you. I’ve been disappointed to see some states get rid of domestic partnership in favor of CU or SSM because I think DP is a valid alternative that should be out there for couples that don’t want to go the step of marriage which involves combining property, child custody, inheritance rights, etc. (And which affects certain government and retirement benefits.)
Can’t we have SSM and DP? I think too many people are uninformed and there is too much (misdirected) passion on this issue. It’s a shame state legislators can’t craft a balance.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@celticdragonchick:
If there is any theory to explain Rmoney, VSEPR would probably work best. Just combine all of the known molecular geometries into one and voila!
Rmoney.
gaz
@Another Halocene Human: Here in WA, IIRC we have both. From the little I’ve read, it seems DP is ideal for example, for older couples. It’s a hell of a lot easier, I’d imagine, for many, be they hetero or gay.
Until you brought it up, I didn’t even know there was any sort of mutual exclusivity about these two things. Who knew? Seems DP is a lot less “controversial” in any case (not that I give a damn about that, but I suppose placating morons has a small amount of intrinsic political value). Who the hell would be against that? Odd.
AxelFoley
@Clime Acts:
No, fuck YOU, troll. Your shit is beyond tired now. Get the fuck off my internet, bitch.
coin operated
Clime Acts…
Keep up the good work, sir. You are showing me EXACTLY what my winger friends will come up with tomorrow morning, and I have to credit a few people here for coming up with quality responses to your bullshit.
tjmn
My 17-year-old son and I were talking about Amendment One in NC yesterday. He said, “Love is love. Embrace it when you have it.” Damn, I’m proud.
Schlemizel
damn I got here so late! You missed the very best part of the story John. The foul mouthed Dick publicly called him “Barney Fag” several times despite being called out on it. But this last time Representative Frank took to the House floor and said he would out every gay Republican member if Armey “slipped” again. You bet we are going to miss him, he knew how to fight!
Darkrose
@lamh35: Honestly, I don’t think it’s going to matter.
The people who have prioritized keeping the queers from getting married weren’t going to vote for Obama, or candidates he supports, because he’s insufficiently homophobic for them.
sherparick
@David Koch: Somethings are better left in inside a man’s head, because to to say it out loud is by definition disrespectful and sexist.
sherparick
With socially conservative African Americans and Hispanics who are deeply tied with their churches, this is going to hurt and I think the Obamas own ties to such a Church was one of the reasons he took so long to reach this conclusion. (It took me a long time to. My light bulb moment came at the end of reading a short history of the American Revolution written by Gordown Wood. And it is about equality.
Ksmiami
@James E. Powell: Speqk for yourself this member of the 1 percent wouldn’t touch today’s GOP with A haz mat suit and a twenty foot pole. They are just totally smug assholes
chopper
@eemom:
when you’re consistently full of shit, you always have to take a dump.
AA+ Bonds
Given how many times I’ve heard it, I’d say this is a given