Comments on: Beyond the Margins: The Left Behind Anti-Gay Conservatives http://thenewgay.net/2010/03/the-left-behind-anti-gay-conservatives.html For Everyone Over the Rainbow Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:21:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: J. Clarence http://thenewgay.net/2010/03/the-left-behind-anti-gay-conservatives.html#comment-23687 J. Clarence Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:33:04 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=26645#comment-23687 Bobby, I am of the unpopular opinion that politicians do the right thing not because it is the right thing to do, but rather because it makes more political sense for them to do it. So even if the demonizing of gay people stops because it is a dying fad--and I agree with you that is why it is stopping--I still consider that a victory, because it is reflective of the larger attitudes within society that view it as a "non-issue" that compels elected officials to stop beating the drums. I think African-Americans largely avoid the Republican Party for other reasons, especially when you consider historically that it was Southern Democrats that were for the racial segregation in the South. I think the issues right now stem from Reagan's presidency that took a very anti-government attitude, and therefore programs like education, well-fare, or any state assistance for that matter, and others were demonized, all of which heavily affect African-Americans. There was a very vindicated sense that Reagan was not a president that represented their interests. And I can go on about the Tea Party for a while, but I'll just say some of it is racially motivated the only problem is a lot of it can also be masked in other issues like concern over the size of government; and for many Tea Party folk it may be both. My major concern isn't whether or not any or every Republican receives 100% of HRC. My concern is only that those Republicans, or any elected officials, won't try to scare Americans to push their ideological agenda and vote for measures based on their merits. Bobby, I am of the unpopular opinion that politicians do the right thing not because it is the right thing to do, but rather because it makes more political sense for them to do it. So even if the demonizing of gay people stops because it is a dying fad–and I agree with you that is why it is stopping–I still consider that a victory, because it is reflective of the larger attitudes within society that view it as a “non-issue” that compels elected officials to stop beating the drums.

I think African-Americans largely avoid the Republican Party for other reasons, especially when you consider historically that it was Southern Democrats that were for the racial segregation in the South. I think the issues right now stem from Reagan’s presidency that took a very anti-government attitude, and therefore programs like education, well-fare, or any state assistance for that matter, and others were demonized, all of which heavily affect African-Americans. There was a very vindicated sense that Reagan was not a president that represented their interests.

And I can go on about the Tea Party for a while, but I’ll just say some of it is racially motivated the only problem is a lot of it can also be masked in other issues like concern over the size of government; and for many Tea Party folk it may be both.

My major concern isn’t whether or not any or every Republican receives 100% of HRC. My concern is only that those Republicans, or any elected officials, won’t try to scare Americans to push their ideological agenda and vote for measures based on their merits.

]]> By: Bobby http://thenewgay.net/2010/03/the-left-behind-anti-gay-conservatives.html#comment-23680 Bobby Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:00:42 +0000 http://thenewgay.net/?p=26645#comment-23680 It may be a bit flattering of us to cheer at the seemingly newfound "tolerance" for our community among conservative activists. The more likely case, I suspect, is that in their quest for power, conservatives have realized that demonizing our community is a dying fad. However, we shouldn't necessarily consider this a victory. Very few Republicans today would participate in the blatant sort of racism that defined the Civil Rights era 50 years ago, though blacks still avoid the party for a reason. Even the Tea Party Movement's motives are suspect -- why is there so much opposition to a black president for something that was attempted by a white president less than a generation ago? Similarly, I suspect it will be a long time, if at all, before any Republican receives a 100% rating from HRC. Instead, we'll see back-handed attempts to limit our freedoms and rights the same way Republicans today use "welfare reform" as a means to keep ethnic minorities disadvantaged. Let's not be complacent: social conservatives are just as rabidly anti-gay today as they were 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. They're just smoother about it. It may be a bit flattering of us to cheer at the seemingly newfound “tolerance” for our community among conservative activists. The more likely case, I suspect, is that in their quest for power, conservatives have realized that demonizing our community is a dying fad. However, we shouldn’t necessarily consider this a victory. Very few Republicans today would participate in the blatant sort of racism that defined the Civil Rights era 50 years ago, though blacks still avoid the party for a reason. Even the Tea Party Movement’s motives are suspect — why is there so much opposition to a black president for something that was attempted by a white president less than a generation ago?

Similarly, I suspect it will be a long time, if at all, before any Republican receives a 100% rating from HRC. Instead, we’ll see back-handed attempts to limit our freedoms and rights the same way Republicans today use “welfare reform” as a means to keep ethnic minorities disadvantaged. Let’s not be complacent: social conservatives are just as rabidly anti-gay today as they were 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. They’re just smoother about it.

]]>