June 26, 2003
Dean And Gay Marriage
Joseph Farah ripped into Howard Dean today saying he “supports gay marriage.”
It was a surprise to me. Dean did sign Vermont’s Civil Unions bill. He risked his career on it. But does he support gay marriage?
Well, let's go to the videotape, in this case the transcript of Dean's Meet the Press interview, from which Farah's charge is taken.
As you will see (use your "find" command on the browser to start at the word "gay") Dean was reluctant to address the question, and Russert pressed him hard on it.
Here is the key exchange, after Russert has addressed the question five times:
Russert: Would you, as president, seek the same kind of legislation that now has passed in Canada, allowing formally gays to marry?
Dean: No, because I don't think that is the right of the federal government. I was very much opposed, unlike some of the folks I'm running against, to the Defense of Marriage Act. I did not support the Defense of Marriage Act, because I do not think it's the federal government's business to get involved in what has traditionally been the matter for the states to deal with. But by the same token, I would not tell other states that they had to have a civil union statute or that they had to have a marriage statute. That is the not the province of the federal government. What I will go as president of the United States is insist that every state find a way to recognize the same legal rights for gay couples as they do for everybody else. Equal rights under the law is a fundamental tenet of America, and tha's where we need to be.
I put that last bit in bold, because Farah says it is an explicit endorsement of gay marriage, making Dean an unacceptable candidate.
Farah is lying. What it is, in fact, is an endorsement of today's 6-3 decision overturning sodomy laws.
The lesson is simple. Check out political charges. Go to the source. Read the source carefully. Make your own choices.
Don't let Joseph Farah, or me, do your thinking for you. That is your responsibility as an American.
Posted by Danablankenhorn at June 26, 2003 10:40 AMNot only did he get Dean wrong, he showed his deep homophobia. Poor soul. My letter to Farah:
I am a straight, drug-free US citizen who supports gay marriage and the
legalization of marijuana in certain situations (provided it be treated
with similar anti-abuse laws to alcohol). Canada is far ahead of the
United States in advancing their society on these and other citizen’s
rights issues.
I wonder, after reading your piece on Howard Dean, why there are people
like you who do not support equal rights for gays?
It is my understanding that the United States was built as a progressive,
fair and equal society — at least on paper. Instead of the regression of
social reforms sought by the Bush Administration, it seems to me our
country should leading the way forward, not stumbling backwards.
The US denounced the Taliban and is still denouncing other regimes for
strict fundamentalist controls that deny rights, while all the while there
is a movement here at home (lead by some of the those same Bushies) to put
silimar restraints on our society.
There are a great many people looking to restrain civil and social rights
in the United States.
I am sorry to see that you are among them. Hopefully, those of us who have
embraced enlightenment will be able to show the regressives the way to a
better future.
One can only hope.
Robbie: I wish I could say I was drug-free. But I take Lipitor every day to reduce my cholesterol. It was nearly 400. Now it’s under 200. But I’m not drug-free.
Posted by: Dana Blankenhorn at June 28, 2003 04:16 PMWhat does your not being drug free have to do with the question he asked you about your stance on gay marriage?
Posted by: Xeni at August 9, 2003 09:58 AM
