Gay writer James Kirchick, the assistant editor of The New Republic, eloquently outlined the many ways in which the GOP might be pulling back from its open and unregretable gay bashing. In his latest piece for The Wall Street Journal, Kirchick compared this year’s Republican National Convention to past events and speeches and statements regarding gays at each of them.
What Kirchick conveniently minimalizes is the overwhelmingly hostile and anti-gay platform adopted by the Republicans at this year’s convention. Among the “pro-family” positions espoused in the document are calls for a federal constitutional amendment banning recognition of civil marriage rights for same-sex couples and language deriding the parenting abilitites of gay and lesbian parents and other caregivers. (Kirchick left out the gay adoption/parenting bit.)
The platform also proclaims that homosexuality is “incompatible” with military service, thereby promoting the view that honest and honorable service by gay and lesbian Americans to their beloved nation is impossible.
So, the GOP doesn’t talk about gay issues at the convention. Are gay Americans going to fall for the smoke-and-mirrors distraction? Are they going to buy the “Hey, uh, you know we’re the real party of change” gimmicky lie? God, I hope not. But that sure doesn’t stop the Log Cabin’s from completely losing their mind, endorsing John McCain and kissing most (if not all) of their chances for equality goodbye.
“It may sound like cold comfort, but gay people have something to appreciate in the fact that, this year, Republicans left them alone,” wrote Kirchick. I guess he forgot about the platform, even though he discusses it just a few paragraphs before his conclusion.
The GOP hasn’t “left [gays] alone.” As always, the GOP has demonized the community and officially endorsed a mission to make all LGBT Americans second-class citizens.
Kirchick, like the Log Cabin Republicans, needs a dose of reality: The Republicans — as a party, as one unit — do not stand for equality for LGBT Americans. They never have and they never will.
September 10th, 2008 at 9:27 am
The platform doesn’t matter! It makes the crazies feel better but has no practical value.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Having dealt with a lot of Republican politicians and their staffs, the platform isn’t the most relevant document for them. As one staffmember put it to me, the plaform “is written by the most extreme members of our party and written to satisfy them.” That said, it still provides a rationale for voting against gay Americans by allowing them to say, “My vote was consistent with the beliefs of the party as outlined in our platform.”
Kirchick may be correct that we are better off being ignored by the party leaders, but that’s not a guarantee that they are going to be supportive in the future. It also means the Democrats can ignore us as well – they don’t have to show themselves as being the opposite of the Republicans.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I work in Crystal City and McCain’s Virginia GOP HQ is the building right next to me. Every now and then, we see limos, media, and what not all over the place. If I walk by, I am not bothered by the ruckus. But, I am fascinated by the cute hotties working inside. So sad to see these people so brainwashed to support the GOP. Maybe that’s what we ought to change.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
“The platform doesn’t matter! It makes the crazies feel better but has no practical value.”
What does matter is that one of the crazies is now a heartbeat away from the Presidency. And Kirchick presented no credible evidence that either McCain or Palin is not deeply homophobic. And when will seemingly intelligent people stop these bizarre attempts to paint Palin’s veto of an unconstitutional bill which she then attempted to cancel via a constitutional amendment and McCain’s opposition to the FMA while he supported and supports more draconian anti-marriage/partnership/benefits amendments at the state level as ‘gay-friendly’ or even neutral positions?
September 12th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Matt its not that I hate republicans or conservatives its just that they are just so untrustworthy. They spread half-truths and lies so often it makes it hard to distinguish whether what they say is indeed fact or fiction. I say that if republicans and conservatives want us to trust them first I would highly suggest counseling to deal with the real issues that they have with homosexuality. Second always be consistent and always be honest even if it hurts. I’ll believe that conservatives and republicans have left their homo-hating ways when they can be consistent and admit they don’t have all the answers.