NY Activists To Campaign Against Gay Marriage ‘Betrayers’
December 10, 2009 by Gay Agenda News Team
Less than a week after the gay marriage “betrayal” of state Senator Hiram Monserrate, a Democrat from Queens, Empire State Pride Agenda, the state’s largest gay rights advocate, has endorsed a pro-gay marriage candidate for Monserrate’s seat and has vowed to unseat anti-gay marriage politicians in the state.
In endorsing Assemblyman Jose Peralta in the 2010 Democratic Primary, the group noted his previous votes in support of gay marriage in the Assembly, which has approved the measure three times since 2007.
“Jose Peralta has demonstrated time and time again that he is a champion of equality and justice for all New Yorkers and has consistently represented the interests of his district in the New York State Assembly,” Alan Van Capelle, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda, said in a statement released Tuesday. “His record on LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender] issues demonstrates that he does not duck-and-run when our bills come up for a vote.”
I believe having more pro-marriage equality representatives is a great idea. My concern is that attacking individuals is the kind of negative outreach that we condemn the reactionaries for doing, so why do same? I suggest we continue to focus on the structures of oppression but continued outreach into the homes and businesses of the people outside of the legislatures. Let’s win more hearts and minds of ordinary people rather than obsessing over political fights. This is a long fight. Be courageous, focus on cooperation, and persevere. It’s a marathon and not a sprint.
Winning hearts and minds should not be on our Agenda. We need to press for our rights as the Constitution has outlined, through the courts. The blacks did not win the hearts and minds of anyone. They got their freedom through political and judicial relief.
I have to say, I see both sides, but mykelb has a GREAT point. The suffrage and Civil Rights movements were not a product of public approval.