I'm here at Netroots Nation. It's been a lot of fun so far, with just a few (accessibility-related) but overall it's an improvement on last year, both with accessibility and with everything being closer together, more compact.
So I'm sitting there enjoying a nice panel discussion. It was on the president and how he's not into some of us anymore (someone at the panel said he's "not our boyfriend.") Dan Choi was on the panel speaking out and being quite bombastic and inspirational, as he usually is (plus he's the nicest guy ever.) What could go wrong? A bunch of liberal Democrats at a netroots convention championing our heroes who fought for our country and were then kicked out of the military solely because they're gay.
So, there was a question and answer session. A guy got up and said he was from OFA (I honestly don't remember if he held a position of import or was simply a volunteer, maybe someone who reads this post can provide that information) and wanted to speak to Dan Choi for a minute. It looked like a pretty interesting scene: Dan Choi, always seen as "at odds" with the Obama administration shaking hands and speaking to an OFA person.
Then the guy took the microphone, and suddenly said, "I don'tcan't support marriage equality."
Seriously.
You have to imagine this: a person telling a military veteran, a hero who fought for the country bravely, that he would not support his right to marry. To his face. In front of everyone. I was stunned and the crowd was stunned. There were tons of boos. As I said, at the beginning there was even a handshake and it seemed like there would be some sort of genuine moment there. I can't even express how horrifying this scene was.
This person seemed to want to create drama - Dan was really cool and spoke to people well after the panel, so the guy could have addressed him privately with no problem, but he chose to do this in public during a Q&A. Aside from being stunned that someone would say this to a military veteran kicked out of the service for nothing more than his orientation, I'm also quite upset it happened at a supposedly liberal convention. I don't blame the others. They all booed. It was mostly this guy being annoying.
It's just the idea that we in the LGBT community already have so many problems posting our stories on this site and on other venues without being trolled for one reason or another. And now it's happening in person in public in a place where we're surrounded by people who are supposed to be like-minded.
And really, the fact that he was from OFA raises alarms. I hope they're aware that someone announced they're a part of OFA and then told a gay person he doesn't have the right to marry and maybe has the right to "civil unions." I hope this isn't systemic, and I hope it's someone with no authority. Either way, how insulting could you get?
Transcript:
NICK (Obama volunteer): I can’t say I’m for marriage equality, but as a bisexual man, I would take a bullet for both of you.
CHOI: You say you’re not for marriage equality?
NICK: I can’t, no as a….
[RIPPING SOUND]
CHOI: Did you not understand? Here! I believe that I’m an equal citizen.
NICK: understand that, but Obama hasn’t gone officially on record for it…
CHOI: Then, don’t tell me that I’m a bad person, go tell him that he should believe in my full equality and then report back.
NICK: Civil unions?
I noticed the transcript says that he says he CAN'T support it, so I changed that in the diary.
Look, people can think what they want. I would expect some to be offended and some not to be offended. Go ahead and do that, either way. You're entitled to be mad or not be mad.
I think it's kind of bullshit to be honest. I'm not going to compromise and say, well, yeah, maybe it's okay that we are legally barred from entering into a marriage because the government wants to single our class out for stigmatization. Politically, obviously people have done that and are going to continue to do that, but as someone who has my rights taken away by the government, I don't have to like that position or advocate for it or be very supportive of that idea. I simply am not that self hating.