Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJuly 6th, 2010
Republican Governor Linda Lingle vetoed Civil Unions in Hawaii because “it deserves to be decided by all the people”. In other words, minority rights should be put up to the whims of the majority.
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Timothy Kincaid
July 6th, 2010
Her reasons were “the deep emotion” everyone felt from those who are gay and want to be equal and those who are afraid that their kids will be told that gay people are equal. Bigotry and self-congratulatory superiority won the day.
And she’s sure her decision reflects the majority.
And she personally opposes gay marriage and thinks civil unions are “marriage by another name”.
Lingle will go down in history as using bigoted arguments to support a bigoted decision. And that history will be quite soon.
Ryan
July 6th, 2010
Lingle is also a Republican. The fact that there are gay Republicans sickens me. I actually hoped for half a second that Lingle would sign the bill and allow gay people second-class status, but no.
Timothy Kincaid
July 6th, 2010
The legislature has already said that it will not meet to over-ride her veto
Timothy Kincaid
July 6th, 2010
She predicts that the issue will “go to the people in the next ballot”. I very much doubt that she thinks that the pro-equality camp will be taking that step so it looks like the anti-gay camp is already planning for yet another anti-gay amendment.
David
July 6th, 2010
So, another year without going to Hawaii
I’ve been putting it off since they killed same-sex marriage, what’s another year, or ten.
AJD
July 6th, 2010
At the risk of having someone invoke Godwin’s Law, somebody should tell Gov. Lingle that the policy of removing Jews from civil society was also the will of the majority at one time.
tim
July 6th, 2010
Lingle is a religious conservative who is active in the Republican Jewish Coalition. This really comes as no surprise.
@ryan
Until we stop framing this as a Democratic and Republican issue – we are not going to advance as quickly as we could of. And I have more respect for Gay Republicans than I do for any member of the HRC.
Mark
July 6th, 2010
On the bright side, Neil Abercrombie, who will likely be the next governor of Hawaii, has a very good gay rights record.
The bill can be reintroduced and passed next year.
Ryan
July 6th, 2010
What really kills me, is hearing all the talk in California two years ago, about Prop 8, and how supporters of it would say they are okay with gay people coupling off and having legal rights and protections, “but leave us our word marriage. That’s reserved for us”. Over and over I heard that “marriage” is a word with religious connotations and a rich tradition of man + woman love. I knew then that they were full of it, and this proves it. It’s not about the precious word “marriage”, it’s about opposing any law that doesn’t blatantly demonize fags.
Cole
July 6th, 2010
I am saddened by the continued bigotry expressed by the Republican Party as a whole. Gov. Lingle had a chance to do the right thing and protect ALL Hawaii citizens/families. It’s so sickening. I’m so happy to be residing in a state (Iowa) where my civil liberties are recognized by the state (but not by the federal government…of course).
Ryan
July 6th, 2010
@Tim
I am not framing this as Democrat and Republican. It simply is that. Republicans are anti-gay uniformly, nearly all of them. This is not my framing. This is reality. Granted, many Democrats are also homophobic, but their numbers are dwindling. I can’t fathom why or how a gay person would have more respect for Gay republicans than the HRC, but I suspect your answer would just anger me, so never mind.
Scott
July 6th, 2010
After many trips to Hawaii, my husband and I no longer visit that state. Why should any same-sex couple risk it? Instead, we vacation only in those states or countries that treat us as equal human beings.
Governor Lingle is the George Wallace of our age. However, gay Republicans must fight loudly and constantly for their place in the party. If gay rights remain a purely partisan issue, we will never be safe. We need bipartisan support to win protections that endure.
AJD
July 6th, 2010
The possible silver lining is that it bolsters the case in Perry v. Schwarzenegger that we can’t win through normal legislative means. Our rights are still seen as a debatable issue, with no thought about the consequences said “debate” has for the real lives of real people, rather than a matter of human rights that transcends liberalism and conservatism.
Tony
July 6th, 2010
It wasn’t even a marriage bill and this hateful, poor excuse for a woman actually vetoed it. There is absolutely no excuse for it. She should be ashamed.
johnathan
July 6th, 2010
There is a very strong rumor (I believe) that she is “family.” While I am strongly against outing in cases in which do not affect other people, this is a STRONG exception. Even if she is leaving office, I’m sure she’s seeking higher political aspirations.
Out the *****.
johnathan
July 6th, 2010
And for those who are offended that I used an offensive term against women, fine.
Out the a**h*le.
Jeff
July 6th, 2010
So civil rights are to be voted on by the majority- terrific. When do I get to vote on HER right to marry?
CB
July 6th, 2010
Does this really come as a surprise?
http://anythingimages.com/images/493NewGOPLogo005.jpg
John in the Bay Area
July 6th, 2010
She is a hateful bigot. That will not be forgotten.
Mark
July 6th, 2010
“The possible silver lining is that it bolsters the case in Perry v. Schwarzenegger that we can’t win through normal legislative means.”
Well, Vermont passed marriage through the legislature.
DN
July 6th, 2010
For a state whose principal income is tourism, on its face, this is a terribly stupid decision.
But then again, I support gays, so of course I think it’s terrible.
What if Lingle did the heartless calculus of adding up the not-quite-marriage and not-quite-honeymoon boon vs. the economic benefit of pleasing anti-gays?
All I know is that for a state that lost nearly 50% of its Mainland airline service, this is a gutsy move economically.
Aaron
July 7th, 2010
She just lost the gay vote for all time, and in Hawaii, that’s pretty substantial.
TonyJazz
July 7th, 2010
I’m not going to Hawaii anytime soon, as a result of the way that they treat the gay community.
I used to go there every couple of years…
Ben in Oakland
July 7th, 2010
Just sent this to the Hawai’i VCB:
Dear HVCB:
I am a former resident of Hawai’i, and have been back many times since I left for California. Twice-divorced Gov. Lingle has chosen to veto your new Civil Unions bill, much to my dismay, saying that it was “too close” to a marriage bill.
It is not marriage, it is a civil union. It is not as good, but it does protect gay couples and families with children with an easily accessible legal contract, very similar to that afforded any heterosexual. Exactly how much less good does it need to be before it will be acceptable to people who wish to legally disadvantage gay people to express their disapproval of people they do not know, no nothing about, and who have done them no harm?
My husband and I just began in the process of organizing a trip to Hawai’i in September with our family and friends, celebrating my 60th birthday, his 50th, and our eighth anniversary. About 20 of us were going to go to the Hanalei Bay Resort for a week.
By nearly unanimous consent, those plans have been dropped. We’re going to Vermont, instead.
For a state that relies on tourism and destination weddings, and whose economy is in the toilet and has been since the Kaua’i hurricane, Lingle’s veto is about as stupid a move as could be made.
TonyJazz
July 7th, 2010
Good for you, Ben! (Vermont is a great choice.)
paul j stein
July 7th, 2010
I guess she FORGOT about all the Gays and Lesbians who were killed by NAZIS in the concentration camps or just plain MURDERED. Shalom you coward of a Jewish woman! You have no shame or guts! Resign now.
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