Integrity News

I’m a Libertarian - yes, a card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party. I’ve donated money to the Texas Libertarian Party, the national Libertarian Party and the LP’s Presidential Candidate Bob Barr. But, I have also said numerous times that I am willing to vote for a Democrat or a Republican just as much as a Libertarian. Well, I’ve found a Democrat worthy of my vote, but unfortunately he is running for Congress in Colorado.

Polis Criticizes Congress’ Handling of Gay Issues

He added that he was surprised Congress has not repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which prevents openly gay people from serving in the military. He said a “vast majority of the population supports” repealing the law.

Holy cow, Batman! Passing “gay” legislation that the “vast majority of the population supports” is practically revolutionary. And get this, Polis also has some cojones:

“I really can’t figure out why the Democratic Congress hasn’t passed a bill to do that, even if Bush was to veto it,” Polis said.

Get this, if Congress passes the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, and Bush vetoes it, then the fault is on George W. Bush’s doorstep. But as long as the Democratic Congress sits on MREA, well, it’s still the Democrats’ mistake - remember, it originated in and was passed by a Democratice Congress and signed by a Democratic President in 1993. (Why do so many gay people continue to vote for the Democrats?!?!?!?!)

While Polis maintained that those issues are “all critical,” he said, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and ENDA will probably be addressed before marriage, which he said “is still a little bit more controversial.”

Please, all of you gay activists out there, this many won his Democratic primary - he’s smart. Don’t ask, Don’t tell is an easier issue than marriage. Tackle DADT first, then marriage later. It’s not hard. First step: listening to people like Mr. Polis.

Continuing to read the article, I found that Mr. Polis is not the only intelligent gay Democrat out there. Yes, there is hope!

Chris Pappas, a gay delegate from New Hampshire and owner of the Puritan Backroom restaurant, said he thinks “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will be the first issue tackled in the new Congress. He said he expects that if Barack Obama is elected that he would work to repeal the policy within his first 100 days in
office.

Pappas said that Congress is “taking a hands-off approach” to marriages and civil unions, but at some point there needs to be “some sort of national recognition on that issue.”

Of course, Mr. Pappas is from “Live Free or Die” New Hampshire and the people of New Hampshire are some of the best in America. (Full disclosure: my maternal grandmother’s family is one of the oldest families in New Hampshire, arriving around 1641 or so. Yes, I’m a little biased.) Oh, and there’s more:

Robinson also said eliminating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is “something that should be able to be done quickly without too much rancor” in the next administration.

Now, I wish the leaders of such fancy organizations as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) would read this. They need to get the message. I’ve stopped donating any money to them because of their head-in-the-sand approach to ….. well, to everything. They should listen to these Democratic politicians and delegates.