I wrote a diary a while back about Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) making the bizarre, desperate case against marriage equality by comparing it to 3-year-olds driving cars. Well, a video has just surfaced showing Alex Sable-Smith, a young gay activist in Missouri, confronting her over that – as well as the key role she played getting the 2004 constitutional amendment passed in Missouri banning gays and lesbians from getting married. The result? The closest we’ll ever get to an “It Gets Better” video out of Vicky Hartzler. Hartzler’s message to young gay people who are directly and indirectly impacted by her anti-gay crusade: “Don’t feel bad.”
File this one in the “Shit You Can’t Make Up” category.
When Alex confronted her, Hartzler’s initial reaction seemed to be shock that a gay person was approaching her. She was probably wondering, Now how in the hell did gay people get in my town hall?
Here’s the transcript, courtesy of Show Me Progress:
Representative Vicky Hartzler (r): Okay, first of all, are you guys with the Democrats or the Republicans?
Question: So, the, the, uh, two thousand four amendment [crosstalk]...
Representative Hartzler (r): Am I gonna see you next year?
Question: Well, you will when you come to Columbia. [crosstalk]
Representative Hartzler (r): I know. I just wondered, are you friendly or are you not?
Question: Well. [second voice: "We're friends [inaudible]..."]
Representative Hartzler (r): Oh, no. Okay. All right.
Phew. Now that Hartzler knows no glitter is going to be thrown on her (a well-known gay spell that spreads homosexuality), she’s willing to talk.
Now it gets really interesting (below transcript courtesy of Think Progress):
ALEX: The 2004 amendment to ban same-sex marriage…in combination with the statement you made earlier this month where you said…allowing same-sex marriage would start us down a slippery slope toward things like sanctioned incest and bestiality. How do you think…
HARTZLER: No, no, no, you misunder…. That was a mis… a misunderstanding of the quote…. That was really taken out of context.
Really? Out of context? Decide for yourself:
The conversation continues:
ALEX: How do you think that makes young people, like me, who are gay feel about ourselves, to come up in a society that to us seems like it doesn’t value us in the same way straight people are valued?
HARTZLER: We’re not the ones changing the policy. Ok, so you shouldn’t feel bad at all.
ALEX: Why shouldn’t I feel bad if there’s an amendment, if you champion an amendment prohibiting me from…
HARTZLER: Right now it has been the law of the land for a long time. Marriage is between a man and a woman. All we did in 2004 is just put that in the constitution. So we’re not changing policy at all. And, anyway, so you shouldn’t feel bad. Anyway, It was nice to meet you guys.
Oh, okay. So what Vicky Hartzler is saying basically comes down to this: “Don’t feel bad about my leadership in the fight against your basic rights. It’s not your fault you’re depraved abominations who pose a threat to society. Oh wait, it is, because you chose your lifestyle. Well, you never had those rights to begin with. All I did was ensure that, short of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, you won’t be able to get married much before the end of the century in this state. Don’t be so dramatic. Can’t you go to New York or something? Isn’t being gay illegal here anyway?”
It’s kind of like when somebody comes along and punches you right in the gut and then says, “Come on, you baby! I didn’t hit you that hard! Get up! Stop crying!” Only now she’s talking to gay youth who, contrary to what she might think, actually are affected, both directly and indirectly, by her bigoted campaign against gay civil equality. She has devoted much of her career to fighting gay people, and now she doesn’t want gay young people to “feel bad”? People are dying because of this shit. She has to understand this. She just doesn’t care.
Here’s the video of the exchange:
I guess it’s time for Hartzler to tighten down her town hall security. God forbid she be confronted again with the effects of her anti-gay activism.