columnists

S/he said

compiled by Howard Israel

Originally printed 5/21/2009 (Issue 1721 - Between The Lines News)

"The collapse of the moderate opposition to gay marriage is both partially caused by, and increasingly contributes to, the right wing of the Republican Party's increasing, but almost certainly temporary, isolation on the fringes of American politics. ...Whatever discomfort these voters may feel about gay marriage is being trumped by the broader discomfort they feel with the far right of the Republican Party. This is a major strategic mistake by opponents of gay marriage; and one which does not seem to be lost on supporters of gay marriage. During this period when the anti-marriage equality movement has been hijacked by the extreme right, supporters of gay marriage are, and should continue to, push through as much marriage equality legislation in as many places as possible."

- Lincoln Mitchell, Assistant Professor of International Politics, Columbia University, in a column titled "Marriage Equality and the New Faces of the Republican Party," Huntington Post, May 18.

"America's war on terror has indeed tested our resolve. We've pushed the limits of our own principles, from warrantless wire-tapping, to building a prison out of our own legal jurisdiction, to not releasing photos depicting our treatment of detainees, to the treatment of detainees itself. Every asset we have must be used all in service of keeping America safe, Is there any line we still will not cross? The one line America will not cross is the Chorus Line. Amazingly, in this time, in this time of national crisis, when we are using everything in our disposal to fight this insidious enemy...Dan Choi is one of 53 Arabic translators dismissed due to their sexual preference. So it was okay to waterboard a guy over 80 times, but God forbid the guy who could understand what that prick was saying...has a boyfriend?"

- Jon Stewart, commenting on President Obama's broken campaign promises over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and his refusal to stop discharges of gay troops, specifically the firing of gay Arabic linguist Dan Choi, http://www.dailykos.com, May 15.

"It is no coincidence the community that has yet to make a safe place for its gay members to be who they are openly, the community that still regards gay as a dirty secret not to be spoken in open company, the community where people still think gay 'can't happen in my family,' is also the community that accounts for half of all AIDS diagnoses in this country, the community that has lost 211,000 brothers and sisters to this disease, the community where marriages keep popping like balloons from the discovery that the husband is gay and on the 'down low.' Where sexuality is concerned, African-America lives by lies. We are long overdue to wake up, grow up and speak up, to tell the truth openly and without fear. We are dying in this silence."

- Leonard Pitts Jr., in his column about the failure of leadership of Marion Berry, former mayor and current city councilman of Washington, D.C., in his vote opposing same-sex marriage, Detroit Free Press, May 12.

"I've only once in my whole career ever had a person stand up in the audience and ask me if I was gay. And it was a guy, in Florida, and I said, 'Why? Have you fallen hopelessly in love with me?' And the guy just fled from the room. I have always felt that my private life was private. It's the property of me and the people who've been good enough to be intimate with me. A knowledgeable reader of my work can make whatever deductions he or she wishes to make. All that I wish to say about my life is said in my work.''

- Southern novelist Reynolds Price, in a 1987 interview, has recently published his third memoir, "Ardent Spirits," in which he writes openly and at length about being gay, posted in a book review, http://www.bandofthebes.com, May 14.

"(Retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice David) Souter was the first justice to refer to LGB people as 'gay, lesbian, and bisexual,' instead of 'homosexuals.' Justice Souter emerged as a thoughtful and dependable vote for gay equality and inclusion. Souter's tone and even use of respectful vocabulary helped shift the court to a new path."

- Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry group and a former key attorney for Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, about retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter's legacy of support for gay rights on the Supreme Court, Bay Area Reporter, May 7.

"'Coming out' is often a pretty difficult time for gay and lesbian youth. Many people still don't understand homosexuality. It's too bad that your friends reacted badly - sometimes young people just don't get it and feel scared and confused. Talking with parents about sexuality is usually hard for most teens, especially if you're gay or lesbian. Why not talk with the supportive people you've found and get some ideas from them? You might also 'practice' some different ways to approach your parents. Although many parents will initially feel upset, most do come around in the long run. Remember that sexual orientation is not something you 'choose,' and you're still the same person you've always been."

- In response to the question "How do I tell my parents that I'm a lesbian?," printed in the Kansas City Star newspaper http://www.kansascity.com, May. 7, from the non-commercial internet site that focuses on the educational health issues of adolescents, http://www.teengrowth.com.

"As a gay man, I BEG that everyone be allowed to discriminate. Not just against us, but YES, anyone should be allowed to say, 'We don't do gay (or even black, Mexican, Jewish, etc.) weddings (parties, events, etc).' Yes, in this country you have the right to be an idiot, a right to be ignorant and a right to be wrong. I would rather KNOW the company is NOT going to do it's best for me, because of who I am. It is a GREAT way to filter out who I DO NOT want to give my business to. Yes, it sucks when you get turned away because of something like your race, or sexual orientation, but it would be WORSE to pay for something and THEN find out!"

- Jeremy Eskelsen, in the posted comment section following an editorial titled "Religious freedom and gay marriage can coexist," http://www.LAtimes.com, May 11.