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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Politics Blumenauer Regrets Pro-"Defense of Marriage" Vote, Signs on to Repeal Bigoted Law

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 3:10 PM

Portland's congressman Earl Blumenauer just posted an interesting, repentant article on Huffington Post about the worst vote of his 36-year career: his vote in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act back in 1996.

Earl B gives some insight into his vote 13 years ago that helped craft a federal definition of marriage as between one man and one woman:


Having given it much thought, I was convinced that by voting for this one federal statute against the recognition of same-sex marriage, it would somehow take the steam out of the Newt Gingrich-Tom Delay Congress, which was using the homophobic right-wing agenda to mobilize their base at the expense of millions of gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual Americans. My hope was to simply move on and get to more pressing business at hand, including smaller steps for equality based on sexual orientation, like legislation against employment discrimination.

Since I was an outspoken supporter of anti-discrimination, I assumed that my calculations would be understood by my friends in the community and that we would lay this obnoxious political vendetta to rest. Wrong on all counts.

Now, after realizing that his vote led to a nation-wide assault on legal same-sex partnerships and strong criticism from his progressive base, Blumenauer says he has signed on to support a bill repealing DOMA. While it's a good step for Blumenauer politically, I'm not certain whether any success will actually come from trying to repeal our nation's bigoted marriage laws ASAP. Here in blue state Oregon, LGBT advocates are taking it slow and pushing to repeal the state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a hetero institution by as soon as 2012. California is aiming for the same year. If Blumenauer and friends are able to repeal DOMA, it will likely still be a few years in the future.

 

Comments (5) RSS

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1
Rep. Blumenauer on video responding to questions about DOMA back in July:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_srb7u0acbA
Posted by Bob R. on September 15, 2009 at 3:23 PM · Report
2
Next up: Preventing the ability to get a divorce.
Posted by NIG GER on September 15, 2009 at 3:51 PM · Report
3
For me, the most important lesson here is one Democrats should learn for today: If you give a sop to the right in the hopes that it will either (1) lead them to the table of compromise and/or (2) take the steam out of their efforts, you're an idiot. Because giving them anything only ever emboldens them, and not infrequently strengthens them.
Posted by The One True b!X on September 15, 2009 at 5:04 PM · Report
4
Dear Earl,

You owe us.
Posted by real_life on September 15, 2009 at 10:51 PM · Report
5
Who cares what they call it? That's a side issue that detracts from the real problem. Just extend benefits and rights to everyone, regardless of orientation. If you live for someone for most of your adult life, you should have the right to see them in the hospital.

Let the intolerant religious nuts and the intolerant atheist nuts duke it out on their own dime.
Posted by fahqueue on September 17, 2009 at 7:06 AM · Report

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