How does DU see the Dems' stand on equal marriage?

[TechBear_Seattle]

Poll question: How does DU see the Dems' stand on equal marriage?

My response to this post got me wondering about how Democrats see the matter of equal marriage.

By "equal marriage", I am talking about exactly that: marriage. Not civil unions, not some allegedly parallel form of non-marriage, not something that is supposed to be marriage in all ways except name. Marriage.

Thanks for responding.

[terrya]

1. I chose the third option.

I think the evidence of that is Howard Dean's appearance on "The 700 Club". The Democratic Party is nowhere near, as a whole, fully supportive of equal marriage at this time.

[William769]

6. Becareful you will be labled here as a nut job, speaking against Dean!

I know from experiance.

[meegbear]

7. I also voted for #3 and people here already know my feelings about Dean

Don't slap me and call me your friend.

[BR_Parkway]

14. I like most of what Dean say, but until he says it like Russ Feingold did

then he's parsing. Plain and simple.

I want leaders who act like leaders - they say what needs to be said and let the chips fall as they may - not say it in the way that will sway a few people at the expense of a few who are already on your team.

The fact that Dean screwed up on 700 club is even more dissappointing to me since he normally has been very good at just speaking the simple truth - regardless of the consequences

[Touchdown]

2. Second for #3

Just as in everywhere else, gays are second class citizens in the Democratic Party. They only benefit because the Repug Party renders gays non-existant. and potential executionees...aside from Mary Cheney and Jeff Gannon.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Dems tend to check which way the wind blows on this issue

Rove and the screeching rw hate machine have the Dems, on the most part, running scared.

[MuseRider]

4. Not gay/reluctant

I am seeing a lot of Dems more concerned with winning than standing by ALL the people. The idea that we elect them and then they will be concerned about it does not seem right considering the past. When you consider the mess we are going to be handing anyone elected I am very afraid that equal marriage or GLBT rights at all will be a battle that is easy to put off and it should not be.

[VelmaD]

5. I don't think the Democrats should support ANY marriage...

it's quite frankly not a subject I think is legitimately ANY of the government's business.

As a single person with no intention of ever getting married...I'm sick and fucking tired of watching ANY group of people get the benefits married couples get for no other reason than because they are married. We as a party should not be encouraging discrimination based on marital status.

[Minnesota Libra]

8. I can't select any because I want both parties...............

....to get out and away from the issue of marriage altogether. What business is it of anyone else's but the people getting married anyway??:banghead:

[Brazenly Liberal]

9. They're reluctant.

I hate this issue. Well, not the issue itself - what I hate is the fact that it's being used as a political football. That makes resolution unlikely any time soon.

Nothing short of full civil rights for gays is enough for me. OTOH, if the Dems come out strongly in favor of that, it will give the rightwingnuts something to hang election hopes on. Right now, the only real hope they have of doing well in November (other than outright election fraud) is to turn out the vote like it's never been turned out before. They need to get those fringies out in big numbers and nothing turns them out like a chance to stick their noses into someone else's bedroom.

I'm a big Bill Clinton fan. But his handling of the gays in the military thing was a disaster. His heart was in the right place, but he raised the issue before he had built enough political capital to make it happen. In failing, he set it back a few years, maybe more.

So what should the Dems do? Good question. I don't know. I'd like to see them come out strongly in favor of full rights for gays - including marriage and adoption - and I'd like them to win the seats.

[Duncan Grant]

10. "I'm pragmatic. I just want to win elections". -- The Standard Argument

As a gay 'married' man, let me offer my perspective on the standard argument:

You gays should get with the program. The Democrats are the only viable political party interested in your 'issues'. Quite frankly, mainstream Democrats care about the big picture; we want to win elections! After that, we'll consider what options are politically expedient (and realistic) for the future of 'our' party.

No offense, but don't you realize you could lose us another election? I can't believe how determined 'you people' are to play right into Karl Rove's hands!

Let's just get to the truth of the matter, shall we? Currently, there's no effective leadership within the party regarding fundamental civil (legal) rights for GLBT people. I'm comfortable in asserting that most straight Democrats are unwilling to confront the complexity of the injustices under which GLBT Americans live.

Lest we forget, this is about real flesh and blood people. People like me. Just how long should GLBT people wait for fundamental rights? 1 year, 5 years, 20 years? Once you answer that, then please provide a rationale that justifies the delay.

And finally, if I never hear the "I'm pragmatic" argument again it'll be too soon.

[foreigncorrespondent]

13. What he said!!!!

As always you say exactly what myself and Sapph are thinkng. :)

[TechBear_Seattle]

11. I find it very interesting...

Of the 19 self-identified gay people who have responded so far...

* 84% (16) see the Democratic Party as reluctant in their support for equal marriage
* 16% (3) see the Democratic Party as opposing equal marriage
* 100% (19) see the Democratic Party as either reluctant in their support for equal marriage or opposing equal marriage

Of the 42 self-identified non-gay people who have responded so far...

* 2% (1) sees the Democratic Party as fully supporting equal marriage
* 24% (10) see the Democratic Party as being only half-hearted in their support of equal marriage
* 62% (26) see the Democratic Party as reluctant in their support for equal marriage
* 12% (5) see the Democratic Party as opposing equal marriage
* 74% (31) see the Democratic Party as either reluctant in their support for equal marriage or opposing equal marriage

Methinks I see part of the problem with regards to discussion on equal marriage in DU. Maybe I should ask a different poll: In measuring the Democratic Party's progress on issues of gay rights, whose opinions should be given greater weight: A) Gay people; B) Non-gay people; C) Both should be given equal weight; D) Neither

[Logician]

12. Quite Valid

I think your poll is fine. It highlights differences by sexual orientation as to how DUers view the Democratic Party's progress on gay rights.

The responses by LGBT folks should not be combined with the straight folks, and the responses stand by themselves-- no need to weight them.

The trend appears that LGBT DUers are less optimistic than Straight DUers, since we (LGBT folks) often have the personal experience with homophobia and discrimination; as a results we have less tolerance for lack of progress on equal/civil rights-- we are more likely to be critical of the Democratic Party's progress (or lack thereof).

Myself, I am continually disappointed at the lack of moral spine among Democratic politicians. I am no fool: I would never vote Republican, and I would not in these times vote Independent for fear of diluting the vote to put a Democrat in the WH or to have the Democrats retake control of the House or Senate.

But I am deeply disappointed just the same.