Sorry about that guys....it's MY fault we lost this election.

[Liberal Veteran]

You see, I happen to be a gay American. Up until today I had no idea at just how much hatred there is out there for me and because of me this election was lost.

I got used as a wedge issue. Sure, I didn't exactly pick the fight, but I had hoped that the American people were not a bunch of bigots hellbent on oppressing people different from themselves.

Had I been paying attention to history I would have realized how much hatred there is in the heart of many (apparently most) Americans for me.

So my apologies to all you good people who had your hearts in the right place.

Now if you'll excuse me, I am gonna go burn my dress blues that I still have from my service to my country. I don't want to reminded of the pride I once had at wearing them.

[JI7]

1. you stop that, it's NOT your fault

it's the bigots who are the problem.

[MissB]

2. No apologies

You shouldn't apologize. I feel like I should apologize to YOU on behalf of heterosexual bigots (not that I am one, but I am hetero).

[leftist.]

3. Thank you for saying *exactly* what I'm feeling.

I woke up this morning and cried my fucking eyes out. I had no fucking idea how much this country FUCKING HATED ME. And fuck me because for a while there I *did* think it was getting a little better.

=(

[Bugaboo]

10. me too

I cost us the election. I'll work on building back up my bubble that protects me from the hatred in most of this country, but today it's been burst. This feels a lot like after 9/11 when I realized that people didn't give a shit about the gay and lesbian people who died on that terrible day.

I'm sorry and so, so very very sad.

[LuminousX]

4. Attempts to further oppress African-Americans in the 50's/60's led

to amazing advances in Civil Rights.

It sucks we aren't more enlightened, but the end result is ... 'the tighter you clench your fist, the more grains of sand slip through your fingers'

[maddezmom]

5. DON'T EVER APOLOGIZE

You're right they have hate in their heart, but this is why we need to continue to fight. :hug:

[demokatgurrl]

6. That makes me feel so sad

I don't want to believe our country has come to that.
It IS the bigots, not you. Don't ever apologize- You did something our so-called "commander in chief" never did. Thank you.

[omnithrope]

7. I think it's America that needs to appologize to YOU. I'm sorry.

nt

[Robbie67]

8. no, it's not your fault

This election was lost over 9/11. Many people who have problems with gays were simply motivated to go out and vote, but that hatred is ingrained. The new variable for this election was 9/11 and the fear it generated. If Democrats simply abandon a group of people because they don't want to champion equal rights, then the party deserves to die.

[drmom]

9. It's the country that needs to apologize for letting people VOTE

on a civil rights issue. Shame on them!! We'd still have segregated schools in the South if it were left up to a vote.

[blondeatlast]

12. Damn right! Damn right!

Wish I'd said that.

[blondeatlast]

11. No way, guy. I'm with you 100%.

They may shout, but they can't flood you out.

Stick with us; most of "them" will disappear soon, I suspect.

[prayin4rain]

13. It really is disgusting isn't it? Really some pitiful people in this

country. I had no idea this was such a big issue to so many people either. WHAT THE HELL DO THEY CARE? I don't get it.

[Orangepeel]

14. No, it's my fault. I'm a woman who wants control over her own body

I got used as a wedge issue, too.

[cjbuchanan]

15. Actually, I think it might be MY fault

You see, I am a white male.

For some reason, thousands like me are threatened by your choice of who you love.

We were allowed to manipulated into thinking that your way of living was wrong and would destroy our country.

We have not learned from history that our fears concerning those that are 'different' from us always turn out to be unfounded.

So please excuse me while I go shower for the next 17 hours to wash off this disgusting grit that has covered me.

[Sean Reynolds]

16. Kerry lost it, bud.

Not you. Kerry lost it LONG before November 2nd. Remember Kerry has been pretty much down in the polls since the Democratic Convention in August.

HE lost it. Not YOU.

[AlCzervik]

17. stop that! Gays are now the gun replacement issue

and after they are done with you it will something else. How dare they use you as a wedge issue. As a straight married mother i'm sick to death of gay bashing!!!! I got your back always!

[AP]

18. So do people understand NOW why the best way to address this issue would

have been to say, OK, leave marriage to the churches, and lets have government only deal with the legal relationships between people (and not their spiritual relationships).

Edwards and Kerry both said early on that marriage was for religions but that the government should grant the same federal rights to same sex couples as married couples.

So many here said that that wasn't enough.

They gave the blueprint. Some didn't read it.

But having said that, I don't think gay marriage was the reason Democrats lost (but I am wondering what Gavin Newsome's problem is).

[InvisibleTouch]

19. I cannot believe people would stand in line for 2 hours...

...in the freezing rain, just to vote on Ohio's filthy amendment. Too much work, for something that doesn't even affect their own lives. Maybe I underestimate the depth of mindless fanaticism, the influence of the fundie churches. The gay marriage issue undoubtedly brought some people out, but I just can't believe that's what brought all those people out to the polls for the first time ever. I saw far more Kerry stickers than Bush stickers, heard far more support for Kerry than antagonism - by about a 10-1 margin. I don't for a moment believe the end result was legitimate. Yes, there are a lot of biggots in the world, and I can only imagine the shock of being told "your rights don't matter" ... but, we're all in that boat now. We've all been told our rights don't matter ... gay or straight, male or female, black or white ... liberals and progressives of any stripe. Time to watch one anothers' backs now....

[Generic Other]

20. I would rather lose defending gays than win condemning them

We are all in this together.

[AP]

26. You can both win and defend gays...

...and that would be by reframing the issue as one where the government takes responsibility for the legal relationships between two individuals and individuals and their employers (in terms of rights of intestate succession, tax laws, and health care) and says that spiritual relationships are the domain of the churches.

[dennis4868]

21. YOU ARE NT THE ISSUE.....

the bigots are the issue and we must find a way to deal with them....not sure what the answer is....how do you educate people who have already drank the Kool-Aid?

[MrTriumph]

27. Yes, gay marriage was THE issue

Flame on, but each time a picture of gays being married appeared on the pages of the newspaper or magazine or TV Screen, it may as well have been a B/C ad in the South.

As someone living in Texas, it seemed to me those in the gay rights movement could have been more politically astute.

[donheld]

22. If it's your fault then it's my fault too

i'm also a gay american. I will NOT let you take all the blame. You can burn your blue dress if you want to, but i'm gonna put my red dress on and strut my stuff. Fuck'em

[JDPriestly]

23. No, this was not about gays.

It was about hate. It was about building a power base by stirring up people's hate. Now that gays have been marginalized, the fascists will find another group to pick on. That is how they keep up their momentum. Once in a while, when things get bad enough, people realize they could be the next losers in the hate game, and they wise up. We just have to stick together and support each other. Thank you for being yourself. People like you test and strengthen Democrats integrity and love. Those are God's greatest gifts to us in life -- integrity and love. We Democrats have not lost those gifts. The Republican hate mongerers have.

[Christiandem]

Don't apologize for that

Not your fault. The fault lies in the bigotry and idiocy of a lot of people. We did not lose because of you, or anyone w/ur sexual orientation. We lost because we could not breakthrough to those who seem not be able to share open-mindedness, and tolerance.

[SmileyBoy]

24. No, it's my fault. For you see, I am a Muslim.

And Americans have learned to fear my kind while associating all of us with terrorists. The average American living in West Bumfuck, Nebraska is DEATHLY afraid of terrorists attacking his little town, even though the chances of this happening are zero. They have learned to fear us even though we (and even terrorists) post no threat to their little communities.

So I am sorry for creating this fear amongst the Great Unwashed.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

25. Don't you EVER

even tongue in cheek, apologize for who you are AGAIN.

It is THEIR fault and this is being laid squarely at their feet, where it belongs.

repukes put those anti-gay measures on the ballot and we all know why: stir up their hateful base and get 'em out to vote.

That's why.

We love you.

[killbotfactory]

28. The bigots should be apologizing.

Their stupid asses have handed the reigns of power over to a fucking moron.

[no name no slogan]

29. Huh huh. You said "pride". Huh huh.

Shit, it ain't your fault. It's NOBODY's fault. We just lost this election is all.

There's still the midterms in two years, where we're set to make some serious gains. And then 2008, when we have yet another chance to kick some Repub @$$.

We may be down, but we're DEFINATELY not out!

[Straight Shooter]

30. Hell with that attitude. If it weren't gays it would be something else

Fundies cannot exist without hate and fear. It comprises 99 percent of their "spine."

[AuntPatsy]

31. Be proud of who you are! Don't you dare appologize for the ignorance

of another, just so you know, my husband, God forgive me for not divorcing him this second is going on the assumption that if Kerry had been elected we would have been attacked tommorow, and he is not exactly a compassionate conservative, that is if there are any, they use whatever reasons suit their fancy....

I shall always have your back as well as others' democracy is not dead! I threw a fit yesterday at a local convience store for having one of those stupid magnatic ribbons on their counter that said one man one woman with wedding rings...

It was not there today;-) I told them I took exception to the hate they represented...

[RT Atlanta]

32. NEVER apologize for being who you are

The hate those MOFOs have bred into the minds of many of our fellow "citizens" won't infect our minds.

Love yourself and be proud of who you are!

[derbstyron]

33. BULLSHIT

It's the right-wing bigots who are to blame.
AAAAhhh I FUCKING HATE organized religion. It's man-made bullshit concept to soak up money that has NOTHING to do with God.
Yes, Virginia, there IS a difference.

[Bjornsdotter]

34. It's not you....

...it's the people with small, closed minds.

Keep you chin up...we are all in this together...gay and straight.

Hugs,
Kim :hug: