Conservatives See Court Case As Invitation To Further Bigotry Agenda
In his weekly newsletter (read: donation-shilling email) National Organization for Marriage Executive Director Brian Brown writes,
“The new Supreme Court decision in Citizens United…is giving us all a renewed measure of hope for our other legal cases. In Yes on 8 vs. Bowen, we are joining with Protect Marriage to fight for the rights of California citizens to participate peacefully in the political process without facing a renewed wave of hatred and intimidation. The price of participating in American democracy should not be threats to your livelihood, your property, or your person.”
and,
“Protecting your right to vote for marriage without fear or favor has become a key part of NOM’s mission.”
It would seem the Citizens United decision — especially given how the Supreme Court in an almost unprecedented manner rearranged its calendar to hear and decide the case — has given right-wing bigotry groups like NOM the thumbs-up to open the flood gates of conservative-based litigation.
And don’t you just love Brian’s swipes at the LGBTQ community? As if we’re so intimidating and powerful and hate-mongering. If that were the case, would we be second-class citizens? Would we have to literally fight for our lives and rights? The insinuation, like most of Brian’s comments, is insulting.
Pity Brian doesn’t have the courage to say what he really means; he consistently cloaks his words in code. Yet, we’re the intimidators. Bull.
Brian also mentions the Angus Reid poll I wrote about last week (“Poll: 52% Of Americans Think Supreme Court Will Confine Marriage To Heterosexuals.”)
He writes,
“Remember that the next time the media tries to persuade you that you are alone. Remember, your neighbors who favor gay marriage may be noisier and angrier than those who affirm the importance of protecting marriage. But despite Hollywood propaganda, despite Ted Olson and David Boies, despite the mainstream media, despite the alleged “consensus†among intellectuals, the vast majority of Americans are not giving up on truth, common sense–or the American people’s right to vote!”
Hollywood? Where did that come from?
And for the record, Brian, and, dear readers, NO ONE has the right to vote on your civil rights. No one.
In a 1997 American Journal of Political Science article, “Putting Civil Rights to a Popular Vote,” Barbara S. Gamble writes,
“[D]irect democracy promotes majority tyrannies the scope of civil rights conflicts expands and citizens vote on civil rights issues.”
“Citizen initiatives that restrict civil rights experience extraordinary success. voters have approved over three-quarters of these…”
That was thirteen years ago.
We’ve since seen marriage equality bans pass in thirty-one states. The Roberts Supreme Court has proven to be a conservative, activist court. Do you really think things will get better without your personal, active participation?
It’s time to find your voice, and use it against the likes of NOM, Brian, Maggie, and their conservative, hate-mongering, bigotry clan. Before it’s too late.