Gay Candidate In Atlanta Backpedaling

According to a post from Matt Hennie at Project Q Atlanta:

A gay man expected to formally announce his campaign for Atlanta City Council this week is apologizing for remarks he made three years ago when he said transgender people and drag queens were on the fringe of society and hurt the gay equality movement.

Charlie Stadtlander, a former Republican and leader of Log Cabin Republicans groups in Missouri and Atlanta, also said on Monday that his description of a drag show while a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis as pornographic came at a time when he was lobbying for two gay rights measures from within a conservative GOP and was concerned the show might impact those efforts.

Read the rest of the story by clicking here.

Goodbye & Don’t Let the Door Hit You

From the SFBayTimes.com:

In response to mounting criticism of gay conservatives, Dale Carpenter, a prominent gay writer, is threatening to bolt the movement. In a recent column, he spoke of his “rising anger” with how gay advocates treat his ideological brethren. Of course, we know this is a bluff because Carpenter and other gay conservatives have nowhere else to go. They are dependent on the very liberalism they condescendingly deride and rejected by the very political party they claim to be a part of.

What is notable about Carpenter’s tirade, is how it is at odds with his often intelligent columns. He regularly offers sharp legal critiques and prescient political analysis. However, when discussing gay conservatism, Carpenter uncharacteristically becomes irrational, falling into an undeserved victimhood that is a hallmark of gay Republicans.

For example, Carpenter is upset because Jonathan Crutchley, the co-founder of the gay cruising site Man Hunt, was skewered after giving a contribution to John McCain. Carpenter surmises that there is a witch hunt because of Crutchley’s political affiliation. This is not true.   If he were just another gay business owner, no one would care whom he contributed to. However, it is preposterous for a man whose commodity is sodomy to give money to a candidate who wants to appoint Supreme Court Justices who would be in favor of outlawing gays from having consensual sexual relations. It is this type of cognitive dissonance that earns gay conservatives such deserved contempt.

Republicans in Congress have blocked gay rights progress for nearly three decades. It was President George W. Bush who stumped for a Federal Marriage Amendment. It was Sen. Majority Leader Trent Lott who once compared gay people to kleptomaniacs and alcoholics. I could fill 10 columns with despicable acts and words lobbed at the GLBT community by members of the Republican Party. While the Democrats are not perfect (see Sam Nunn), anyone who compares the two parties is smoking something that has higher street, than political value.

The modern Republican Party was molded by President Nixon’s “southern strategy” and built by Ronald Reagan, a president who ignored the AIDS crisis. It has been home to horrendous bigots, such as Sen. Jesse Helms, Rep. Bob Dornan, commentator Pat Buchanan and Vice President Dan Quayle - who pushed the term “family values,” which notably did not include GLBT families.

Read the rest by clicking here.

Gay and Republican? Get the Facts Before You Vote!

Are you gay, lesbian, bi or transgender and thinking about supporting the McCain/Palin ticket? Think again. This duo could be a detriment to our community in a big, big way.

Watch this video:

Gay Money but not Gay Rights OK for Republicans

I try to keep an open mind when it comes to politics and religion, as I feel strongly we all make these personal choices by determining our own better interest. However, when I read articles, like the one posted on the New York Times website, it really makes me question people within my own community and ask the question, how can anyone, within the GLBT community, actually be a Republican, and how can a comment like the one made by Senator Skelos, be acceptable?

Dean G. Skelos, the State Senate majority leader and the Albany Legislature’s top Republican, reiterated his opposition to gay marriage on Tuesday night but attended a fund-raiser for a prominent Republican gay and lesbian group as he sought to broaden his party’s appeal for the fall elections.

In other words, sure, we’ll take your money, but were not going to give you a damn thing for it.  Wake up people!

Log Cabin Republicans Left Out in the Cold

The old guy, John McCain who is running for president, has long been an advocate AGAINST gay rights. He has kept it no secret that he favors “traditional definition of marriage.” However, McCain did send his chief adviser Steve Schmidt in to give some lip service to the the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay advocacy group. ThinkProgress was there filmed exclusive video of the speech.

Schmidt opened by claiming a personal connection to LGBT issues because his sister is a lesbian. Schmidt did not take the time to talk about McCain’s opposition to gay rights and was extremely cautious in expressing any support for the GLBT Community. He did state; “over time” more equality for gays “will be reached”.

I’m not sure what the “gay republicans” are thinking, but the McCain campaign has and does adamantly opposes the Log Cabin Republican’s platform, which includes “equality for gay and lesbian people.” McCain kept no secrets about why he couldn’t pick Michael Bloomberg as VP, mainly because Bloomberg is “pro-gay rights.” McCain opposes gay adoption of orphans, supports Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and opposes gay marriage and civil unions.

On the note of Sarah Palin, the LCR don’t have her support either. When she was running for governor of Alaska, not only did she opposed gay marriage, but even civil unions. “I believe that honoring the family structure is that important,” Palin said during her 2006 campaign.

Check out his, not so convincing talk where he also calls Sarah Palin’s speech “one of the great speeches of political conventions”. Did he actually see her speak?

Next Page »