it wasn't such a great night for us

[dsc]

We lost every referenda. Only Arizona and South Dakota of all places, were close. We got shut out. We couldn't even win domestic partnerships in Colorado in the strongest Democratic year in ages.

[quispquake]

1. My condolences...

I saw that too...the only bright spot I could see was Spitzer winning as NY Governor as he is pro gay-marriage...

[dsc]

3. thanks

it wasn't unexpected to be honest. I thought Wisconsin would be better and South Dakota worse. I wonder if we had spent money there if we would have won in SD small state, close margin. Domestic partners in Colorado also was a disappointment.

[Why Syzygy]

2. Sorry.

that came down. But listen up. Our choice begins today. When they are killing innocent people on the other side of the planet, average people are not thinking about justice at home.

Stick with us. We will get there. If you go down, we all go down. Cannot let that happen.

I feel your sadness.

[dsc]

5. thanks

It wasn't unexpected though. I just hope the Congress gives us ENDA.

[TechBear_Seattle]

9. Yeah, right

Sorry, but the Democrats have proven themselves time and again to be just as bigoted as the Republican. But while the Repugs are open about their poison, the Dems hide it in candy.

[xchrom]

4. nope -- it wasn't.

but this is what i expect in this country.

[terrya]

6. It was a disaster for us. The shocker was Wisconsin.

Look, I'm glad the Democrats won last night. But seeing every single marriage amendment pass is pretty hard to take.

[terrya]

7. Update...one small bright spot. Arizona rejected their marriage amendment.

:-) Thank you, people of Arizona, for rejecting bigotry.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061108/ap_on_el_st_lo/eln_ballot_measures

[Ptah]

13. You're welcome. n/t

[donco6]

26. Actually, it only lost because of straight self-interest.

It would have applied to some hetero arrangements, so they voted it down. Take that language out and it will pass in a microsecond.

[SlipperySlope]

28. Can you provide links?

I'd like to see how this was spun in AZ

[readmoreoften]

30. Interesting. In that case, it's horrifying. 45% of straights will vote against

their own interests to fuck us over? Egads...

[dbackjon]

38. Not so sure about that.

I lived 19 years in Arizona, and everyone I know that voted no (even dozens of Republicans) would have voted no regardless of the wording. Yes, it helped, but Arizona is a fairly open-minded state (except the 20% fundies).


Other bright spots - the trends are in our favor. In 2004, the best showing we had was 43% in Oregon, and 41% in Michigan. In 2006, the Bigots only got greater than 60% in SC, TN and Idaho. The other five were less than 60%. As people die off, and has people realize that the Northeast didn't fall into the sea, we will win these races.

[Sapphocrat]

33. Which was a pleasant surprise.

Huge Mormon population and all. I was very pleasantly surprised. Thanks, Arizona!

[TechBear_Seattle]

10. Speaking of marriage amendments

I am hoping that folks in Washington will help me get the Defense of Marriage Initiative on the ballot (see my sig.) If we can get it passed, there is no doubt that the state court will overturn it; if that happens, it will be forced to overturn its ruling against same sex marriage.

[Ian David]

8. We still need help in Massachuetts

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=106x29657

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Another little bright spot...

New Jersey still have a Democratic Senator...

I hope all those who are willing to throw equal rights for everyone under the bus whenever election time rolls around will consider this.

[Maven]

14. Thank You

After all the "gays just lost us NJ" threads...

[closeupready]

16. Right, as I posted on another thread,

the cowards were wrong.

[Vorta]

12. It's not the end of the world. We need to keep morale up.

Loving v Virginia was not the centerpiece of the civil rights movement,, and was not finally decided until well after other major advances in civil rights were in place.

We're winning where (in my opinion) it really counts: in the streets. That is not necessarily reflected in the polls because unfortunately only a fraction of eligible voters vote. Marriage is not (again in my opinion) the only or even the most important milemarker in this struggle. I believe that the most important and most successful area of our struggle is also where we are making the biggest gains: in the relationships that we have with our families and our communities.

When we win on the personal level, the legal leven is sure to follow.

[closeupready]

15. Ultimately, bans are self-destructive.

In the sense that gays and lesbians are part of all families everywhere. So while GLBT's are harmed, all people are harmed. When people come to understand that, they will stop supporting discrimination.

[ThomCat]

18. That is optimistic.

But I don't think it's true. Our families are often the ones who do the most to discriminate against us.

[meegbear]

17. Let's continue to fight ...

our day will come.

[ThomCat]

19. We have no real choice. We have to fight.

x(

[ThomCat]

20. All the people who said that we should wait

until after the election to start screaming for our rights... Where are they?

Where are all the people who support our rights in theory but keep telling us to wait? Will they start fighting with us now? Finally?

Or will they find some other excuse to explain why it just isn't the right time?

[WhollyHeretic]

21. "We really need to wait until after 2008 so we can take back the presidency..."

:puke: Guarantee that's the crap we'll be hearing from them. They'll always have some freakin' excuse.

It's 2006 and people are putting bigotry into constitutions :mad: It sickens me to see liberals dismissing civil rights. I stand with the with the GLBT community.

[Ian David]

22. President Stephanie Olbermann-Miller will legalize gay marriage in 2024

That's my prediction.

[donco6]

27. Well, I'll only be 65, maybe I'll still be around.

Sigh.

[Ian David]

32. Maybe. Asteroid 99942 Apophis won't get you until 2036, anyway.

http://www.space.com/news/051103_asteroid_apophis.html

Don't worry, though.

They'll blame Clinton.

[Vorta]

29. Predictions

I remember well being at the first march on Washington back in 1970 something. I never imagined that this would still be going on 30 years later. I honestly believed that because DC was so accepting (and even courting) of gay people (not to mention NY, SF, Fort Lauderdale, and LA) that gay rights were just around the corner. It was almost like it had simply been an oversight on the part of the founding fathers.

Now that I am pushing 50 and if it doesn't happen in the next 50 years I might not see it, it's a bit discouraging. I can't say it's been a bad life though.

[triakis36]

23. Marriage bans passed...

..so sad. ;(

[hyde]

24. it sucks to have these bans continue to pass everywhere

it's a buzz kill on such a fantastic day as today. we do have to continue to fight, and waiting until after 2008 isn't an option. what good is it to win when our rights are denied regardless?

[Vorta]

25. It is discouraging

It's discouraging in the sense that any poll that shows we have an uphill battle is discouraging. In perspective though, these laws haven't changed our status in the places that they have been passed: couldn't marry there before, can't marry there now. It would have taken a court case to get a marriage through even in the states where the law didn't specify the sex of those being married.

While it's encouraging that there is actually a state where at present it is legal for same-sex couples to marry, it might actually be the case that we have to have SS marriage constitutionally banned in Mass for this to turn in our favor. If Mass passes an amendment to their state constitution which nullifies gay marriages already in effect, then it will be a whole different situation, one in which the state is actually discriminating in an unprecedented way against people who are already married. I can see a federal court seeing the light under those circumstances.

[readmoreoften]

31. And it's not only that it's a marriage ban. It's the referendum on how much they hate us.

That's why I don't buy for a second that if it was changed to "civil union" we'd get support. Come on, half these bans encompass civil unions-- hell we can't even get DPs!!!

It's not about "marriage" vs anything else. It's about "they hate us".

[Sapphocrat]

34. OTOH, two thoughts...

1. There's hardly anywhere left to wage a battle against us. We have nothing left to lose.

2. It's now time to start the push for full equality in earnest. Everybody told us to wait 'til we get a Dem majority, that it's not the right time, that it's X days/weeks before the election... Well, all those points are moot now.

So I'm guessing everybody whose fear-fueled prerequisites for us were fulfilled last night are eager and ready to jump in and fight alongside us now... right?

[donco6]

36. I'd like to see who would jump on the bandwagon.

I'm not holding my breath, however.

I fear for the next two years, we're going to be told, "Strategically, it would be suicide for us to move on ANY gay issues, as it would only confirm what the fear-mongers predicted about us; namely, that if Dems are in power you'll have higher taxes, more terror and GAY MARRIAGE (EEEEEKKK!)"

So I don't have a lot of hope.

[Sapphocrat]

37. Me neither, don.

But I'm certainly going to keep the invitation open. I know I'll die of old age waiting for takers, but.

[Debbi801]

35. I am sorry for your pain. I cannot believe that people have so much

hate and bigotry in them that they'd vote for amendments like this.

At least Arizona gives me hope for the future.

:hug: