The Sadness of Fear

Nicely put... (4.00 / 2)

This bill brings fear to the republican party in NH for some reason or another. I agree with Kathy that it is sickening to see that the republican party, that once stood for civil rights, cant even support Equality for all today. Lincoln would have been appalled to see his party turning into a party of hate and discrimination. The fact that not one state senator supported this bill shows us that it is a party based on politics of hate and not one in which the members have a standard of morality. Shame on NH republican senators for not standing up for equality. Even in our neighboring states this has not been a strict party line issue. I have a few questions for our republican senators:
Why do u look at this bill and push it to the side without even grasping the meaning of it?
Why as a state senator do u push aside Article 1 of the NH constitution, which says all men are born equally free?
Finally
Why must you follow your party on this issue, this is an issue of morality and rights?
Its so sad that fear has taken these senators and turned an easy issue in the rest of the region into an issue of party division.

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by: historybuff21 @ Tue May 05, 2009 at 14:26:13 PM CDT

"for some reason" - I think I know: (0.00 / 0)

The Republicans in NH campaign on these issues: hate and divisiveness and discrimination and invocation of the holy bathroom.

That, and OMG the state of NH needs money to keep afloat, and you don't want to pay for any of that when people poorer than you can be made to pay it, right? Right?

Once we achieve equal rights for all, they will have to come up with something else besides appealing to fear and prejudice. Their tax and money positions will not bear the light of day once people take the fear blinders off.

They don't really have anything else to offer at this time, it seems, so they hope to keep discrimination and fear uppermost in voters' minds.

It is very sad - for everyone in the state - that they refuse to embrace reality and equality and move forward to build better solutions to our common problems.

=Health care for all now!=

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by: beverlywoods @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 08:12:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't call yourself the party of Lincoln if you won't allow equal rights. (4.00 / 4)

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by: This Was The Moment @ Tue May 05, 2009 at 16:43:50 PM CDT

what's the opposite of fear of heights ? (0.00 / 0)

he's so short the fear of not standing up to him is that he'll kneecap you, that's his level...

"Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It's that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that's what the poet does." Allen Ginsberg

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by: JonnyBBad @ Tue May 05, 2009 at 19:21:42 PM CDT

Hate Channels the Fear (4.00 / 1)

I really can not understand the fear, but that is what it is. How does any marriage weaken any other marriage? What is the root of their fear? When I asked a spokesperson for the Cornerstone group what they were so afraid of, she denied any fear. All I saw was the hate. It is not rational, clearly. No harm came from the anti-discrimination law, but they refuse to look at that fact. If anybody has suggestions as to how to calm the fear, I'd love to know.

No'm Sayn?

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by: BurtCohen @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 07:36:43 AM CDT

11 Dems in the Maine House voted "no" (4.00 / 1)

mostly from Franco-American areas.

I could've spit.

We have Clean Elections here; and their sorry homophobic asses need to be primaried out in 2010.

I don't want to hear any of this "big tent" crap, either.


FB

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by: mainefem @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 18:52:31 PM CDT

Big Tent (4.00 / 1)

Big tent, big tent, big tent.  

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 20:00:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

New Hampstuhh has its share of (0.00 / 0)

older Franco-American Roman Catholic pockets, too.

They present massive problems, i.e, homophobia and reproductive rights (as do the macho labor activists).

Lots of covert homophobia and misogyny in the Democratic [not] party.

I'm het, and don't tolerate either from fellow Dems.

It's unethical as hell, for starters.

They can be primaried out via our Clean Elections program.

If that's the case, they can switch parties; and be a so-called Rockefeller Rethug.

LD#1020 specifically excuses any and all officiants (of which I am one...a ME Notary Public), per opting out.

The patriarchal homophobic wackos still object, natch.


FB

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by: mainefem @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 20:52:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

two wrongs don't make a right (4.00 / 1)

Your agism, ethnicism and anti Catholicism insults a lot of people. I'm in my 50's, was raised as a Catholic and attended Catholic college, I donate from time to time to Catholic organizations, and have relatives who are Franco American. Tolerance is not a one way street.

Big tent.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 21:14:45 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Keep your religion to yourself, Kathy.... (0.00 / 0)

...regardless of what it may be (or not).

I'm 53--none of my childhood friends stepped foot in the Catholic church (once they were old enough); they've used birth control, divorced, and have not raised their children in such a homophobic and misogynistic milieu.

My county is heavily Franco-American...only the older hardcores tend to go along with it in 2009 (and that generation is literally dying off).

Closing down parishes throughout the state, due to aging demographics; and a lack of funds.

Gee...can't imagine why!

Separation of church from state, Kathy.

Try boundaries.

Your so-called "big tent" ends where a woman's uterus begins.

"Got it?"

And that includes reproductive rights and overt/covert homophobia--unrelenting.

Bishop Richard Malone is a huge part of the people's veto, so he'll have to take the flack that comes with it.

He'd be well advised to keep his priests from molesting children.

LD#1020 specifically dismisses all officiants from marrying GLBTQ folks (including ME's 26,667 Notaries Public, of which I am one).


FB

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by: mainefem @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 23:28:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Keep your intolerance to yoiurself, mainefem (4.00 / 2)

You are the one who brought age, ethnicity and religion into it. And no, my vision of a big tent does not end with your, my or anyone's uterus.  My mother was an anti-choice Catholic and one of the most devoted Democrats you would ever want to meet.  So, no, I don't "get" people who claim to fighting for equality yet attack others based on age, ethnic heritage and religion. But that's just me.


"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 07:30:22 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't want to fight about this (0.00 / 0)

But I see neither intolerance nor an "attack." A strong opinion, yes, and a generalization that may be unfair, but not an attack.

Just saying. I'm leery of the word attack.

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by: JimC @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 10:18:14 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Fight away (0.00 / 0)

New Hampstuhh has its share of (0.00 / 0)
older Franco-American Roman Catholic pockets, too.
They present massive problems, i.e, homophobia and reproductive rights (as do the macho labor activists).

I missed the "macho labor activists" until I just re-read this.  

This type of overbroad stereotyping based on age, ethnic heritage and religion (and gender/union membership) rises to the level of an attack and intolerance in my book.  Discrimination in the name of anti-discrimination is still discrimination. The fact the intolerance is based on ethnicity, age and religion doesn't make it less intolerant.

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 10:48:16 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't wanna (0.00 / 0)

Just one point: Wait a while, and somebody else on this blog will engage in overbroad stereotyping based on age, ethnic heritage and religion (and gender/union membership. So I think you're being slightly -- slightly -- selective.

All I want to say. Last word is yours if you want it.

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by: JimC @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 10:53:26 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Prosecutorial discretion! n/t (4.00 / 1)

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."  Franklin D. Roosevelt    

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by: Kathy Sullivan 2 @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 11:07:02 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I don't think it's ethnic (4.00 / 1)

I think it's generational.

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by: JimC @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 21:48:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Big blog (4.00 / 2)

I think I could have predicted that you would hear big tent, but it's nice to have a new voice. Welcome to Blue Hampshire.

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by: JimC @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 20:30:21 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I've been here before, Jim....just (0.00 / 0)

not in awhile (very busy on Facebook...that's more than enough to keep me busy)!

Our Dems in Augusta are hardly "progressive"--everyone perceives Maine as "blue."

Wrong.

I expected more from the House vote yesterday, for sure.

Maine is purple.

Baldacci signing LD#1020 behind closed doors was revealing (no media allowed is totally unheard of).

Highly opportunistic, in his penchant to be written into history books in some sort of favorable light.

LD#1020 was worked to death by the Maine Freedom to Marry Coalition.

It's that simple.


FB

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by: mainefem @ Wed May 06, 2009 at 20:44:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Howard Dean (4.00 / 3)

signed Civil Unions behind closed doors too, didn't he?

I honestly could not care less in what manner or with what political courage or cowardice our HB436 gets passed.

A decade from now some couple who will never know the players involved, or care, will be able to get married in the eyes of NH law.  For me that's everything.

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by: Dean Barker @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 04:20:29 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I have always been irritated and confused (4.00 / 1)

by poor winners. I have never understood it, nor do I think I ever will. It's one of those things that make me appreciate my mother's strong character and how grateful I am for her influence in creating my value system.  

Democrats solve problems, Republicans sit and say no.

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by: Ray Buckley @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 06:42:06 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Those same folks helped Baldacci get elected... (0.00 / 0)

twice.

The second time...at great odds.

He squeaked by with a paltry 38%; and we had to kill ourselves to rack up that much.

Having an out lesbian sister makes it all the more pathetic.

Baldacci loves him some photo-ops, for sure.

However, LD#1020 is Damon's legacy, not Baldacci's.

It was politically expedient for him to sign the bill, that's all it amounts to.

Context makes the world go 'round, re: motivations, etc.

FB

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by: mainefem @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 20:23:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

When the ME Roman Catholic Diocese (0.00 / 0)

sucks off the teat of the taxpayer (millions in state grants per yr. for "social services" programming per yr.); receives tax-exempt status for all of its real estate and buildings in the state; and then leads a people's veto referenda against GLBTQ folks?

Hey...fair game.  Can't take the heat, get out of the proverbial kitchen, Bishop Richard Malone.

Bill Nemitz "gets it."

Overturning marriage bill has no value

We don't live in a theocracy, fortunately.

FB

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by: mainefem @ Thu May 07, 2009 at 20:18:57 PM CDT