Mayor Mike Rawlings speaks during an LGBT Pride Month Reception at City Hall in June.
Dallas’ Mike Rawlings won’t join more than 70 mayors from across the country who’ve signed a pledge in support of same-sex marriage during this week’s U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C.
“The mayor does not plan to publicly support any social issues but would rather focus on the policy issues that impact Dallas,” Rawlings’ chief of staff, Paula Blackmon, said in an email to Dallas Voice today. “Also know we have not signed onto other similar requests.”
Mayors who’ve signed the pledge sponsored by the group Freedom to Marry include Michael Bloomberg of New York, Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, Annise Parker of Houston, Jerry Sanders of San Diego, Thomas Menino of Boston and Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles.
Jackie Yodashkin, a spokeswoman for Freedom to Marry, said the full list of mayors who’ve signed the pledge will be revealed during a press conference Friday morning to kick off the campaign, called Mayors for the Freedom to Marry.
However, Yodashkin told Dallas Voice today that Houston’s Parker is the only mayor from Texas who’s signed the pledge thus far. About 20 mayors from Texas pre-registered for the Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, according to the website.
During his campaign last year, Rawlings said he voted against Proposition 2, Texas’ 2005 constitutional amendment that banned both same-sex marriage and civil unions. When asked directly whether he supports marriage equality, Rawlings said: “I think it’s one of the most irrelevant issues for the world. I think we should get beyond it and let people do what they want to do. Some of my best friends have been married, and I’m pleased that they have been, and so I’m really happy for them. I’ve supported their marriage, but its’ not the mayor’s job to say, ‘We need to do this.'”
Read Freedom to Marry’s full press release about the campaign below.
Mayors from Across the Country to Launch Mayors for the Freedom to Marry
WASHINGTON – Freedom to Marry, the campaign to win marriage nationwide, will launch Mayors for the Freedom to Marry at a press conference during the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 20. More than 70 Republican, Democrat and Independent mayors from cities across the country have pledged to support gay and lesbian couples’ freedom to marry. By joining the group, mayors hope to expand public and political support for ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage.
The broad-based coalition of mayors includes Michael Bloomberg of New York, Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, and Annise Parker of Houston, and is chaired by mayors Jerry Sanders of San Diego, Thomas Menino of Boston and U.S. Conference of Mayors President Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles.
Date: Friday, January 20, 2012
9:45 AM ET
Location: Capital Hilton Hotel
2nd Floor Foyer outside Presidential Ballroom
1001 16th Street NW
Washington, D.C.
Participants: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles
Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego
Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston
Mayor Annise Parker
Mayor Marilyn Strickland of Tacoma
Marc Solomon, National Campaign Director of Freedom to Marry
Tom Cochran, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director
Yes Mayor Mike. It IS your job.
Equal marriage is a civil liberties and rights issue, not a social issue.
It’s stunning that Mayor Rawlings is always so concerned about Dallas being considered a world-class city. Well, to be world-class you need a world view. That also means supporting the rights of your citizens.
And are we to take the line from his spokesperson “Also know we have not signed onto other similar requests” as a statement of “well, at least we didn’t sign the petition saying ‘We hate fags'”?
You didn’t get my vote this election, and you sure won’t get it next election.
Very disappointing, Mr. Mayor.
It’s very, very disappointing that this guy not only stood in a debate at Cathedral of Hope and claimed to be with us in unity (before he was elected, go figure) and now back-pedalling. I’m glad to say I DID NOT VOTE for Rawlings and I know I won’t if he runs again AND maintains this ignorance. Utter disappointment, “Mayor” Rawlings. And your next trick is…….?
https://www.facebook.com/events/331501053538665/
We are calling on all Dallasites to email, fax, call, write or facebook the mayor and tell jim to “SIGN THE PLEDGE”
Easy 2-Step Process to push Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings to support same-sex marriage publicly. Do it now!!!!
Here is what to do:
1 – Call Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ office and request that he join more than 70 mayors across the country in coming out in support of same-sex marriage it takes 15 seconds. Call (214) 670-4054.
2 – Copy and post this two-step message on your Facebook page and email it to at least 10 friends (asking your friends to do the same)
What happens after he signs THE PLEDGE? Oh, yeah, nothing.
https://www.change.org/petitions/dallas-mayor-mike-rawlings-sign-the-freedom-to-marry-pledge-supporting-same-gender-marriage
There is also a change.org petition circulating
Ohhh please people, you care about this shit? Then jobs, taxes, and the ecomony? Whenever any Gay issues come across, everyone of y’all come out, but when it’s time to vote, none of y’all are even there, even when it comes times for DISD, City Issues, and the County. Hey, if I can take the time to go to theses meetings and be an informed citizen, you should too. Where were y’all last week when all of theses Redistricing Meetings and Superintendent searches just last week. Look, I getting fed up with paying taxes for people who don’t give a crap, plus having to pay for DART when theres no PD out there in trains.
During WW2 the Roman Catholic organization tried to utilize a similar strategy of neutrality toward such “social” issues while millions of Jews and other minorities were being ushered to the gas chambers. Any politician who hasn’t the backbone to stand on “social issues” (for fear of offending some – thus LEADING) has no business being in an office of leadership. Let him serve as the county dog catcher where one’s social positions have no bearing on their office or ability to effect change.
Whether he does or does not sign doesn’t matter in the long run. It won’t change anything for better or worse one way or the other.
If someone doesn’t sign a petition, and there are petitions written by someone somewhere every day wanting our signature, that doesn’t mean the issue isn’t supported. It certianly doesn’t mean it is opposed. Implying Rawlins supports gas chambers is insulting to all of us.
What about the Mayors of Abilene,Tyler,Amarillo,San Angelo,Texarkana,Waco,Seminole,Quitman,Lubbock,College Station…….why not solicit all the Mayors of Texas since the issue involves all of Texas residents.The reason is YOU no you would get your butt kicked due to very few who would sign.By the way does anyone recall the reason for the fall of the Roman Empire? It fell from within due to what…..do you think it was the nation being Amoral? If so you are correct……………..is America a nation of sexual perversion.I would no more sign the resolution to support homosexuality than I would adultry. What’s next? Pedophile and Bestiality are is that a natural function also.