I appreciate the many kind and supportive threads and posts about gay rights.

[yardwork]

As a lesbian, I am deeply appreciative of the many threads and posts that have appeared here over the past week - many of them from straight DUers - offering support, kindness, and practical assistance in the fight for gay rights.

As a human being, I accept and share this support in the knowledge that gay rights are human rights. We are all minorities in one respect or another. Any of us could, at any time, lose our rights if a majority of those who felt differently chose to take our rights away.

Thank you, friends and supporters, for understanding that we are all in this together, no matter what our sexual orientation and/or identification, color, ethnicity, religion, creed, national origin, geographic location, marital status, or other attributes. We are all human beings, and as such we all deserve equal rights.

Human rights are not reserved only for those who are polite, or attractive, or witty, or appreciative. Rights are not a consolation prize for past oppression, or a prize to be conferred only on those who "make a compelling case." Human rights - according to every major religion and all the foundational documents and philosophies of the United States of America - are deserved by every human being, and owed to every human being without question. The fact that achievement of this goal is still incomplete does not make it any less worthy a goal.

Thank you.

[KitchenWitch]

1. Excellent post. Happy to kick and recommend.

[uppityperson]

2. Human rights for all. And equal rights.

I've been staying off Du for a bit, but am very supportive in human rights for all humans. Equal rights for all. I find it incredible that this is even an issue.

[TexasObserver]

3. I think the Petition the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed with the Cali Supreme Court ...

... for injunctive relief and for issuance of a writ of mandamus is meritorious.

I'm encouraged the court will do the right thing, and rule prop 8, as passed, cannot change the constitution.

[yardwork]

15. I think that California will be ok eventually. Florida, AZ, and AR - not so much.

We have much bigger problems in the many other states that have passed anti-gay laws and constitutional amendments over the past ten years. That is where the battle will truly be joined.

[TexasObserver]

16. It's gonna take the US Surpreme Court. I'm hopeful it will happen within four years.

[yardwork]

17. Wow! I hope you're right but you are much more optimistic than I am!

This silly country still hasn't ratified the Equal Rights Amendment.

[TexasObserver]

21. All we need is for Obama to get a chance to replace Kennedy.

Or any of the other four scumbags. Scalia, Roberts, Alito, Thomas.

Of those four, only Scalia might retire, and he will probably stay until he croaks, since he thinks he's the fucking Pope of Law.

[Ichingcarpenter]

30. We are doing what we can here in California even my rep

was involved and gave speeches against it. I think we will ultimately win this battle here.

I appreciate your post a lot.

[yardwork]

49. You are welcome and I thank you for your efforts in California!

:hi:

[Booster]

4. One group of people should not have benefits that the rest of

the people are denied, period. Very nice post. K&R

[lightningandsnow]

5. Wonderful post!

:)

[yardwork]

54. Thank you! Many, many thanks to you and everyone for your support!

[QC]

6. K&R!

:kick:

[GreenPartyVoter]

7. Great post *hug*

[City Lights]

8. K&R.

:hug:

[amyrose2712]

9. K&R! Grest post!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

10. It is one of the many things that makes DU/Liberals/Progressives great...

an ability to consider diversity an asset, and not a burden.

Very well stated, yardwork.

[lunatica]

11. We must all keep up the fight, even if we lose sometimes

The fight for right human relations is always a good fight. Hate and divisiveness should be defeated at every turn.

[Starry Messenger]

12. A kick and a hug!

I already rec'd it.

[Dammit Ann]

13. I have completly given up on CA.

And I live in TN.
Get over it.


We have mountain to climb.

[yardwork]

14. California is the most likely place for the hate legislation to be overturned.

California will probably be ok. There will be a remedy in the courts or they'll just run the proposition through every two years until they get a majority vote for equality.

But the rest of the country - that's the bigger problem. There is no clear remedy for what happened in Florida, Arkansas, and Arizona last Tuesday. Nor in the many other states that passed bigoted anti-gay amendments and legislation over the past ten years.

We do indeed have a mountain to climb.

[Donnachaidh]

22. Those other states are going to have to take a hit in the purse

to get them to stop their bullshit.

I'd like to see every state that has passed this sort of nonsense get hit with a fine - perhaps losing a good chunk of federal funding. And any churches advocating for these programs should AUTOMATICALLY lose their tax exempt status. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Buh-bye -- check with us in a 100 years to see if you can get that tax status implemented again.

I know I'm talking out of my @ss, but it's really frustrating to see this sort of nonsense STILL going on. :grr:

[Midlodemocrat]

31. I haven't. Most likely it will be overturned.

[mmonk]

18. We're all in this world together and if our country is to mean

anything, all rights and privileges belong to everyone and are inalienable. Nice post.

[yardwork]

19. Thank you and to everyone who has responded.

[Lerkfish]

20. great post

:HUG:

[EFerrari]

23. There needs to be an apology from all of those that, on the basis of one flawed poll,

insulted black CA voters and in fact, black voters, for the last six days.

People who just ran with a rumor and then, turned around and flamed those of us who objected.

I had one such poster tell me that as 14% of the vote, black voters were solely responsible for the passage of this prop. She didn't even bother to check her math. Black yes voters, less than 5%.

Another member of the gay DU community told me that if black people hadn't voted, the prop wouldn't have passed. Because we all know that taking the vote back away from black people is THE answer to our problems? You'd think that oppressed people would have more empathy.

I can't believe what I have read here. It's made me sick. I was already sick from this thing passing, from a pre-mature concession from the No on H8 people, and the icing was black voters being scapegoated for what they obviously couldn't have done.

And nobody questioned it. No one pointed out that we did much better this time by 10 points WITH the big turnout of black voters. Nobody.

The evidence is out now. Black churches didn't do this. The Catholic Church did. They planned it, right down to deflecting the blame. And we fell for it.

It would be a good idea for someone, if not you, someone, to acknowledge what happened here for the last six days. Because this has been very destructive of the DU community. And your thanking people as if none of that ugliness happened sounds very callous and very hollow.

[IndianaJones]

24. you can acknowledge that the rampant homophobia in the minority community is disturbing? nt.

[Cali_Democrat]

26. Homophobia in all communities is disturbing

Last time I checked, Kentucky was over 90% white...yet they overwhelmingly supported a ban on same-sex marriage in 2004. It's the same story with many other states.

I don't think minorities can be blamed for that. What do you think?

Homophobia is in ALL communities and it isn't only in minority communities.

[IndianaJones]

27. what do you see as the reason for its greater incidence in the African American community? nt.

[EFerrari]

29. When did you stop beating your kitten? You have no hard facts

and yet, you run with the cr@p you take to be true.

That argues a certain sloth on your part.

[jonnyblitz]

35. there are no black homophobes. only white and catholic and

mormon ones. you heard the white,straight expert lady! move right along, nothing to see here. don't listen to those nasty racist gays who are whining because they can't get married. :eyes:

[IndianaJones]

39. if only the white people were as concerned with educating our minority kids. nt.

[Cali_Democrat]

40. Are you trying to imply that someone here said there were no black homophobes?

Oh please.

Maybe next time you should actually READ what other people are posting instead of misrepresenting their position.

[EFerrari]

28. I hope someone cares enough about you to do an intervention. n/t

[QC]

70. I hope Nurse Ratchet takes away your computer privileges. n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

25. Well said

I hope posters here don't try to ignore the race-based scapegoating that has taken place here the last 6 days.

It was ugly and I hope it never happens again.

[Psyop Samurai]

41. I'm advocating a path of grace and humility...

...and honest soul searching.

I do not believe that any one person has a complete understanding, or that any single statement can assuage all wrongs.

Let us mend paths without further recriminations.

Let us see where we might have fallen short.

I regret and apologize for my own shortcomings, and ask that DUers come together in that same spirit.

[bigwillq]

No matter what the percentage

It was really disturbing to me that anyone that is considered a "minority" in this country would vote for something that would essentially block a civil right. Yes, I feel that most people who voted YES for it did so because of religious beliefs but it still doesn't make it any less acceptable to me that minorities would vote against another person's civil rights. And I have every reason to still be upset about it. I am not attacking the person's race, just their judgment.

[mondo joe]

51. Wow - you can't let there be one fucking thread that doesn't include your hysterical witch hunt.

Get help. Please.

[Duncan Grant]

56. Self-delete.

Not worth it. :banghead:

[IndianaJones]

32. There needs to be an apology from those that assuage their white guilt or shame in fellow minorities

at the expense of gays.

[EFerrari]

33. Pseudo logic. And again, destructive.

There is no doubt that a portion of the DU community went on a witch hunt in the last six days.

The facts are out.

Take responsibility for your own mistakes.

[IndianaJones]

34. someones on a witch hunt. you're in the appreciative thread stirring it up.

take responsibility for the sparks.

[EFerrari]

36. Take it to someone naive enough to buy in. n/t

[IndianaJones]

38. sell it to guilt laden white people and minorites in denial. nt.

[EFerrari]

42. Project much? Seriously, the facts are out.

And you, GASP, might owe your fellows an apology.

I expect you to handle it with your usual skill.

[IndianaJones]

43. I've stated my disappointment in members of my minority group voting for this loudly.

You're certainly building up some street cred on minority issues though. Funny I've never seen you in the threads I've started on them.

[EFerrari]

44. We don't know how anyone voted. All we have is the Mitofsky poll.

His polls have a history of problems. But, that was good enough for people to saddle up.

[IndianaJones]

45. I was posting on this issue last year. Winthrop/ETV poll before the SC primary.

Very similar results. Of course....it can't be true in your world.

[EFerrari]

46. Waste of time, sorry. n/t

[IndianaJones]

47. truth hurts. nt.

[Laurab]

37. K&R n/t

[Hepburn]

48. Unless all of us are equal....none of us are equal.

From thus straight DUer to my gay, lesbian, bi and trans brothers and sisters, we will fight this together!

:patriot:

[yardwork]

50. Thank you again to all the kind people who have responded on this thread and throughout DU.

It is deeply appreciated.

[Nikki Stone1]

52. Hey yardwork, thanks for a nice post.

I am still ticked at California voters but I am waiting for the legal challenge.

[yardwork]

53. California will be ok eventually. The other states will be more difficult.

You are welcome - and thank you for all your kind posts!

[mondo joe]

55. Thanks for starting a super nice and sincere thread. I'm sorry a bad apple or two tried

to turn it into something else.

[yardwork]

57. You are welcome!

[Duncan Grant]

58. Thanks to all those friends and allies out there.

If hope and change are ever redeemed for me -- you're the people who are going to do it. :thumbsup:

[CampDem]

59. K & R!

[Skittles]

60. always standing with you, yardwork

always :)

[QC]

61. Thank you for starting this very inspiring thread!

It's a pity that someone had to try to shit all over it, but it's best to ignore such people.

Thanks, yardwork, for all you do to make DU a better place!

[Sabriel]

62. K&R for Humans

I'm hoping that by the time my daughter reaches majority (in whatever sexual orientation or identification she may be at that time), she'll be protected under the law in all areas.

[QC]

63. K&R!

:kick:

[yardwork]

64. kicking for the Tuesday afternoon crowd - still feeling very appreciative!

Thank you!

[yardwork]

65. Kicking for Wednesday morning. Thank you!

[Mike 03]

66. Beautiful post, and much appreciated.

It's time we all join in this fight. What's right is right.

[BlooInBloo]

67. :)

[TuxedoKat]

68. Thanks for your thoughtful post

I was always for human rights for all, but after we adopted two girls of color it became more personal. I contributed to "No on 8", and since its defeat in CA, I am exploring more ways to help, including the group (PFLAG) you mentioned in another post and others. :)

[wroberts189]

69. K&R