Monday November 15th 2004
With the American election result now known and Bush in for another four years it is time for us to look forward. The wedge issue of Gay Marriage was successful in mobilising millions of Americans who believed the rhetoric about the "Gay Peril".
Gay Marriage should not have been an issue in politics and we have been had by dishonest partisan politicians and religous leaders.
The Big Lie was orchestrated by people whose intention was to win an election and feed to hysteria and fears of ordinary folk.
The Big Lie was further promoted by the lack of real Gay Leadership that was eloquent and appealing. We don't want Marriage we simply want legal recognition of our relationships, nothing more or less than the legal provisions accorded to our heterosexual counterparts.
As I have said before, the word Marriage is the wrong message to be sending to people. The average schmuck equates marriage with religion and they see that as a bedrock of society (even in heterosexuals are already doing enough to destroy the ethic of marriage).
We need to find ourselves leadership in the Gay and Lesbian Community in whcih we can be proud of as they promote our true needs such as partner rights, estate rights, health benefits and overall legal recognition of same sex relationships.