Mr Bush, when are you going to begin living up to your own words?

After suffering a nervous break down just over a month ago now, I decided to stop blogging, stop writing articles, and stop fighting for what I believed in.

Now a month on, I am getting better. So much so that I began to write again. I have only just finished this article, and I really wanted input on how the article sounds, if it is ok and stuff.

Anyway, I probably won't be posting this article anywhere else in the near future.

On with the article:


Mr Bush, when are you going to begin living up to your own words?


October 11th, 2000 was an important night for you, Mr Bush. It was the night of the second presidential debate for 2000. One of the issues you would be touching on this night would be a subject, which concerned both, myself, and my partner deeply, the issue of gay rights.

My partner and I really weren’t expecting much out of you, after all, you are a Republican and worse still, you were the man who as governor of Texas opposed a hate crimes bill specifically because it included sexual orientation in the definition of hate crime. You also supported the very discriminating Don’t Ask, Don’t tell policy which still wouldn’t give the gays and lesbians serving your country, the freedom they deserved. You supported a measure that banned gay and lesbian couples from either becoming foster parents or adopting children. Further still, during your 1994 campaign for governor of Texas you defended the Texas sodomy laws.

Nevertheless, you still managed to both surprise and confuse me at the same time. You see Jim Lehrer brings up a new subject. He says to you;

• Jim Lehrer: “New subject, new question, another vice presidential debate follow up. Governor both Senator Lieberman and Secretary Cheney said they were sympathetically rethinking their views on same sex relationships. What’s your position on that?”
  

You replied with;

• You: “I’m not for gay marriage. I think marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. And I appreciate the way the administration signed the Defense of Marriage Act. I presume the vice president supported it when the president signed that bill and supports it now. But I think – I think marriage is a scared institution.
  
  
• I’m going to be respectful for people who may disagree with me. I’ve had a record of doing so in the state of Texas. I’ve been a person that would be called a uniter not a divider because I accepted some – I accept other people’s points of view. But I feel strongly that marriage should be between a man and a woman.”
  

Firstly, I would really like to know where Jim even mentions gay marriage. From where I was sitting that night, and from where I am sitting now, I am certain he asked you what your position was on same sex relationships in general. But really, I will give you this one little break, not that you deserve it mind you, I am just feeling generous right now.

You said; “. But I feel strongly that marriage should be between a man and a woman.” Isn’t that the definition, your country had already chosen to adopt, as the meaning of marriage? So why would you say it that way? I am just curious, Mr Bush. I cannot, for the life of me fathom that one particular line.

After the honourable Mr Gore answered the question asked prior to your long drawn out definition of marriage, Jim Lehrer went on to ask:

• Do you believe in general terms that gays and lesbians should have the same rights as other Americans?
  You answered with:
  
  
• Yes. I don’t think they ought to have special rights, but I think they ought to have the same rights.
  

My first question to you in regards to your reply here has to be, then why on earth haven’t you given equal rights to the gay and lesbian community in your country since taking office? Or even why the gay and lesbian community in Texas wasn’t given equality while you were governor of Texas?

Mr Bush, are you aware that since taking the office of the president that you have actually been more anti gay, rather than pro gay? Yet according to what you said back in October of 2000, you felt the gay and lesbian community deserved equal rights. Yet your actions are certainly speaking louder than words:

• Since taking office you have appointed several known homophobes to key positions with in your administration.
  
  
• As part of your “Faith-based initiative approximately $25 million to social service providers, including many groups that have strong religious ties. You also offered Compassion Capital Funds to several religious groups, one in particular was Operation Blessing International, which was founded by Pat Robertson, another well known homophobe.
  
  
• Your administrations military discharged nine students from the Army’s main language center because they violated the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy by identifying themselves as gay. It didn’t matter the nine students were fluent in Arabic – and at a time when the U.S. is desperate for Arabic translators.
  
  
• Your Faith-based legislation not only infringes on the Separation of Church and State, but also discriminates against the gay and lesbian community, by jeopardizing hard won civil rights protections.
  
  
• You chose to stand by and support Trent Lott after his racist and sexist remarks. Trent Lott is another known homophobe.
  
  
• You unveiled a proposal to change existing regulations to allow religious groups to compete for federal money.
  
  
• You stood by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) calling him an “inclusive” man after his comments equating homosexuality with polygamy and incest.
  
  
• Department of Justice under the control of John Ashcroft another, well known homophobe makes a decision to ban the annual gay pride event. Two days later they will be allowed to take place, but without the agencies sponsorship.
  
  
• You were encouraging Congress to “make it easier” for federally funded religious groups to base their hiring of prospective employees decision on the basis of their religion and sexual orientation.
  
  
• You show strong opposition to marriage rights for same sex couples, by clearly stating that; “I believe a marriage is between a woman and a man, and I think we ought to codify that, one way or another.
  
  Of course the Sydney Morning Herald would later print an article stating that your administrations lawyers were studying ways of banning gay marriages. And made mention of the fact that you are also against civil unions and an alternative to marriage. (See SMH article here: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/01/1059480556511.html)
  
  
• A study conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) Policy Institute revealed that your Marriage Protection Week had no focus whatsoever on building strong and healthy marriages but rather focussed exclusively on the supposed threat to the institution of marriage posed by civil marriage rights for same sex couples.
  

Mr Bush, when do you intend to begin living up to your own words, which you stated clearly on national television on the night of the 11th of October, 2000?

When do you intend to give equal rights to the gay and lesbian community of America?

Or did you only say that on the night in order to win more gay votes? And have absolutely no intentions of closing the equality gap in the United States.

Mr Bush, if you intend to actually win an election that is the decision from the people of the United States, rather than being selected by the Supreme Court of The United States next year. Then you really need to take a closer look at some of the issues concerning the queer community, and begin working to actually close the equality gap in the United States, once and for all.

:kick:

rfu, moderator

Really like your article and I am glad you are back writing.

However, Bush said a lot of things to get selected and didn't do any of them. It appears he can't be trusted.

...and never lived up to what he said. I was just using that one example in my article, because my article is geared towards the LGBT community.

Anyone who wanted to bring Bush* down by his own words and actions can do so, I just wanted to bring the fact that he is a hypocrite to my community. The community that gave him 25% of the gay vote in 2000.

Thanks for taking the time to read it. :)

for Log Cabin Republicans. Not for being Republican, but for supporting this administration which so hurts the GLBT community.

PS, the GOP doesn't take the Log Cabin's fundraising money. Don't wanna upset the religious right.

The log cabin traitors are doing more harm that good for the issue of gay rights.

They have sided with the devil, and they have no one to blame but themselves for being treated worse than crap in the United States.

What saddens me is the fact that I am Australian and don't even vote in the US elections, yet I can see plain as day what the GOP is like.