Equality legislation in Oregon may soon be a reality.
I was so proud to see my good friend Jack Turteltaub’s article in the latest edition of Just Out - see http://www.justout.com/... It seems that my old home State of Oregon may finally be ready to take a significant step toward progressive rights for the GLBT community. For many years I was active in the Democratic Party in Marion County, Oregon, working on a number of losing races for the State House and one winning gubernatorial campaign – the first gubernatorial campaign of Governor Kitzhopper. By the time I left Oregon (about 3 years ago) I was honestly discouraged with Oregon politics. For so many years it seemed all that Oregon progressives could do was narrowly beating back proposed ballot measures that would have either denied a woman’s right to choose or denied GLBTs access to their Constitutional Civil Rights. It seemed that right-wing Republicans would control the State House forever and Oregon would interminably remain a progressive backwater. But thankfully progressives never gave up and Oregon Gays and Lesbians will more than likely soon have at least access to Civil Unions. Although I still personally find anything less than equal access to marriage a travesty, in Oregon and a number of other States progress is being made.
Although it’s impossible for me as a straight person to fully comprehend what it’s like to be a GLBT in a nation where homophobia is still considered an acceptable form of bigotry by a large percentage of the population, my own advocacy for equal rights for GLBTs springs not only from my own deep sense of personal and civic morality, I believe it also springs from my own personal experience with bigotry and intolerance. I am a Jew raised in a Christian family. My personal rejection of Christianity has resulted in me being maligned and ostracized by much of my family. I have family members who have nothing to do with me, and the others, though marginally civil at times, still would condemn me to hell. As an example, this last Christmas I was given an anonymous "gag gift" by one of my family members – playing off the fact that I am also a disabled Veteran, they gave me a cassette of Christmas music recorded by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Of course my family all know that I don’t celebrate Christmas and I don’t listen to Christmas music, but this was just their idea of sending me a "friendly jab." Obviously this is in no way comparable to the virulent hate speech directed regularly at Gays and Lesbians, but I do think of my own life experience as a metaphor for the larger phenomenon of "acceptable hate speech" in America.
As a cautious supporter of Hilary Clinton I was disappointed this last week when she hesitated at first when asked if she agreed with General Peter Pace that homosexuality was immoral. I think anyone who thinks they have the courage to be President should be courageous enough to stand up and speak up for what they believe, without hesitation. The United States government has no business defining love for anyone and if we are in fact a nation of laws, all laws must flow from their source in the Constitution, Bill of Rights and even the Declaration of Independence (our Nation’s first real declaration of intent and purpose.). We must measure our actions by that famous line: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." And if all people have the right to pursue happiness than naturally all should have the right to marry (although as a divorcee myself I would be the first to clarify that marriage is no guarantee of happiness.)
Those who have read my earlier "entries" on dailykos should already be aware that I have a natural tendency toward sarcasm and satire. I hope no one mistakes that for seriousness of purpose. Although I have no illusions about my writing here being anything more than a very minor contribution to the discussion of current political policy issues, it is my intent to play my own small role in educating and informing others about what I see as our society’s gross inequities and pointing out the absurdity of the arguments for hate and intolerance. If the manner in which I have expressed my views has offended anyone, I apologize; however, I will never apologize for my views.