- Richard Socarides
According to a report in the New York Times, marriage, rather than employment non-discrimination, is the next item on the official “Gay Agenda” now that “don’t ask, don’t tell” is on its way to being repealed.
A new group called Equality Matters grew out of a group called Media Matters. Bill Clinton adviser Richard Socarides will head the group. Advocate writer Kerry Eleveld will edit the group’s website.
The Times points out that marriage discrimination means discrimination in taxes, social security benefits and other programs run by the federal government even if a couple is legally married.
While many more rights flow from marriage equality, it is interesting that the group has chosen that as the next fight. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was, in many ways, an employment non-discrimination issue. The next logical win would be again in the employment area. Most people understand that someone shouldn’t be fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, even among people who base their marriage-equality views on religion.
And Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said he welcomed the new group and hoped they would help change opinions. But who gave this new group the authority to decide the next battle? Or is the New York Times bestowing a title on the group prematurely? Either way, we weren’t consulted and haven’t even received a press release from Equality Matters.
Good to see the far right wackos in California weren’t able to get away with stripping away basic rights in America. These people are so dumb, they have no problem with government telling them who they can marry, but God forbid the government tries to bring them affordable health care through a public option, they freak out and call people socialists. Fringe conservatives need to be castrated for the good of the nation, that should be proposition.
It’s a fluff piece for a group that wants to take the fight to the next level. I wouldn’t read too much into it, but I hope they are successful.
Both repeal of DOMA and passing of the ENDA could be seen as an extension of DADT repeal. While both are important, I can see a logic behind getting rid of DOMA from a a military servicemember aspect.
Let’s say once DADT is fully gone, and LGBT members can serve openly. There’s nothing then to prevent someone from marrying their partner in once of the states that allow it, or the District of Columbia. Once that servicemember is married there’s nothing to prevent the government from not recognizing the legality of said marriage. From my understanding of DOMA, the US government would actually be prohibited from recognizing their marriage.
What happens when that servicemember gets stationed overseas? Sure the spouse can move over there, but it would have to be at their own expense. Also what happens when the servicemember is deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan? The military would be unable to inform the spouse of the servicemember’s death.
Then there’s all the other benefits of being a spouse of a servicemember that would be banned to LGBT spouses. There would be no health care. No shopping at the base PX/commissary. More importantly in this time of war, no survivor benefits.
Maybe I’m just looking at it through the eyes of someone who served their country, and lost their partner who was a servicemember while serving. Also I work for one of the most LGBT progressive companies in the DFW metroplex, so that could be influencing how I see how one can get priority of the other. I would rather see legislation that will benefit our servicemembers along with the civilian population than one that’s only going to affect the civilian LGBT community.
I’m still dumbfounded to have heard that 31% of Gays (with an even higher percentage in Texas no less) voted for Republicans in the last election… So now that they will become the majority, besides giving them the finger, is there anything that Gays think the Republicans are going to do on their behalf?