(Originally posted to Queer at EraBlog on Wed, 11 Feb 2004 23:48:38 GMT)

George W. Bush, after months of hinting that he would support the Federal Marriage Amendment, has endorsed it. He's desparately trying to change the subject from whether he was AWOL from the National Guard in Alabama.

The Human Rights Campaign is urging everyone to oppose this. They provide a sample letter to send to your representatives, but I threw it away and wrote my own (below), which has been sent to my representatives, via the HRC Action Center.

The Bush Administration pisses me off on so many levels. I'm particularly infuriated about Bush's support for the Federal Marriage Amendment. After hinting that he'd support it for the last few months, he's now trying to change the subject from the charges that he was AWOL from the Air National Guard.

The FMA is a rabble-rousing exercise cooked up by the likes to Donald Wildmon to invigorate the religious right. Once again, the know-nothing bible thumpers are demonizing gay people. I'm sick of it.

Specious arguments about the sanctity of marriage fall flat when you consider that 50% of marriages end in divorce and Britney Spear's frivolous prank has more legal standing than a gay couple that have been together for decades.

The federal government has no business interfering in marriage. That's the states' prerogative.

Several commentators have argued that not only would the FMA forbid gay marriage, it would also void any civil unions legislation that some states may pass.

We should be following the example of most Western European nations and decoupling the civil and religious aspects of marriage. The state and only the state can marry you. A religious wedding has no legal significance. I don't expect this to happen in the US anytime soon. So much for the Separation of Church and State.

I fully expect you to vigorously oppose the FMA.

I would very much like for you to support gay marriage, or at least civil unions.

My representatives are Rep. Jim McDermott, Sen. Patty Murray, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, Jim McDermott is very liberal and needs no urging to oppose it; Cantwell and Murray are fairly liberal, but it does no harm to stiffen their spines. Or for me to vent.

(Originally posted to Politics at EraBlog on Wed, 11 Feb 2004 06:08:52 GMT)

From my email. Origin obscure.

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today:

1. Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness and you need our prayers for your recovery.

2. The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing U.N. resolutions against Iraq.

3. "Standing Tall for America" means firing your workers and moving their jobs to India.

4. A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multi-national corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

5. Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

6. The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

7. Group sex and drug use are degenerate sins unless you someday run for governor of California as a Republican.

8. If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.

9. A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our long-time allies then demand their cooperation and money.

10. HMOs and insurance companies have the interest of the public at heart. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

11. Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

12. Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him, and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

13. The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George W. Bush's driving record is none of our business.

14. You support states' rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have a right to adopt.

15. Government should relax regulation of Big Business and Big Money but crack down on individuals who use marijuana to relieve the pain of illness.

16. What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what G.W. Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.

17. Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.