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Stopping the Culture of Hate
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips issued an injunction immediately stopping enforcement of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that prohibits lesbians and gay men from serving in the military. I am holding my breath hoping that the U.S. Department of Justice will do the right thing and not appeal the injunction of this 17-year-old policy of state sanctioned discrimination.
The DADT policy has created an environment in which lesbian and gay service members have to lie about who they are in order to serve -- just as teachers and others have to lie about who they are in order to keep from being fired in 28 states. In 28 states it's okay to fire someone, not based on their job performance, but on who they are. And, according to Republican Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), that's as it should be.
New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino (R), recently stated that homosexuality is not an equally valid or successful option. Obligatory (and weak) apology notwithstanding, can you imagine what an LGBT youth thinks when they hear that they're "not valid" and can't possibly be successful?
This is hate speech and it contributes to a culture of hatred and intolerance.
Can you imagine what it's like to want to marry your partner knowing that most states prohibit it? Those who voted for the Defense of Marriage Act wanted to ensure that only heterosexuals could marry. And even President Obama, by supporting civil unions for same-sex couples, implies that something less than full marriage equality is good enough for certain people. This sends the message that the LGBT community is not worthy of the same rights and privileges as heterosexuals.
Both hate speech and legally-sanctioned discrimination contribute to stigmatizing and dehumanizing the LGBT community, making them an acceptable target.
Almost no one condones the brutal anti-gay attacks in the Bronx, the unconscionable invasion of privacy of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, or the merciless bullying of at least five other students who committed suicide in recent weeks. In addition to condemning anti-gay hate speech, more elected officials need to take action to pass (or repeal) laws to eliminate discrimination.
Please help end state sanctioned discrimination by working for and voting for NOW/PAC endorsed candidates who support equal rights for the LGBT people of this nation.
Aaaaanyway, to comment on the actual topic of the actual post, Carl Paladino is a raging hypocrite who distributes pornography in which the actors' consent is dubious at best and then refers to homosexuals as porn-pedaling perverts.
And for some reason it's being lost in media coverage that DeMint also said unmarried heterosexual women shouldn't be allowed to teach school either. It would be interesting to explore the commonalities in DeMint's ideas about gay and lesbian people and unmarried heterosexual women. What say you, cabaret and cfhw? Do you agree with DeMint that unmarried women all perverts from whom children should be protected?
I have no problem with gay/lesbian teachers and don't think unmarried women are perverts.
I wouldn't get too worked up over Carl Paladino. He has no chance of winning.
I was wondering. Why didn't NOW condemn feminist supporter Carolyn Maloney when she used the 'N' word last year?
Also, regarding Maloney and the N word, she was quoting someone else, and the quote itself acknowledged that the term is offsenive. Sorry, but that's completely different.
@cfhw: Please read previous responses to your comments. You have a completely false impression of NOW, and I suggested earlier that you should do some reading on our main website, our PAC website and our Foundation site. But, if you really think NOW does not represent you, then I would ask: What do you think happens when NOW helps to win equal pay legislation and other protections and rights for all women -- do you think we get Congress to slip in some stipulation that says "except for conservative women"?
Yes, Meg Whitman did respond, but what choice did she have? My point was she didn't let it dominate her campaign. She addressed it and moved on. A lesser person would have been constantly complaining. It was mentioned by the moderator during her debate, but she doesn't pick the questions.
As far as Maloney goes, I understand she was quoting someone else and I doubt she's a racist but could you imagine if Sarah Palin was involved in a similar situation? She would have been crucified. There's definitely a double standard in regard to the treatment of democratic women vs republican women. For the most part NOW is oblivious to this fact which I believe is a great injustice to women. Also, what message does this send to men? Treat women equitably unless they don't support a feminist agenda? Looks as if Jerry Brown adheres to that philosophy. He's engaging in selective sexism. This is a big reason why I don't consider myself a feminist. Another reason is because I'm a guy. Hate to say it, but male feminists are weird.
Can you explain this article? The URL is next to my user name. How can Terry O'Neill be an effective president when one of her biggest chapters completely contradicts what she said? If I was her, I would respectfully ask Parry Bellasalma to step down. Who knows, maybe misogyny takes a back seat if it means getting democrat elected.
"California NOW Chief: Calling Whitman a 'Whore' is Accurate"
Excerpt --
'California NOW President Parry Bellasalma told the TPM blog on Thursday that the description of the Republican candidate for governor of California is accurate.
"Meg Whitman could be described as 'a political whore.' Yes, that's an accurate statement," Bellasalma said after a TPM blogger called to ask her about a story that appeared on the Daily Caller website.
National NOW President Terry O'Neill condemned anyone who would call someone else a "whore," even as the state group endorsed Brown for governor.
"This term is hate speech that carries with it negative connotations associated with women, and it has no place in contemporary society," O'Neill said in a statement Wednesday. "NOW calls on Brown, from this point forward, to fire any member of his staff who uses this word or any hate speech against women."
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