Unbelievable. Brokaw makes "gay marriage" 2nd topic of debate

[maggrwaggr]

It's happening just like I predicted. The media, and the repubs, is making this a major issue for 2004.

What a disgrace. We've got war criminals in power, thousands dying, billions going down the toilets, and these people want to talk about gay marriage as an issue.

We are doomed in this country.

[La_Serpiente]

1. Well, do you think Gay Marriage should have or should not have

been brought up as an issue? Maybe it could have come later on during the debate, but sooner or later, our candidates will have to approach this issue. I think it is about time we start educating the public about this in our own perspective and make primary voting Democratic voters confident in voting for a candidate that is pro-gay rights. Maybe not marriage, but at least introduce them to GLBT rights.

[Ksec]

2. I think its a fringe issue

[roughsatori]

4. I'm guessing that you are not a member of the "fringe"

and that you already enjoy the full Civil Rights that we of the "fringe" would like to have with you. And if you are a gay or lesbian Democrat using the word "fringe," I feel sorry for you for the self-contempt it illustrates.

[Ksec]

7. Why so much contempt?

I happen to think we have bigger more important issues than who someone has sex with. Its definetely not our battle cry.

[roughsatori]

9. Not contempt, anger at people who

might claim to be Liberal or Progressive (I don't know if you make that claim) but spin Right-Wing talking points that show a complete misunderstanding of the issue and its Constitutional Implications.

It is not about who I have sex with. It is about gays and lesbians having the same rights under the law as heterosexuals.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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[foreigncorrespondent]

13. "Lessies"????

I happen to be a "lessie" and I take offence to that! The word happens to be LESBIAN, get it right!

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[foreigncorrespondent]

28. Excuse me?

You typed a word that I find rather insulting, and now you are calling me the PC Police?

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

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[roughsatori]

18. That is the problem: the Dem's fear of taking on issues

That obviously does not work. If the media wants to make it an issue out of Equal Rights the Democratic party needs to answer it directly and not hedge as they have been doing.

If there are more people like you and the party agrees to abandon civil rights for all out of fear, then this is not the party for me. As I've said if the Dems let the defense of Marriage Act pass they will be on my enemies list and I will change my registration to the Green Party. I can not longer be in league with my oppressors, or those "Liberals" who would acquiesce to tyranny.


I am sick of the Democratic response to African-Americans and Gays who threaten to leave the Party that the "Repukes will oppress you more actively, we just do it passively."

[John_H]

17. Certainly you're not suggesting that gay democrats

expect all of their fellow americans to view this issue as the second most important issue facing the nation.

And I really hope you're not suggesting that anyone who points out that there are many issues that affect many times more people is homophobic or self loathing.

[roughsatori]

33. I will suggest you read my post again, you are projecting

I never even wrote anything you "suggest." But if you can post a link to where I ever wrote that Americans should: "view this issue as the second most important issue facing the nation." Or where I wrote anything that would suggest anyone who points out other issues is self loathing. You have just written a response worthy of an Hannity or O'rielly (and I mean that literally not metaphorically).

I will say flat, you are using right-wing techniques (that is not saying you are a right-winger. That of not addressing the topic, but of putting words into Progressives mouths.

[John_H]

34. Being coy is the biggest GOP technique.

"What? huh? You have the nerve to infer what my words imply?"

Please. You can be as coy as you want, but you clearly disagree with the poster who said the issue didn't merit being the second topic of a debate. And in a post below you equate it with slavery.

On top of it, you stated flatly that if gay person uses the word fringe to describe an issue that affects single digit percentage of americans, then he or she hates themselves.

Who's the Hannity, pardner?

[BadFaith]

38. Regardless...

Of whether or not you thing it is a fring issue (and I tend to agree with you) if a Democratic Nominee can not take a firm stance on an issue as controversial as gay marriage and articulate a measured, meaningful respose to the propaganda of the Right Wing fringe, how is said nominee to be trusted with voicing an opinion on more mainstream topics with any cojones? What irks many concerning the status of the Democratic Party is that since the 1980s it has lost that very voice, and would not even qualify as an opposition party. When Democrats were not being meke in the face of certainly stalwart corporate and theocratic interests, they were attempting to adopt portions of the Republican Party platform themselves.

Sorry to offend any of my GLBT friends, but Gay Rights is not on the top of the shortlist of issues the majority of Americans are concerned about. While I myself support gay marriage, and consider civil unions to be of the "seperate but equal" stripe, many don't see it that way. To draw a crude material comparison, it is akin to the Flag Burning Amendment; while most Americans support Anti-Desecration laws, the issue itself constantly ranks way at the bottom of issues pertinent to most Americans: Jobs, Healthcare, Education, Environment, etc. So just because an stance on Gay Marriage may appear as "fringe" to most doesn't mean its a campaign-killer. Quite the opposite: if a candidate can make a clear and convincing argument in favor of an unpopular stance, regardless of whether or not said argument changes the minds of the masses, it still demonstrates the courage of his or her convictions.

[roughsatori]

3. And some respond with "States Rights" the same argument the South made

regarding Slavery. It is a way of avoiding the issue and not fitting of any one who would claim to be progressive.

But many of our members at DU now like that one too. They also want to leave it up to each state, not the federal government, to bestow, or not, equal rights to gays and lesbians.

[Bombtrack]

5. Brokaw is probably the greatest American journalists there is

he is hardly one of the problems with the media, of which there are many

[LastTime2BeFree]

6. Would it be better left in the closet?

Should it not be exposed by the light of the day?

[maggrwaggr]

8. This is Rove's idea of "the" issue for 2004

because he knows he can beat us with this issue.

It is NOT an issue for this election.

The issues for this election are the fact that Bush is a war criminal, a profiteer, a quasi-fascist, and a murderer.

It's bait, and everyone is taking it, and if we do we are fucked.

[LastTime2BeFree]

11. Gay people deserve to have their issues aired

I don't care about Rove or other detractors to this important issue.

[maggrwaggr]

21. great. have it your way. I give up. Send me a card from the camps, bud

after the religious right sends you away.

[La_Serpiente]

10. This issue must be brought to the forefront

otherwise, the right and Karl Rove will fill the moral vaccum on the issue. We must present something to fill that hole or else we will lose in 2004 and Rove will suceed in making it a wedge issue.

[HFishbine]

14. More important than the question being asked

What did you think of the answers?

[foreigncorrespondent]

15. Do you want to know why it has become an issue?

It is because everyone from the left have let them make it an issue.

Perhaps if the left came together and tought the public of America tolerance and acceptance, then the republicans wouldn't be able to make gay rights an issue, would they?

[maggrwaggr]

19. "The Dems care more about gays than they do about me"

that's the problem with the entire issue.

That's how people view us. That we care more about transgendered illegal immigrants than we do about (for example) poor white deer hunters in wherever.

Oh fuck it, I give up. Have it your way. Lose in 2004. Just give it to the repubs.

[Ksec]

23. They dont get it , do they?

[maggrwaggr]

26. no, they'd rather be sent to gay concentration camps

by the religious right after they consolidate power in 2004.

[Silverhair]

20. It is part of the culture war. Remember, liberal and conservatives

differ, not only in economic matters, but also in social matters. For conservatives it is a big issue, and they are going to talk about it. If we ignore it, we give them a clear field. We have to talk about it, like it or not. And yes, it hurts us big time. Even her at DU, someone took a poll and it came up 20% oppossed to gay marriage. In the general population 66% oppose. Since most of the approval is among liberals, who are about 35% of the population, then that leaves almost all of the center and the right opposed. Bad new for us. We lose either way, but I think we lose less by talking about it than by ducking it.

[maggrwaggr]

24. we lose either way. They make this an issue, we're fucked

and I guess we're fucked!

Bye. I'm done trying to talk sense here.

[Silverhair]

30. Yes, time to get the Vasoline. n/t

[rumguy]

22. I say screw 'em, let them attack us on this

Let them make a big deal out of it, and try to amend the constitution. It will just make them look foolish. Repukes always end up losing these culture-war type issues...

Meanwhile our candidate should stick with the civil union idea, and not be afraid of it. Like Clark and Dean are doing now...

[John_H]

25. This will continue until the dem candidates say,

"look. we've all answered this on numerous occasions. We also know that the GOP loves it when the press harps on "wedge" issues instead of the disaster George Bush has made of the country. Now, you may see your job as helping the republicans play politics with a group of american citizens. We don't."

[maggrwaggr]

27. exactly. And nobody did this in the debate. All took the bait

nt

[HFishbine]

29. About there answers

Did you find the candidate answers inadequate?

[maggrwaggr]

36. it doesn't matter what their answers were

as long as they took the bait.

The only way to respond would be to throw the question back and say "that's not really a big issue right now, as long as Bush is in the White House, we've got blah blah blah ........"

[spooky3]

32. I like your idea. Is there any way to email it to each of the candidates?

[DrFunkenstein]

35. The Dean Campaign Is Doomed

Whether it is in the primaries or the general election, Dean has negatives that skyrocket through the roof. Middle class tax hikes, civil unions for a state of 535,000, flip-flops, anger management, not to mention a litany of comments that will haunt him endlessly.

[HFishbine]

37. Misinformation

About those "negatives," you wouldn't be surprised to learn that his favorability/unfavorability is right in line with the other dem candidates, would you?

Because, I know you checked your facts before spouting off: http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr031114.asp

Actually, the only candidate who has exceptionally high unfavorable ratings is ... that man in your post.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

39. Of course.

You do realize that everything will change once the attacks and smears REALLY start, right? Think--all the lies, smears, attacks, all being meekly lobbed and diffused by ten different candidates--now imagine that same amount of lies, smears, and attacks, CUBED, TIMES TWO, PLUS SEVENTEEN--all towards one man. Shit'll get ugly!

[gulliver]

40. Agreed. Mosely-Braun called it right.

It's a wedge issue.

Clark's approach is the best I have seen so far. He points out that if we had gay children, we might think a little differently about how gays are treated. And he says that thinking about it that way can unite us.

[Damodar]

41. vote "no!" to constitutional amendment banning gay marriage

vote "no!" to constitutional amendment banning gay marriage

news poll

www.times-news.com

username: visitor
password: tnweb

There is poll asking if you support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Click on "Hell no!" and vote!