Good and Joyful Things

Get On The Bus

Seen at Clack: Log Cabin Republicans challenge Bush on marriage

The group’s move, which shatters the fragile alliance between the president and his strongest backers in the gay community, could undermine efforts to renew the “compassionate conservative” appeal he used four years ago.

The ad shows Cheney in the 2000 vice presidential debate, saying of gay marriage: “People should be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to enter into. . . . That matter is regulated by the states. I think different states are likely to come to different conclusions, and that’s appropriate. I don’t think there should necessarily be a federal policy in this area.”

The on-screen tag line says: “We Agree. Don’t Amend the Constitution.”

You know, it bothers me that an amendment that curtails the rights of some citizens is somewhat likely to pass because it’s “approved” by the Religious Right, but an amendment that guarantees rights to all citizens was not passed owing to its being “not approved” by same.

Specifically, the Equal Rights Amendment. Remember that? It was stopped because it was not passed (or hopelessly stalled) in just 15 states (shame! shame! Boo!). Back in the day, “the charch” sent busloads of women all through the Western states protesting the ERA. It was not unlike the orchestrated and carefully choreographed “spontaneous popular demonstrations” from the old days in Communist countries, except with matronly LDS women armed with box lunches and buttons. There may have been other fundamentalist groups that sent busloads of sheep to baaadmouth the ERA in demonstrations, I just remember feeling ashamed that I was from Utah, where most of the busloads were from (at the time I was living in Oregon).

Well, maybe there need to be some busloads of drag queens and leatherfolk and otherwise ordinary looking gay people driving around protesting this Anti-Gay Marriage amendment. I hope there’s room on the bus for straight sympathizers like me.

Oh, and please let it be called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert?