Tonight on Countdown, Dan Savage appeared to critique the vote in Maine on Tuesday that stripped away the marriage rights of gays that had been provided to them by the State Legislature and signed into law by the Governor.
Dan was rather emphatic that this was not at all being taken well within the gay community, and rightly so. there's no transcript yet, and no video link yet. I'm not even sure how to post those when they are available.
Dan was right when he said that the actions of the opponents to Maine's law on gay marriage were all about 'hate' instead of just defending marriage. He rightly pointed to the lies and distortions of the 'Yes' campaign that falsely submitted to the voters of Maine that 'gay sex' would be taught in elementary schools, and 'gay teachers' would be indoctrinating their children. Lies are in and of themselves a hateful act.
He also was asked by Lawrence O'Donnell about the silence of the Obama administration on the issue, and gave the best answers to date. Referring to candidate Obama's statement about being a 'fierce advocate', Savage remarked that "if Obama is a 'fierce advocate' for gay rights, then I (Savage) am a 'ladies man' which I am not".
Dan also went further to submit that if the Obama administration were actually doing anything in regards to working to provide the Federal benefits of 'marriage' but under the cover of a 'civil union', the community would largely be satisfied, something I am sure is open for debate. I think if the benefits and all other conditions are met, it would be allowable, but unless it is exactly equal in every way (perhaps except nomenclature), it is not 'the same'.
update video;
Thanks to Stef!
Anyway, I'm very proud of Dan on Countdown tonight.
You go, Dan!