This statement got people talking on my Facebook account. Here is a response that I wrote to one of the comments:
Wow! I love all this discussion! Facebook is is awesome! As to the blog stated above, comparing Brown to others who are against gay equality and therefore somehow making him OK, that is really silly to me. He is not running against them, but Martha Coakley, who has a definite record of support for gay issues. Here are some facts about Scott Brown:
He does not support Gay Marriage. In 2004, Scott Brown voted for the Travis amendment that would ban gay marriage in Massachusetts. In 2007, Brown voted in favor to place a proposed constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot after gay marriage was already legal since 2004. If that went through, it is possible that thousands of gay and lesbian couples could suddenly become unmarried or be in limbo like so many in California are now when a similar ballot question was allowed in that state. Brown has clearly stated that he does not support gay marriage but civil unions. He has stated that the issue is now settled in Massachusetts, but not from any of his help, and he has given zero support for marriage equality on the national level, nor would one expect him to. I can’t even begin to tell you the horrible feeling some of us had in 2007 when our marriage was threatened to be dissolved and Scott Brown, an elected official, thought that was acceptable! That fact alone is enough to let any self respecting gay person not vote for the man!
Given his stance we cannot expect him to support the repeal of The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), meaning that my marriage is only recognized in some states! I can go to Rhode Island and not be married! How is that acceptable again, Scott?
Here are some facts about Martha Coakley regarding marriage equality: As Attorney General she publicly opposed the 2007 proposed marriage amendment that would ban gay marriage in Massachusetts after it was already legal.
In 2009, Martha Coakley made history when she filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The lawsuit states that DOMA undermined states’ efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and “codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people.”
Even Martha Coakley’s Web site carefully specifies the gay and lesbian issues that still need work (a full repeal of DOMA and ’don’t ask, don’t tell,’ the military’s ban on gays and lesbians serving openly, as well as protection against hate crimes and ending housing discrimination), acknowledging that the struggle for equal rights and equality is far from over. Scott Brown’s website has zero support of lesbian and gay issues…not even support of civil unions which he claims to favor.
If you have read this far… you are amazing! My whole point of the original status post was that if you were to vote for the candidate that bests supports gay and lesbian equality.. there is only one choice and that is Martha Coakley. Many have written about other issues that I could debate you on, but my status update is merely to inform you on this one issue that affects my” life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” very deeply. To many of you there are a lot of other issues that are more important and I get that, I really do. Everyone prioritizes what is best for them. After years of struggle and discrimination, I hope you all understand that what I believe to be my civil rights would be a priority to me. Many of you do not know the history of gay rights, nor as a straight person would anyone expect you to, but if you want to learn more I am always open to discussion! No matter what your feelings are, get out and vote on Tuesday!
and this:
Ann you are still married, you have a civil marriage and that is the wording. You did not get a “civil union license”. Your marriage is also recognized in all 50 states and Scott Brown does not support that for gay and lesbian people. Your marriage is also recognized by the federal government, while mine is not. You are entitled to far more rights and privileges than I have even though we have the same license. It is not about sexuality, but equality and that is more important to me than say, healthcare. In fact without marriage equality i get slammed on healthcare too. If I move to a state that does not support gay marriage, Mike and I may not be able to get healthcare together, while you are protected wherever you go. Not to mention you are entitled to Greg’s social security, while I would not be entitled to Mike’s. There are over 1000 rights having nothing to do with sexuality that marriage grants you and I am not entitled to. I also hope to God we don’t go back to an America in which I grew up in. An America where I would be labeled as mentally ill (1973, APA), black people couldn’t marry white people (1967, Loving vs Virgina) and women died at the hand of back alley abortionists (1973, Roe vs Wade). We have far more freedom than we have ever had in history, and I definitely do not want to go to my childhood America.