i'm simply passing on an amazing post from an old friend....
irresolutefate wrote:
There is a growing threat to the world that I think should be qualmed as quickly as possible: gay conservatism - particularly those who have decided they want to vote for George W. Bush this election. I am sick and tired of self-righteous, uneducated queers thinking they are being individualistic by setting off from the Kerry ticket without any intelligent reasoning for doing so. I've heard loads unintelligible psuedo-arguments ridden with fallacies, but not one concrete fact-based answer. If anyone's got one, please let me know. I know it may seem chic to go off and pretend like you know what you are talking about in regards to George W. Bush, but my guess is that most of you don't.
Here are some of the vague reasons I've heard:
#1 I want a president who isn't wishy-washy on his decisions.
- Have you been paying ANY attention to the last four years?! Bush has gone back and forth on almost every issue, like any politician, as keeping up with social polls. When gay marriage polls were being done earlier this year, Bush waited before making a decision, even going as far as to discount the amendment because he believed it was the states' rights to decide. When it seemed like most of his conservative constituents were getting angry and when Mass. DID decide for themselves, he quickly changed his policy to fully back the marriage amendment - a very un-republican amendment in that it attacked states' rights. Another Bush flip-flop? He said in the early stages of the Iraq issue that he would wait for a vote from the U.N. before going to war with Iraq. And I've got quotes ready if you need them. However, two days before he began bombing he withdrew the vote from the U.N., as it became apparent that only four countries would vote with him.
Speaking of the war in Iraq, here's another lame reason:
#2 He's a good war president. We shouldn't switch horses in mid-battle.
- I'd imagine Bush is a good war president - he started this war. Bush didn't have to make any decisions before September 2001 because he spent most of his time on vacation. Including en route time, G.W. has spent 250 days on vacation. That's more in three years than Clinton took in seven. After September 11th, when we knew the attack in America was performed by Al Quida and Usama Bin Laden, he managed to switch the enemy to Iraq. Does anyone remember why we attacked Iraq? Because they purportedly had nuclear weaponry, right? Well, Saddam Hussein's been caught and there still isn't any weaponry. We made a mistake that Bush still hasn't fessed up to. Also, two months after our invasion, Bush told the US that the war was over - that was in May last year. But it wasn't at all, and we still have troups over there protecting our oil intersts.
#3 I think there are more important things than gay rights.
- Well, unless you happen to be a millionaire trying to hold on to every penny of your fortune, and favor tax cuts for the rich only, this isn't a smart answer. Kerry and Edwards are proposing a $400 million PAID-FOR tax cut for middle class and lower income families. That's right, people. Tax cuts do have to be paid for or they increase the national deficit (which Bush has done by $1 trillion). Taxes support the military that protects the vague concept everyone loves to throw in liberals' faces - National Security. Bush's tax plans are not paid for, and help only the upper tier of the nation's people - the wealthy classes. He believes this will have the same "trickle down" effect that did not work for Hoover during the Great Depression.
#4 Blah blah blah...National Security
- Oh yes, let's do talk about National Security. For instance, let's talk about Bush alienating us from our allies in the U.N. by jumping head-first into a useless war. By attacking Iraq, Bush made Americans less safe, not to mention bombed and killed countless innocent Iraqis. And, once again, why did we attack? We thought they might have nuclear (or nuquelar) weapons. Speaking of nuclear weapons, North Korea has been boasting for some time that they have W.M.D.'s. But then again, North Korea does not have those oil deposits. OH! And speaking of OIL DEPOSITS - Bush has only aided in American dependence on middle-eastern oil, which is also a major reason we don't crack down on Saudi Arabia for their support of terrorist factions, countries, and individuals.
-
The vote this year is a really important one, not just because Bush is a small-minded bigot led on by his conservative fundamentalist constituents, but for many of the reasons listed above too. However, that is not to say that gay rights issues are not important to the lives of conservative queers. I hate argument #3 most of all. Gay rights, especially today, should be extremely important in your minds. For someone to protect your family, it HAS to logically follow that you have a family. Here are G.W.'s policies concerning his homosexual voting block. All of these can be re-affirmed through www.vote-smart.org, if you so chose.
#1 Bush strongly opposed EDNA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which would have protected homosexuals and heterosexuals alike from being fired for their sexual orientation alone.
#2 Bush's abstinence-only sexual education programs are costing the country $250 dollars a year to tell GLBTQ youth that they should not have sex until they are married, which they are not legally allowed to do. (This is from Kerry's website. The Bush site took this tidbit of information to use AGAINST Kerry, mocking his support of GLBT issues.) Programs that receive this funding are not allowed to teach about safe-sex practices.
#3 Bush nominated Jerry Thacker to head the HIV/AIDS Advisory Council - a man who has been quoted as saying that AIDS is a "gay plague" and that homosexuality is a "death-style" as opposed to a lifestyle. The panel is co-chaired by Tom Coburn who told the Family Research Council that “no one stands harder against homosexuality than I do,” and Louis Sullivan who, as Secretary of Health and Human Services in 1989, buried a report on suicide among gay teens.
#4 Bush opposes gay adoption
He has always been quoted as saying he opposed gay/lesbian adoption, especially in the 2000 presidential race. Not to mention the fact that his brother is the Governor in this state, the only state that excludes homosexuals AS A PEOPLE from adopting children, regardless of relationship or martial status. According to The Advocate, “George W. Bush has privately told friends that his fondest hope is to find a way to ban adoptions by gays.”
-
So that's my rant. I leave with this message: If you aren't going to vote intelligently, don't vote at all. Politics have a hold on my life and my plans, it's not a fashion statement for any queer that wants to look cool and detached.
There is a growing threat to the world that I think should be qualmed as quickly as possible: gay conservatism - particularly those who have decided they want to vote for George W. Bush this election. I am sick and tired of self-righteous, uneducated queers thinking they are being individualistic by setting off from the Kerry ticket without any intelligent reasoning for doing so. I've heard loads unintelligible psuedo-arguments ridden with fallacies, but not one concrete fact-based answer. If anyone's got one, please let me know. I know it may seem chic to go off and pretend like you know what you are talking about in regards to George W. Bush, but my guess is that most of you don't.
Here are some of the vague reasons I've heard:
#1 I want a president who isn't wishy-washy on his decisions.
- Have you been paying ANY attention to the last four years?! Bush has gone back and forth on almost every issue, like any politician, as keeping up with social polls. When gay marriage polls were being done earlier this year, Bush waited before making a decision, even going as far as to discount the amendment because he believed it was the states' rights to decide. When it seemed like most of his conservative constituents were getting angry and when Mass. DID decide for themselves, he quickly changed his policy to fully back the marriage amendment - a very un-republican amendment in that it attacked states' rights. Another Bush flip-flop? He said in the early stages of the Iraq issue that he would wait for a vote from the U.N. before going to war with Iraq. And I've got quotes ready if you need them. However, two days before he began bombing he withdrew the vote from the U.N., as it became apparent that only four countries would vote with him.
Speaking of the war in Iraq, here's another lame reason:
#2 He's a good war president. We shouldn't switch horses in mid-battle.
- I'd imagine Bush is a good war president - he started this war. Bush didn't have to make any decisions before September 2001 because he spent most of his time on vacation. Including en route time, G.W. has spent 250 days on vacation. That's more in three years than Clinton took in seven. After September 11th, when we knew the attack in America was performed by Al Quida and Usama Bin Laden, he managed to switch the enemy to Iraq. Does anyone remember why we attacked Iraq? Because they purportedly had nuclear weaponry, right? Well, Saddam Hussein's been caught and there still isn't any weaponry. We made a mistake that Bush still hasn't fessed up to. Also, two months after our invasion, Bush told the US that the war was over - that was in May last year. But it wasn't at all, and we still have troups over there protecting our oil intersts.
#3 I think there are more important things than gay rights.
- Well, unless you happen to be a millionaire trying to hold on to every penny of your fortune, and favor tax cuts for the rich only, this isn't a smart answer. Kerry and Edwards are proposing a $400 million PAID-FOR tax cut for middle class and lower income families. That's right, people. Tax cuts do have to be paid for or they increase the national deficit (which Bush has done by $1 trillion). Taxes support the military that protects the vague concept everyone loves to throw in liberals' faces - National Security. Bush's tax plans are not paid for, and help only the upper tier of the nation's people - the wealthy classes. He believes this will have the same "trickle down" effect that did not work for Hoover during the Great Depression.
#4 Blah blah blah...National Security
- Oh yes, let's do talk about National Security. For instance, let's talk about Bush alienating us from our allies in the U.N. by jumping head-first into a useless war. By attacking Iraq, Bush made Americans less safe, not to mention bombed and killed countless innocent Iraqis. And, once again, why did we attack? We thought they might have nuclear (or nuquelar) weapons. Speaking of nuclear weapons, North Korea has been boasting for some time that they have W.M.D.'s. But then again, North Korea does not have those oil deposits. OH! And speaking of OIL DEPOSITS - Bush has only aided in American dependence on middle-eastern oil, which is also a major reason we don't crack down on Saudi Arabia for their support of terrorist factions, countries, and individuals.
-
The vote this year is a really important one, not just because Bush is a small-minded bigot led on by his conservative fundamentalist constituents, but for many of the reasons listed above too. However, that is not to say that gay rights issues are not important to the lives of conservative queers. I hate argument #3 most of all. Gay rights, especially today, should be extremely important in your minds. For someone to protect your family, it HAS to logically follow that you have a family. Here are G.W.'s policies concerning his homosexual voting block. All of these can be re-affirmed through www.vote-smart.org, if you so chose.
#1 Bush strongly opposed EDNA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which would have protected homosexuals and heterosexuals alike from being fired for their sexual orientation alone.
#2 Bush's abstinence-only sexual education programs are costing the country $250 dollars a year to tell GLBTQ youth that they should not have sex until they are married, which they are not legally allowed to do. (This is from Kerry's website. The Bush site took this tidbit of information to use AGAINST Kerry, mocking his support of GLBT issues.) Programs that receive this funding are not allowed to teach about safe-sex practices.
#3 Bush nominated Jerry Thacker to head the HIV/AIDS Advisory Council - a man who has been quoted as saying that AIDS is a "gay plague" and that homosexuality is a "death-style" as opposed to a lifestyle. The panel is co-chaired by Tom Coburn who told the Family Research Council that “no one stands harder against homosexuality than I do,” and Louis Sullivan who, as Secretary of Health and Human Services in 1989, buried a report on suicide among gay teens.
#4 Bush opposes gay adoption
He has always been quoted as saying he opposed gay/lesbian adoption, especially in the 2000 presidential race. Not to mention the fact that his brother is the Governor in this state, the only state that excludes homosexuals AS A PEOPLE from adopting children, regardless of relationship or martial status. According to The Advocate, “George W. Bush has privately told friends that his fondest hope is to find a way to ban adoptions by gays.”
-
So that's my rant. I leave with this message: If you aren't going to vote intelligently, don't vote at all. Politics have a hold on my life and my plans, it's not a fashion statement for any queer that wants to look cool and detached.