Equality Utah asks LDS Church for support on 5 bills
By Jessica Ravitz
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 11/11/2008 12:13:29 AM MST
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10952932 (http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10952932)
As the blame game for Proposition 8's passage continues to be played in many circles, one political advocacy group - advancing equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community - has extended a hand to the LDS Church, hoping for collaboration.
Equality Utah announced Monday that it will be helping to draft five bills to introduce in the 2009 Legislature, each of which supports its cause and, representatives emphasized, is in line with language used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Standing with Equality Utah were three lawmakers who plan to help: Sen. Scott McCoy and Reps. Christine Johnson and Jen Seelig.
I'm really confused with this whole thing. Maybe I live to far away to understand? The news here in the south said that over 70% of blacks supported the ban on gay marriage. Why isn't anyone protesting at black churches and asking them to support gay rights?
As for the article, I can't imagine the LDS church supporting anything other than its statement that marriage is a man and a women. They may stand back or I should say, not oppose partner rights but I can't imagine them supporting those rights publicly?
Sort of the push against the Mormons is...
1) Holding them to their claims of "tolerance" of still supporting gay couples so that they have certain legal rights.
2) Mormons were responsible for about a quarter of the money raised to pass Prop 8, and most of it came from the Mormon Church.
As for why they don't single out Blacks (who probably gave little money for the cause), there are pretty clear racial overtones (whereas Mormons aren't exclusively White and probably voted for the Proposition in just as strong of numbers), but as only 10% of California's electorate, Proposition 8 would have still passed by a little bit anyway (around 50.3% to 49.7%).
Put another way, there's reasonable grounds to say Blacks did not tip the vote by themselves (as they probably didn't give much money to support it), but Mormons *may* have tipped the scales a little through voting but primarily through money. And frankly, people tend to give a pass to other groups on few issues (gay rights activists tend to be liberal, as do Blacks) and instead focus on those they have much more comprehensive disagreements with (Mormons tend to be conservative). It's more cost effective to wear down someone who opposes you on everything, since you have nothing to lose by alienating them (they were already voting against most of your causes), than someone who sometimes agrees with you (because you might alienate someone who supports some of your causes).
It's a little cynical, but it's also worth noting that those who are trying lure gay rights activists (including talking heads on Fox News and talk radio) against Blacks tend to be unsympathetic to both groups, or at least to the ideology (liberal) that binds them. Just about everyone has blood on their hands.
Also, age is a relevant factor. Only 36% of the youngest group (18-24) supported the bill, but 61% of the old farts (65+) did. Fortunately this problem takes care of itself over time (tolerant adults join the ranks, intolerant old farts die off).
Quote from: luv2Bfem on November 11, 2008, 08:15:19 PM
I'm really confused with this whole thing. Maybe I live to far away to understand? The news here in the south said that over 70% of blacks supported the ban on gay marriage. Why isn't anyone protesting at black churches and asking them to support gay rights?
Right after the election, protests against the black vote turned really ugly with racist comments from some gays (I didn't read about lesbians making such comments). That might be part of the reason.
The other part is that Mormons donated the majority of money which was used to pass Proposition 8. Out of the $75 million at least 40% (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/27/BAP113OIRD.DTL&tsp=1) came from individual Mormons or from Mormon organizations. But Mormons only make up 2.1% of the California population and 1.3% of the US population.