Gay rights highly charged political issue (MSN)

[icymist]

Saturday, May 7, 2005

Gay rights highly charged political issue

By CHRIS McGANN
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT

OLYMPIA -- In recent years, Democrats have embraced gay rights as a call to arms on the frontier of the civil rights movement. And as Microsoft found out, that terrain can be politically hazardous.

The software giant earlier this year went from supporting a gay civil rights measure in Olympia to being neutral, a switch critics said was made to appease religious conservatives. Yesterday, in an about-face after an uproar from gay rights advocates, Microsoft said it again would support such legislation.

Company executives discovered what lawmakers have known for years -- gay rights is one of the most emotionally charged issues in politics today, one that doesn't always follow strictly partisan lines.

Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, has championed the gay rights bill for more than a decade. He said Microsoft's clumsy handling of the topic came mostly out of inexperience.

"It's an issue of a business that is still pretty new and still working out how they are going to deal with difficult political issues," Murray said. "It's a very difficult issue."

(more)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/223338_gaypolitics07.html

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Yep, kick back and relax, African Americans..the heat is off for a bit

We're the new N......'s

[HockeyMom]

3. Yeah. Seems to be gays and women

[IndianaGreen]

2. "one that doesn't always follow strictly partisan lines"

The Log Cabin Society has been more upfront about fighting for gay rights, particularly the right to marry, than traditional liberal groups. At the 2004 Democratic Convention gay rights was nowhere to be seen. Of all 2004 Democratic Presidential candidates, only Dennis Kucinich endorsed the right of gays to marry. (I won't mention Reverend Al who is nothing but a charlatan and who took money from another candidate's campaign during the primaries)