Gay Issues Not a Major Factor in this Election

Well for once it seems like gay issues are taking a backseat to more pressing issues like the War on Terror and Iraq. Hopefully the seats in the House and Senate will be decided by issues of more immediate importance!

He believes that developments with the war in Iraq, the abysmal government response to Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast, and a sense that President Bush has not made social issues a priority have all undercut support for Republicans among their social conservative base. It makes it more difficult to use social issues to mobilize that base.

Some tend to think that people have already made up their minds, making the whole controversy a dead issue.

Jonathan Rauch, a political writer with the National Journal who is openly gay, said the polling numbers on gay marriage and civil unions haven’t changed much over the last few years. “It is very hard to move public opinion on this issue; a lot of people have made up their minds.”

Article Link

I don't want to make it seem like the whole gay issue thing isn't important.... just that I believe the failures (in Iraq) of the current administration should cost them more congressional seats than social issues like gay marriage etc.

Personally I think people are way too affraid of terrorists and gays. Statistically your chances of dying in a terrorist attack on United States soil are about the same as getting struck by lightning. I'll take my chances thank you. As for gays, I do not fear them either. As long as they respect that I am straight, I respect whatever their preference is. Who am I to deny them that?

The problem I do see is fear. Fear often manifests itself in another form... anger. Remember what FDR said: "Only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

Hey, good post, thanks!
I was wondering when someone was going to notice that maybe denying someone gay marriage is not as important as the war in Iraq, the economy, etc.

Who are we to tell someone else who they should or shouldn't marry? If they don't have a problem with it, I shouldn't either. If 2 people of the same sex want to be a married couple, this affects my life...how? Meanwhile, we're pouring tons of money into a war that we will never win, our schools are a mess and well you get the idea.

Originally posted by Scramjet76
Well for once it seems like gay issues are taking a backseat to more pressing issues like the War on Terror and Iraq.

There is a 'gay/war on terror' issue that needs to be addressed. And I think it's very serious.

I saw on the TV news that the USA has fired a bunch of translaters that were being used for the War on Terror. And they were fired because .. they are gay. Yep. We have a shortage of people who can get security clearances and translate intercepted communications and yet we fired some because of their sexual preferences.

I'm ticked off about that !!

FF, thanks for posting that, I hadn't heard that before. I think it's one of those oxymorons called "bureaucratic logic", otherwise known as discrimination.
Yeah that gets me in an uproar, too. I just don't get why some people need to feel better than others, just because of who they sleep with.

I just don't get why some people need to feel better than others, just because of who they sleep with

Good point. Unfortunately I hate to say it but this is only true for some cases. Other cases are overly religious people who actually believe that God didn't design gay people to marry. I guess that's what it's come down to, which is really sad. Pffft! Assuming God exists, why would such a supreme intelligence actually give a rats ass if two same sex humans want to engage in the same cultural practices as couples of the opposite sex??

Furthermore, there is absolutely no data which supports gays destroying marriage. In fact straight people are doing a fine good job of that themselves. The divorce rate is what.. like 40-50%?? This matter might seem pretty trivial to some, but it in fact goes to the very core of society's biggest problem. Our social evolution is lagging behind our technological evolution and that could spell DISASTER in the future.

I'm glad of this, I never could understand why gay marriage
was more important than a current war costing thousands of
lives on both sides directly and indirecty.


Hopefully the religious right will stay home, maybe take a
refresher course on the bible, like that Jesus preached peace,
compassion, loving thy neighbor, accepting everyone and
being a good person.

Hopefully the religious right will stay home, maybe take a refresher course on the bible

Lol. Well not all republicans are ultra-religious in nature. Some of them just feel like if you want a slice of the pie you got to work for it--no handouts. I can totally understand that.

I just felt like the 2004 election put waaayyy too much emphasis on the whole gay-marriage thing. I know it's a bit last minute... but maybe this election we can quickly turn our heads to the Saddam verdict!

www.msnbc.msn.com...

The timing of the verdict, which had been scheduled weeks ago, stirred anxiety among Democrats who worried it could be a "November surprise" that would persuade Republicans to turn out, much as the release of an Osama bin Laden tape just before the 2004 election was credited with helping to put Bush over the top. Some voiced suspicions that the Bush administration had orchestrated the court schedule to influence the vote, a contention the White House rejected.

I'm not going to accuse the current administration of orchestrating anything. What I will say is if you can be distracted by same sex issues OR an obviously predictable court ruling, then you are falling for BASIC PSYCHOLOGY..... and therefore should not be allowed to vote!

[edit on 6-11-2006 by Scramjet76]

Well, I think that people should be able to live however they please. I dont think your sexual practices should exclude you from anything. I suppose people who believe marriage is between a man and a woman that gays being together isnt called marriage and want it to be called a "civil union" or whatever are the ones who have the most problem with this. It's simply a sexual preference, who cares.

Alos, gays are not doing themselves any favors by creating this sub-culture and isolating themselves in rallies and marches and so on. I think they should tone down the "gay pride" thing. I had a classmate in college who felt it necessary to reveal to our glass his exact preference in men, when he came out and why. I find that distasteful and unnecessary.

I dont stand up in front of the class and proclaim myself a "proud" hetereosexual nor do I elaborate on my preferences or why I am straight, it would not be acceptable conduct. So gays...keep it on the down low!

CNN is just discussing this current issue now, and the effects it may have in the Virginia race. The Republican Candidate seeks to prevent same sex marriage and then it showed the Democratic candidate firing back about the War in Iraq.

This is the work of the media, but I find this is the case with politicians.

Your either against same sex marriage, or you down play it. Rather than being for it, they take a stance opposite of the opponent to steal a few votes and lay less emphasis on it. While the opponent can spend his time bashing gay rights and take home the votes of these constituents. But the author of this thread is right, this issue is taking a backseat to many other current issues.

I for one appreciate other issues being brought to the forefront, because I do not consider this to be an issue to which we should cast our votes on.

What in gods name are people talking about? Gay issues taking a back seat! We just had NJ okay gay marriage and thats just like 10 mins across the river from where I live! ITs like a gay tsunami that is washing over taking over state after state, legalizing itself in supreme court after supreme court. I mean its like which state is going to fall next before the extremely fashionable praba he-she-it monster debasing us in vocabulary that no straight person can understand !!

Its an abomination !! Even thought they can force their way into the books of law there is no way they can force their way into the only book that matters - The book of GOD! and though they might not go to jail they have front row seats to misery in HELL!

The United States has a lot more important things to worry about than who is sleeping with who.
Your government has no business poking their noses into the bedrooms of the populous, and it should never become a campaign issue.

What happened to the separation of church and state ?
One of the most basic principles your country was founded on.


The lines are getting so blurry that I'm thinking of having my eyes checked.............

I view marriage as a religious ceremony and a covenant you make with God, it should never involve the government in any way. If a religion won't marry a gay couple, fine. That's their right based on the precepts of their church, and no law should ever be passed by the government that would force any church to go against their doctrine.


We all have the right to share our lives with anyone we choose,
and we don't need no stinkin' piece o' paper from some bureaucrat to validate that relationship !!!

As a gay couple we had legal documents drawn up to take care that if anything happened to one of us the other wouldn't need to worry about any legal issues. What more do I need ?

We love each other, we've been together almost 18 years, and we have the love and blessings of both our families. We've never needed the approval of a Church, and we sure as hell don't need permission from the government to enjoy our lives the way we want.

From where I sit, I really can't understand why people even talk about this anymore. The whole world knows that there's a queer on every block, we've alway been there from the dawn of time, and we'll be there in the future.
It's just a fact, and people need to stop using it as an excuse to spread their hatred. If all the homosexuals, lesbians, trans gendered, etc...., if we all vanished from the Earth tonight, those that hate us would just find another target to spew their vitriol at.

I also feel that if the gay community would just shut the * up and get on with their lives the American people would be a whole lot more accepting of this segment of their society. It's only a few radical fags that stir the pot but we all pay the price because the media hypes every story that even hints of controversy.

Sometimes I think the "Gay Community" is it's own worst enemy. :shk:

Dont you remember what you pledge the US to be ??? Remember primary school ?

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible..."

This is a nation of God fearing people and in God we trust !

Church and state rule are divided but the division is not in the same plane !




[edit on 7-11-2006 by IAF101]