Secret Ballots And Voter Shame

I'm in a better mood today. Not because the pain and the hurt of bigot-driven vote isn't there, but because I've personally learned a few things over the past two days, although I really only want to focus on one right now.

I've realized that there is a major flaw in the secret ballot system: if someone who holds a hate-filled opinion is given the opportunity to express that opinion with ZERO chance of repercussion, they will do so. And that's exactly what secret ballots do.

The reason it's so powerful win a legislative body, such as Maine's or California's, passes a law such as marriage equality is because their vote is always and forever on record. It's also the same reason it's hard in most places to pass it congressionaly. But secret ballots during popular voting sessions allow the average Joe to express his bigotry with impunity.

Now I'm not saying the secret ballot program should go away completely. I feel that it is a very important process for elected officials and for tax initiatives. People need to know there will be no retribution in those elections. But once something has been defined as a Right, it should not be up for public debate. Sue for it all you want, but then it's all in the open.

Rights are inalienable. They should not be eligible for public discourse because there is nothing to debate. Both Maine's law and California's Supreme Court decision defined marriage as an inalianable right. Since when did this country start allowing secretive votes on those?

The sad truth is that even today, if you put to a public, secret vote on whether or not interacial couples should be allowed to marry, most states would prohibit it. Why? Because the bigots would be allowed to vote with impunity, denying rights to people then going back home without anyone knowing the wiser.

This is also why it is important to make public the names of donors and signers for political campaigns. If company A or person B knew their name would go on record as a hate mongerer, they would be much less likely to do so. Also, those ignorant enought to follow through would have to deal with the societal pressure of the bigotry.

Marriage Equality will go to the Supreme Court. And even though there are some obsurb terds on that bench (I'm looking at you Scalia), I think they will have the sense to make marriage the law of the land. Why? Because they understand law is separate from emotion and theocratic ideals, first of all, but more importantly because their votes are registered and they have to justify them. They can't secretly express their hatred and expect to skate by.

Our day is coming.

Time To Move To Canada...

Fuck you, all you stupid fucking ass wipe twits that thought it'd be fun times and happiness to repress gay people in Maine, and subsequently all of the US.  Why don't you pieces of shit just go ahead and put together the lynching mobs already? 

Oh, to clarify, Maine voters decided that marriage equality wasn't a good thing.  In fact, they decided that LGBT are simply dogs in the streets not worthy of any basic human rights at all...

Another Anxious Election Day

For my first post back in a little bit, I'd like to talk about being very, very edgy today. I woke up pissy and haven't really been able to shake it. And, sadly, I think I know why… politics, as usual.

I'm so afraid that Maine will repeal their same-sex marriage law and that Washington will say queers don't deserve any better than they have… it's pretty freaking scary, to be honest, and those are both issues up for public vote today. It was scary when it happened in California, and if it happens again today, then it'll just be another sign to the bigoted haters of the world that it's perfectly OK to fuck over the queers.

I'll likely be on edge until much later tonight when the results come in.

Why, some ask, do I care about what happens in Maine and Washington when I live in Chicago? Because Illinois introduced their own marriage equality law last month and if two more state's voters reject the basic human rights of LGBT citizens, our legislators here in Illinois will be much less likely to follow through with the proposed law for fear of it getting overturned and used against them in future elections. The same goes for every state, hell even the federal level: if we don't win today, it's going to be harder and harder to win at all legislatively.

So, yes I'm scared and worried. I want to marry my fiancé here. I want to have the legal rights and protections afforded to us like straight loving couples do (or even just straight couples that don't love each other but are drunk in Vegas and think it'd be fun). We need these laws to exist.

Three Important Fights

I'm reposting this from Courage Campaign's website basically wholesale. This coming Tuesday, three important gay rights intiatives will be on the ballots throughout the country. And for those of you that thought we only had elections every 4 years... well, this is for you. Pay attention and go out and vote! Also, anyone else that wants to copy and repost this, visit Courage Campaign's site and grab the HTML code. It's super easy.

Washington:

Who we are: Approve Referendum 71 is the campaign to preserve domestic partnerships in Washington State. By voting to approve, voters retain the domestic partnership laws that were passed during this year's legislative session, including using sick leave to care for a partner, adoption rights, insurance rights, and more.

What we need: We need phone bankers to get our supporters out to vote. Washington is an all mail-in ballot state, and we need to ensure our supporters put their ballots in the mail. Also, youth turnout is a critical component of our campaign, and youth turnout historically drops in off-year elections. So we need a lot of help to turn them out.

How you do it: Sign up here to make remote calls for Approve 71. We'll then contact you for a training, and you can make GOTV calls.

Maine:

Who we are: The No On 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign is working to protect Maine's recently-passed law legalizing marriage equality for same-sex couples. Our opponents have put the issue on the ballot for Nov 3, 2009. Because of Maine's early voting election laws, people are already voting at the polls, so we need help immediately to turn out our side at the polls.

What we need: We need you to devote a few hours to Call for Equality. Call for Equality is a virtual phonebank set up so that you can call Maine voters wherever you are. Much of Maine is rural, where canvassing isn't effective, so we need to reach these voters- along with other supporters- by phone. All you need is a phone and internet connection. No experience required! We'll provide the training, and all you need is a a few hours to help get a win in Maine.

How you do it: Click here to sign up for a training and your shift. There are lots of times available for your convenience.

Kalamazoo, MI:

Who We Are: The Yes on Ordinance 1856 / One Kalamazoo campaign is working in Michigan to support the City Commission of Kalamazoo's twice approved ordinance for housing, employment, and public accommodation protections for gay and transgender residents. Opponents forced a public referendum on the ordinance so dedicated local volunteers, led by former Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jon Hoadley, are working to ensure voters say YES to fairness and equality and keep Ordinance 1856.

Why The Urgency: In the final weeks, the opposition has gone all out with aggressive disinformation and misleading red herrings to try to defeat the ordinance. This includes signs that say "No to Discrimination" (even though voting No actually supports continued discrimination of GLBT residents), transphobic door hangers and fliers, and now radio ads that falsely suggest that criminal behavior will become legal when this simply isn't true. The Yes on Ordinance 1856 supporters are better organized but many voters who want to vote for gay and transgender people are getting confused by the opposition.

How To Help:

1) Help the One Kalamazoo campaign raise a final $10,000 specifically dedicated to fight back against the lies on the local TV and radio airwaves and fully fund the campaign's final field and GOTV efforts.

Give here: http://www.actblue.com/page/3-2-1-countdown?refcode=courage

2) If you live nearby and can physically volunteer in Kalamazoo sign up here. If you know anyone that lives in Kalamazoo, use the One Kalamazoo campaign's online canvass tool to remind those voters that they need to vote on November 3rd and vote YES on Ordinance 1856 to support equality for gay and transgender people.

Contact voters: http://www.onekalamazoo.com/tellfriends2

WWII Vet Stands Up For Marriage Equality

Awesome Pro Marriage Ad!

Attack Of The Unwilling To Think For Themselves Crowd

And yet another twit that can't separate "how I was raised" from reality. This from Maine State Representative Sheryl Briggs from the floor of the Maine House (they're debating marriage equality today… still not sure what's to debate, but that's what they're wasting their time doing):

"I have been struggling with this bill for months knowing it is going to come forward … that I'm going to have to choose … I'm so sorry I'm going to hurt my family, friends, citizens of the state of Maine. See, my daughter is gay. I have known this for about 15 years. Throughout all this time, I have kept my personal feelings on this matter separate … She has never ever heard me express my opposition to this in her life … I would never hurt her. I would got to end of the earth for her. But because I feel so strongly about opposed to this bill, blame it on my upbringing or the good book. … I can't change how I feel … But because of who I am and where I am and as a member of this legislative body, ethically it is my duty and responsibility to publicly say to my daughter that I do not support [gay marriage]. I just had to finally confess to her exactly how If eel and now i have no choice. I have to hit that button. Although I could say that the majority of my constituents are in opposition to this bill, to which they are, and to use that as my excuse to my decision making process, but that would not be fair to me, my daughter, or my constituents. I am sorry that there is no other way we could compromise to make things better for everyone, because that's what we do as legislators. We are here to fix things. To make things better for everybody. I feel like I need to let everyone citizen know that the decision we make here today is not an easy one. … I ask each citizen in the state of Maine on both sides of the aisle to please respect our individual decisions."

Fantastic! So not only is she completely unable to think for herself, she also is fully aware of just how horrible she sounds as evidenced by the several apologies laced throughout this speech. Miss Briggs has stated that her hatred is simply because of how she was raised or because of the "good book" (of which it is unclear she has read or understood). She is just not able to question those beliefs taught to her at some point in her life. Good for her, I'm glad she's perfectly happy with being an ignorant tyrant. I'm even happier for her constituents that can accept an excuse like that.

But truly I feel sorry for her lesbian daughter, who's mother willingly hid her hatred from her for so long. I sure hope her daughter has a bigger heart than the mother and can love and accept her mother for who she is, regardless of how bigotted she is. I sure hope that her daughter can teach her the error of her ways by being a better person.

Finally, I think I need to know why Rep. Briggs feels the need to apologize multiple times in this speech. Is it because she knows how ridiculous she sounds? Is it because she knows that she's stabbing her daughter in the back? Is it because she knows that people like me will tear her apart for never once taking the time to consider this position for herself? No, I think it's because she's fully aware of how wrong she is.