Jesse Jackson: Gay marriage rights are not civil rights

[Meldread]

This article is just disappointing. How can a self-proclaimed "civil rights" activist be anti-gay marriage? Even Al Sharpton supports Gay Marriage. Sure, gay people weren't slaves they were just locked up into mental institutions because while Segregation was going on, homosexuality was considered a mental disorder. Sure the KKK wouldn't mind burning a cross on a gay couples yard just as much as a black person's yard. But hey, look gay people, 'My struggle for equal rights is still more moral, better, and more justified than yours.' Sad. Simply sad. Here are some excerpts from the article:

In Massachusetts, the state that's served as one of the main battlegrounds over same-sex marriage, the Rev. Jesse Jackson declared Monday that the fight of gays and lesbians wanting to marry should not be compared to the fight African Americans faced for civil rights.

"The comparison with slavery is a stretch in that some slave masters were gay, in that gays were never called three-fifths human in the Constitution and in that they did not require the Voting Rights Act to have the right to vote," Jackson remarked in an address at Harvard Law School.

-snip-

But Jackson reiterated his support for the heterosexual definition of marriage, saying, "In my culture, marriage is a man-woman relationship."

Jackson's comments stood in sharp contrast to those of state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, who sat next to him during his Harvard appearance.

Wilkerson shed tears before the Legislature's constitutional convention last week, as she shared her experiences growing up black in Arkansas, where her mother was not allowed to give birth in the public hospital.

"I know the pain of being less than equal, and I cannot and will not impose that status on anyone else," Wilkerson said, explaining why she would not support an amendment banning same-sex marriages. "I was but one generation removed from an existence in slavery. I could not in good conscience ever vote to send anyone to that place from which my family fled."

Read it all here.

Just sad and disappointing.

[kensch]

1. Agreed

I agree. I think JJ is reading the polls.

The funny thing is, I think american public opinion is going to shift very very quickly on this issue. Gay marriages are happening right now, this week. And the Op/Ed pieces that I;ve seen have all been "What's the big deal?"

Moderates are going to look at the TV pics of happy couples in love being able to get married and guess what? They won't feel threated. I predict the FMA is DOA. By the time Congress votes on it, there will be thousands of gay married couples, and guess what? The sky will not have fallen.

Ken
Arlington VA

[Meldread]

6. You mean the sky really won't fall?

Geeze... and all this time. :P

Seriously, I think you're right. I don't understand why people don't want gays and lesbians to marry. The Government can't force them to marry in their churches, but can provide this civilly.

Ultimately I think it comes down to this: Christians are afraid if the Government legalizes same sex marriage that it will put a stamp on it saying "hey this isn't an evil, immoral sin, that you will go to hell for", and ultimately (like so many things) cause Christians to change their position on it. Why? Because if we have gay marriage across this country 3 years from now, 20 years from now if Christians are still as anti-gay as they are now, they are going to look like the KKK. What they don't realize is that it's too late – they are already starting to look that way because most people don't give a damn one way or another. Most people have a Libertarian view about it, "They can do whatever they want as long as it doesn't effect me, even though I don't personally believe it should be legalized, I'm not going to lose sleep over it."

[chiburb]

2. Jesse and I disagree here...

I respect his liberal voice 99% of the time, but he has NO creds on this issue:

"In my culture, marriage is a man-woman relationship."

In Jesse's personal culture, it's really a man-woman-woman-woman relationship.

[DemLikr]

3. Fuck Jesse Jackson n/t

[lovedems]

4. I think Jesse Jackson is another example of a politician feeding his

ego first. My mother has personally met him and said he was charming on the stump but a total ass behind the scenes. My mom lives in Decatur, Illinois and there was a big to-do at a local high school whene Jesse came to town. She worked for the Housing Authority and Jesse spent a day there in their offices. She was very excited about meeting him but alas turned out to be very disappointed in the man she met. That is her first hand experience.

[mac2]

7. Is Jessie a spoiled ...

son of a well known guy? Yes...

[chiburb]

13. Huh?

Who is Jesse's father? The speaker at Harvard is Jesse Sr., not his congressman son.
Or did I misread your post? (It's been known to happen!)

[mac2]

5. Jessie's taken a strange turn..

Maybe he wants to be a Republican like many "Moderate Democrats". He supported Dean instead of insisting Dean change his politics about trade. Unions apposed it. Black are the most impacted group from bad trade and immigrant policies. What is Jessie up to?

Clergy of any type should not hold political office(Pat Robertson, Sharpton, Jackson, Rev. Moon, etc.). Their religion interferes with others. They are to represent all citizens not just ones of their religious belief. It will be a theocracy and not a democracy wouldn't it?

Mr. Stone(who lead and paid for the rush on the recount area in Florida)has given huge dollars to Rev. Al Sharpton for his campaign. Why is this? Well..down the road, they can say..hey a Black clergy can run for President why not RWer Rev. so and so? There's always a plot behind their money to undermine the Constitution. Separation of Church and State...clergy candidates are out.

I disagree with Jackson. Gays should have government equal rights. Who cares what his religion says.

Most of these religious leaders have very big egos wanting power behind "their God". Their own ego and wealth is at stake. Pumpous...

[Meldread]

10. I agree to a point.

Although I don't think Al Sharpton fits that category. He supports gay marriage. He doesn't (at least as far as I've seen, and admittedly I haven't paid all that much attention) hype on his religion all that much. He goes to Black Churches and stuff, but really that's his constituency so it's less of a play toward religion and more of a play of getting his message out. :P

[OhioStateProgressive]

8. Didn't Jesse Jackson cheat on his wife

and father an illegitimate child?

I'm pretty sure that same culture he speaks of doesn't approve this as well.

[Meldread]

11. LOL. So true.

He shouldn't throw stones while living in a glass house. If he says "sanctity of marriage" even once I swear I'm going to find him and slap him.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. I guess he's thinking this:

"Gays already can get married - to a member of the opposite sex - just like straights can. That is by definition equal rights. LGBT are defined by behavior - and if they do not do certain acts, they are not discriminated against. African Americans were and are discriminated against because of who they are, not what they do."

I'm not saying I agree, but I bet that's the thought process.

[Moderator]

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