While Obama Wins, Equality For All Americans Fails

Make no doubt about it, last night was a tremendous turning point in our nation. Barack Obama's overwhelming victory was a testament to our nation's democracy. However, not everything went well for those that must seek to be seen as equals in our society. Across the country, numerous propositions were put onto the ballots of states such as California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas to restrict the rights of the GLBT community. I didn't expect much from Arizona, Arkansas and Florida (sorry to those that do support equal rights there but clearly you aren't the majority) but I was hoping California could overcome. I was sadly mistaken about having that hope.

From The LA Times:

In San Francisco on Tuesday night at the packed headquarters of the "No on 8" campaign party in the Westin St. Francis Hotel, supporters heard from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, whose decision to issue same-sex wedding licenses in his city led to the court ruling that made gay marriage briefly legal in the state. .

"You decided to live your life out loud. You fell in love and you said, 'I do.' Tonight, we await a verdict," Newsom said, speaking to a roaring crowd before final returns were in.

Elsewhere in the country, two other gay-marriage bans, in Florida and Arizona, also won. In both states, laws already defined marriage as a heterosexual institution. But backers pushed to amend the state constitutions, saying that doing so would protect the institution from legal challenges.

Proposition 8 was the most expensive proposition on any ballot in the nation this year, with more than $74 million spent by both sides.

The measure's most fervent proponents believed that nothing less than the future of traditional families was at stake, while opponents believed that they were fighting for the fundamental right of gay people to be treated equally under the law.

Obviously the ridiculous belief that restricting rights of the gay community made the "traditional" families safer. Shame on the majority of California's voters for denying people their rights as human beings.

Well, while their ignorance and bigotry may have the proponents of these bills cheering, they must know the fight isn't over. Just as the country's attitude on race is slowly changing as new voters come into the system and the older ones fade out, so too will the ability to treat people the same regardless of their sexual orientation. It took a long time to get where we are on race (and we still have a long ways to go) and hopefully we can get equal rights for all within a smaller amount of time. Maybe not this year and years past, but the future will ultimately be better.

McCain Backpedals On Homophobia And Adoption

John McCain has literally flipped his position dozens of times on a whole host of issues...and he isn't going to fail us this week. Two days ago McCain emphatically stated that only a man and a woman can adopt and raise a child. It was a classic GOP maneuver that throws red meat to the rabid base while insulting tens of thousands of people simultaneously who have a lifestyle that McCain does not approve of. However, a lot of people found this to be insulting, so what did McCain do?

From Yahoo News:

On Tuesday, as criticism of McCain's comments spread, his campaign elaborated on the candidate's views.

"John McCain could have been clearer in the interview in stating that his position on gay adoption is that it is a state issue. ... He was not endorsing any federal legislation," a campaign statement said.

"Sen. McCain's expressed his personal preference for children to be raised by a mother and a father wherever possible," the statement added. "However, as an adoptive father himself, McCain believes children deserve loving and caring home environments, and he recognizes that there are many abandoned children who have yet to find homes. John McCain believes that in those situations that caring parental figures are better for the child than the alternative."

So it wasn't a complete flip-flop, but definitely a major backpedaling effort to calm down the outrage of those that were offended. The statement though is hardly believable because you never know what will come out of his mouth next. Two days ago he sounded solid in his homophobia, today he gave some ground. Of course, this display of compassion should fool no one, it only raises the "pandering candidate" alert.

McCain Doesn't Believe Gays Can Be Parents

John McCain has a lot of nerve to espouse his extremist opinions on gays and their ability to be parents. Despite leaving his wife and three children to be with another woman (seeing her for nearly a year before getting divorced) he thinks he can claim the moral high ground because two people want to love each other that just so happen to be of the same sex. This bond, the creation of a loving home is what is essential to raise a child, not the sex of the parent. John McCain, in the most blunt of terms, disagrees and wants to deny this right to the GLBT community.

From ThinkProgress:

In a revealing interview with the New York Times, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — an adoptive parent himself — declared that he opposed the right of gay couples to adopt children, even if it meant leaving children in orphanages:

Q: President Bush believes that gay couples should not be permitted to adopt children. Do you agree with that?

Mr. McCain: I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no I don’t believe in gay adoption.

Q: Even if the alternative is the kid staying in an orphanage, or not having parents.

Mr. McCain: I encourage adoption and I encourage the opportunities for people to adopt children I encourage the process being less complicated so they can adopt as quickly as possible. And Cindy and I are proud of being adoptive parents.

Q: But your concern would be that the couple should a traditional couple —

Mr. McCain: Yes.

As ThinkProgress also notes, the ban would take 65,000 children out of their adopted homes and cost the government $87 to $130 million in order to take care of those kids. Not only is McCain's view heartless (and shameful considering he's an adoptive father), it makes bad economic sense as well. Jeez, I guess this would be compassionate conservatism at it's best...er, worst.