We’ve commented here repeatedly about how Texas Republicans — and most notably Gov. Rick Perry — have been largely avoiding LGBT issues so far this election cycle. But obviously Perry hasn’t completely forgotten about same-sex marriage, the issue he rode to re-election in 2006.
The Texas Tribune’s Ross Ramsey, who followed Perry during a day of campaigning last week, reports that the incumbent is still willing to gay-bait, only now he’s picking his spots — like barbecue restaurants in Temple. Or who knows, maybe Perry has just been saving it all for the stretch run.
In any case, Perry is also keeping his anti-gay rhetoric current, as he’s now linking same-sex marriage to job creation. We’ve bolded Perry’s quotation in this passage from the Tribune:
Social issues might be in the back seat, but they’re still in the car: “There is still a land of opportunity, friends — it’s called Texas,” Perry said. “We’re creating more jobs than any other state in the nation. … Would you rather live in a state like this, or in a state where a man can marry a man?”
So there you have it, folks. If you want to live in a state where a man can marry a man, you’ll have to sacrifice job creation. Never mind those studies showing the economic benefits of legalizing same-sex marriage. If you ask Perry, gays are probably to blame for the recession!
I’d rather live in a state where a man can marry a man.
Is that really all they got left? I mean, I know they put up a terrible defense in court at the Prop 8 trial, but really?
And by “terrible” I mean zero evidence, and your own witnesses agreeing with the prosecution…
I would rather Rick Perry lived in a state where a man can marry a man.
I cannot believe that is this day and time, the level of intolerance, understanding and bigoty is still like this anywhere in the United States. I know of mixed race couples that went through this same type harrassment and yet survived it and have wonderful children, well nourished and very accomplished. This is much to the chagrin of many who used scare tactics and falsehoods holding the Bible up as God’s proof against this entire concept. That makes me sick at my stomach to be perfectly honest and with my own family being mixed, well, would we be welcome in Texas or not still, even though the passage of Civil Rights Laws was done under a President from the State of Texas. Imagine that, actuallly I cannot now.
With that low unemployment in Canada they must be even more hostile to gays than Texas…oh wait nevermind.
Such great logic, Governor Goodhair. Explain to me again the reason for the existence of the Log Cabin Republicans.
What??? Seriously, what?? I can’t make the logical connection in my brain. My choice is either create jobs or stay out of people’s personal lives.
What a smokescreen. You know, as full of hot air as he is, well, don’t light a match. A true flammer if I ever saw one…
What a hoot!! Governor Perry is one those closet gays and pretending to be the opposite. We all know the stories about him and his lovers…….Who is he kidding?
Film at 11 LOL, He wears more aquanet than most of the camp drag performers I know and dearly love….
This is ridiculous.
I think all gay men and woman should really stand up higher and taller now days than they ever have before.
If we all keep pushing the ignorance that controls our happiness, fight for who we are, and stop letting other people interfere with our lives because of their beliefs, self issues, ignorance, or confusion about homosexuality I really think we could get somewhere, but it’s really hard now days to create a world-wide alliance… especially for bettering the world. It seems like the world only comes together when there’s destruction is evolved. People need to just start worrying about their own life in matters like these that shouldn’t affect anyone at all.
It’s even more ridiculous that he doesn’t even state having a problem living in a place where two women have rights to marry each other. Testosterone filled ignorance gets really tiresome and hurts too many people, even the women who are married to these kinds of low-lives.
Our community is fighting the same fight that people of color fought during that civil rights movement. Americans want to pat themselves on the back for being progressive thinkers, but somehow we are a superpower nation that is miles behind many other places in the world in allowing citizens to choose their lifestyle freely. I am from Texas, and currently live here. For family reasons, I have been staying, but my partner and I will most likely move to a state where we are free to be married and raise our children together without this cloud of homophobic crap hanging over us all of the time.
I am not ashamed of who I am or who I love. My partner and I are both good people, good parents, and hard workers. We deserve to feel the luxury of having our lifestyle recognized and protected legally.
To Zak-
You are absolutely right! We need to stand up for our rights, and I don’t want to be a part of any place that treats lesbians different than gay men, bisexuals, or transgendered people. We are all human and we all deserve the basic rights, and they still deny us that in a majority of the country.
To the politicians and the homophobes-
IF YOU DON’T LIKE SAME SEX MARRIAGE, DON’T MARRY SOMEONE OF THE SAME SEX. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TAKE THAT FROM THE REST OF US!!!!!!
“We need to stand up for our rights” AGREED SO PLEASE DON’T LEAVE TEXAS.
“I don’t want to be a part of any place that treats lesbians different than gay men, bisexuals, or transgendered people.” SO PLEASE STAY HERE AND CHANGE TEXAS. IF YOU LEAVE, THEN THE BIGOTS HAVE WON. YOU’VE DONE EVERYTHING BUT STAND UP FOR WHO YOU ARE. DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE BUT AUSTIN’S A PRETTY BIG BLUE DOT IN AN OTHERWISE HORRIBLY RED STATE.
I have been advocating for these rights for a majority of my life. To be honest, Texas will always be home, and I truly wish I could get married where we call home. I am not sure that we will leave, and if we do, it will not be because of this subject alone. If and when that decision is made, I believe that we will take our rights as a lesbian couple into serious consideration before we decide where we will move.
I do understand what you are saying though, and I will continue advocating for our rights in Texas and in the US. I can only hope that the land of the free can live up to it’s name in the years to come. I love being an American, but we still have a lot of work to do before all are treated equally.
On another note, I lived in Austin for two years and loved it! Work and other life stuff pulled me away, but I plan on moving back there in January.
I was on the Clinton/Gore Campaign Staff, I do understand.
When we can mend the schism’s in the GLBT Community, we can stand united again as a whole group instead of splintered factions
Agreed, and well put!
well he has a point- I was born and raised in California. I worked in Los Angeles from 1984 to 2008- as soon as I retired (at age 46) I had a lot of choices where to live-MY PARTNER AND I MOVED TO TEXAS!
REALLY, who cares if you can’t get married in Texas-I want NO STATE INCOME TAX, LOW PROPERTY TAX, LOW SALES TAX, AND RESPONSIBLE ‘SMALL’ GOVERMENT!Texas has that and so we came to Texas from Los Angeles! We voted with our feet and our wallets-so who won? Clearly Texas did becuase we brought out California pensions, and income with us and we SPEND IT IN TEXAS!
I TOTALLY understand what he is saying! In Calif my property tax was 6,700.00 per year-in Texas it is 2000.00 per year (for a BIGGER HOME!). Sales tax in Los Angeles is 10%-we know what it is in Texas! Gas in LA is 3.00+ per gallom-I just paid 2.39! My car registration in LA for TWO cars was 1,225.00 for Sept 2010 tags-in Texas it was 200.00! I Calif has a MASSIVE STATE TAX, 911 TAX AND SO ON-Texas has none of that.
So what, he thinks I am going to hell-who cares! Save me some money in this economy, and GET RESULTS AND YOU GOT MY VOTE! The rest of this is useless babble-if you hate Texas and what is going on-MOVE TO CALIFORNIA and TRY to live in that rat race-you’ll be back! Unemployement in Calif is running at and ABOVE 10% and higher in some place in the “bankrupt state”-Texas isnt issuing “IOU’s” to pay bills-California is!
@Rightthingtodo Tx, right now, you have a massive shift going on from Calif to Texas-people from Cal are moving to Texas by the hundreds, Yet, we saw what happened in Calif and we hated it- yes even those gays who have left Calif!
My partner and I who have been together 16 years now have totally re-thought this whole topic and our involvement in the gay community. We no longer are willing to support it or the agendas they are pushing like “same sex marrigae”- we have lawyers who look out for us and take care of out “partnership needs”. We saw how distructive some of the political ideas the gay community has so we aviod them totally.
We know that the gay community needs us more than we need them-so with that in mind we do not support most of what takes place in the GLBT community. From what we have seen in the 15 months we have lived in Texas, most of the gay communities in Texas-like Dallas and Austin are not much better off than those in CALIF which is sad, it really is.
So you have two problems the way I see it, those who want this type of “agenda” are thinking of leaving to states that support it, and those coming to Texas from States that have it-WILL NOT support it. That’s a loose loose deal the way I see it
John-
I hear you on the financial aspect of the argument, and I understand you and your partner’s decision. By not allowing us to marry, we lack civil liberties that take a lot of legal hoop jumping to make up for what is covered by getting married for any straight couple. All I am saying is we deserve the option, and it isn’t ethical to say we have to choose between a state where same sex couples can get married and job creation. I agree that this can impact the economy, but same sex marriage did not create the California financial situation. Like all financial crisis’, it was most certainly caused by more than one contributing expense.
For the first time in my life, I am embarrased to be a Texan. Perry is a cancer on our great state and needs to be ousted out of office. I urge everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, to vote against Perry in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
Andrea, to wait for the goverment to “give us rights” is a mistake- we have them. Just becuase we are allowed to “get married in a state really isnt changing the fact that the Tax laws on the books will still be bias. We found that “legal papers” done by a lawyer are BY FAR more binding than any “paper” issued by a church.
We have other ways around this issue insted of contstantly picking fights with people of faith. EVEN this current President has clearly stated he does not support same sex marriage but does support “civil unions”. Ok, fine, the time is not yet right for this- we are close but not yet.
Gov Perry and many who appose same sex marriage have a problem- they harp on “smaller goverment” and less regulation. If we follow this to our bedrooms- it mean’s “butt out and who cares”. Yet, the gay community is always wanting more laws and more regulation which covers more and more individual conduct-even IN OUR BEDROOMS. I say, “Ok smaller goverment, less regualtion, more personal freedom-and while you are at it-GET OUT OF MY BEDROOM IT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”
Perry won’t debate White becuase he doesn’t have to-he knows that he is gonna win. Look at how many ternms he has. I have to kinda say, “if it is not broken why fix it”-I am not going to base my vote on a single issue like same sex marriage- I will vote my wallet and anyone who wants to take money from me is an AUTOMATIC “NO” in my books.
Just look at the damage the democratic party has done in California over the last 15 year as they controlled California-yet look at Texas economy and copair the two. I want more “tangable” results like low taxes, low sales tax, low fuel costs, so I have more money to spend on US. I have protected my rights with lawyers-you cannot count on the goverment to protect your rights-they fail at just about everything these days.
So… we have to choose between gainful employment Versus social justice and basic civil liberties?? Fantastic! Really makes ya feel proud!
Not really. We don’t have to choose between one or the other. We can work toward a solution that includes both but it will take smart thinking and reasonable debate on our part. Sarcastic remarks like ‘Really makes ya feel proud’ get us nowhere, they never have.
You don’t have to choose anything-you don’t even have to show up and vote if you don’t want to. I am all for working toward a solution and changing for the better. It also g means we will have “give and take” on both sides and putting away some of the sarcasim our community loves to whip out everytime they don’t get what they want.
Niether is a “friend” to our community-now knowing that going it-what IS IT WE CAN ALL AGREE UPON? As for me- IT’S MY WALLET AND WHAT IS IN IT!
I would rather Rick Perry living on the moon ! He is a short narrow minded person
Rick Perry was home schooled. The question is which home…
If you base sending people to the moon simply because they do not support gay marriage them make that rocket bus size and call it “moon one” because even the current president does not support it and he has gone on record many times saying it. Yet i dont see our community taking public swipes at him for this stand. Bill white has made his postion clear by what he has said and NOT DONE.
I if you intend to make a reasonable choice this election cycle it cannot be done on GLBT ISSUES NIETHER ARE FRIENDS. So you need to look at a much much larger picture.
Well, There has to be something more effecting that can be done to win this cruel, unfair, neglected by most battle. What can we do?!
instead of just sitting on our butts blogging?
There has to be something that would get people to understand.
I wish people would stop saying gay marriage ! all we need are civil rights with same privilege as hetero sexual couple has, I don’t want to stand in a church to get married, I just want to go to a city hall and get my papers ! The christian Americans will never allow gays to get marriage in there church, and by the way it is about time the church are paying tax !!
DAMN ZAK!!! ATLAST A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO IS ASKING A VALID QUESTION!!! “There has to be something that would get people to understand” yes, there is!!!
The dynamics of our home is this, I am from a lower class “born again” family. My partner is an “immigrant” from CATHOLIC Mexico who is now a US Citzen. We have now been together for 15 years. We moved to Texas last year to a small community east of Dallas. It is not only CONSERVATIVE but, lol, “dry”. We are certainly “outsiders” from California. We make no attempts to hide who we are-in fact two weeks after we moved we were told “OH yous those two California men who moved in”-SO TELL ME THAT IS NOT CHALLENGE!
We have lived in a Gayborhood in LA-it was a pain in the butt the whole time-damn queens! We love this life in East Texas! Yet, we know that all eyes are upon us-everything we do and everytime we go out. Every contact we make, to every business deal we make-people are watching and we ACCEPT THIS AND PROTECT IT.
We SEE OURSELVES as “role models” and
ambassadors of the GLBT community. WE ARE not married-in fact we do not even have a formal “domestic partnership” we have legal papers which are better than any paper the damn state or goverment can offer.
We WANT to put a face on the GLBT community-we do not protest or get involved in “activism” we live our lives peacefully on mainstreet America. We loath anything in our community that calls unwanted negitive attention to us-that means GLBT’s protecting prop 8, throwing things, flying the gay flag out in NYC where the mosque is going to be built-to the local guys who are strung out on meth and thugs. We live a life that is just like those around us-we want them to see WHO WE (GAYS) ARE. You can do this! Put a “positive” face on our community-YOURS. Life is never going to be fair-accept that. Accept the fact that Perry and Bill White are “elected officals” and they will say and do anything to get elected-nothing more. They will both even lie-just like those in Washington DC. Once you do that things get real simple to deal with. I do not need “permission” from the state, FED’s or any church to love my partner. I do not need a “paper” to make our life together more meaningful-we do that everyday together as a team. If we wanna get married we can- we can fly to a state that allows it or a nation that allows it-so it’s not a big deal. It drives me wild to see GLBT’s yell, scream and “demand” stuff and then expect me to support them-hold the damn phone! It’s not my/ our job to fight for “your rights” no matter what you think they are-we add to our community everyday by living on mainstreet America and being role models and good people-that type of life goes along way to winning over people and having them support us-more than standing in the street and acting like fools on national TV-this you can do Zak! Put a great face on our community to all that you come in contact with- be the friend a friend would love to have!
Ben you write, “The Christian Americans will never allow gays to get marriage in there church, and by the way it is about time the church are paying tax !!” Well, I am not worried at all about the “Christian Americans” you have singled out in your post. IN fact, the “Yes on 8” crowd in California was made up of Jews, Arabs, LDS, Catholics, and people from all walks for faith-so you single out one group of people to support your anger. You wanna be upset look at the damn Moslem who practice “Shuri law”-no all Moslems, or forms of Islam BUT this one-they make a “redneck” look like child’s play! Shuri Law which is practiced in this nation should scare the damn pants off you- those people want to kill us and they are walking around the streets of the USA! They think Allah commands our death! That’s why Oklahoma passed a law to “void” Shuri law-I would confine your rage to the real enemy-those who want to harm us then hide behind religious freedom. The damn Christians just pray we will be “saved” and “turn away” from out “homosexual life”-I can deal with the “praying” and not getting married. But those rocks they throw when they “stone us to death” hurt like hell! You have little chance of having a churches 501-3c statues yanked- it just doesn’t happen in the USA-so get over it and stop being “bitter”
This is way off the topic of Bill White and Rick Perry but I could not help pointing out your flaw remark
JohnLAPD I agree with you ! But I’m not from The States I’m from Scandinavia, me and my spous has been married in Scandinavia for now 10 years, we are seperated because my partner has to work in The States to save up for his retirement, I’m already retired end get my benefit from my home country. But to see my partner as much as possible I have to entry your contry, your contry there has no right for Gay and Lesbians at all !
Every time I’m standing in my first US Airport when I’m coming, I have to explain to Homeland Security why I*m back again, and if that Homeland Security had a bad morning, he can send me right back again !
So If Gay and Lesbians would stop asking for MARRIAGE but instead ask for CIVIL UNION with same right and privilige as a normal citicen has, then it might not take so long !
I’m not young anymore but my partner still has 10 more years to go before he can retire, And its a costly affare to fly to US from EU, and it takes all my nervesto see if I will be alow in to your country !
Sorry ! about spellings mistake !! I could’t find spelling control !
Ben, I hear you on this- each month my hispanic partner and I travel to Mexico and have to cross the Mexico-US boarder. As everybody knows we have a real WAR going on at our boarder right now due to illegal drug trade and other problems. Not to mention my “partner” is questioned everytime we step up to the check points. We BOTH have been questioned becuase I have a very common name and I LOOK MEXICAN, we both work out (so they think we are buying steriods), and so on-so your problem at the boarders I totally understand and deal with myself. EVEN WHEN I TELL THEM I AM A RETIRED POLICE OFFICER IT MATTERS LITTLE TO THEM-
We have a “domestic partnership” law in many states-and this allows many of the same benifits to same-sex couples as “marriage” allows. You are confusing state laws vs Fedral laws. When two people get married, only 25 to 30% of the laws that apply to them come from the STATE LEVEL-the remaining laws come from the FED Goverment. EVEN IF CALIFORNIA AND OTHER STATES allowed gays to get married it will NOT CHANGE the FED Laws. It will not allow us to cross over into the USA any faster or make things simpler. It won’t dang sure won’t change the “immigration laws”.
Same Sex marriage is a whole different “bag of worms” and should not be confused with our current “immigration” debate, securing out boarders, and the fact that The United States was attecked and our people murdered on 9-11. Same Sex marriage has nothing to do with the fact that last week 87 people were murdered just over the Texas baorder by a drug cartel. While for us as people who travel out of the USA and have partners who have family in other nations- we face an added challenge-that’s crossing boarders to see them or be with them. It should not take a degree in politcal studies to understand that “gay mariage” is not going to happen-certainly when you have a president, and people like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Ried don’t even support it (becuase they know America won’t support it). You can call it “civil unions” but when EVER MEMBERS of the GLBT say, “we have a right to get married” you have a real problem right from the start. I have long said that those pushing “marriage” in our community are not only ignorant-BUT WENT ABOUT THIS THE WRONG WAY. Call it what you want, name it what you want- but Americans at this point in our nations history have a real problem with same gender people walking into a church or even court house and getting married. Just today, it appears Harry Ried may tray and attach “the dream act” and the repeal of “Don’t ask don’t tell” to a spending bill (he is loosing badly and hopes this will boost his chances of re-election)- normally military spending pass with little fan fare-this one won’t and it will fail. We live in a very troubled world these days-nothing is ever going tobe 100% fair. Americans are kinda quirky people at times-they are decent people but real quirky. My partner and I use legal contracts, and “domestic partnership” laws to maximize our relationship-we always have those papers handy incase we are challeneged. Our ID’s have the same home adress, and same info on them- only our names differ. No worries on your spelling- I was a product of our wonderful “public school system” so that’s my excuse. No, I totally understand your boarder problems and we cope with them all the time-being “married” or even “civil unions” won’t change our “drama” at the boarders. Last week, it took us 2 hours standing in line just to get back into Texas from Mexico down in Larado-I sooooo hate those days
Ben, you wanna talk about “boarder horror sotries” man I got them! I been searched by not only the Fed Mexican police, but QUESTIONED to death buy our own ICE people cause they thought I was an Illgeal trying to “sneak into” the USA-yet, I am as “white trash” as you come! When all this happens my mexican partner sits backs and LOL at me as I go through the “drill”- I guess it is “karma” of sorts. Much of this tight boarder security is due to 9-11 and the violent drug wars down in Mexico. Yea, I love to travel in Mexico but it really has some draw backs these days- it aint like the good ol days that’s a fact
I’m a lesbian and I support my family. Just because im gay doesnt mean i lack in job capabilities but if I had to choose live in texas and be rich from working a great job or loose my family… canada here we come !