Virginian on Marrs

[swimboy]

Don't know if you have heard about Delegate Brad Marrs in Virginia. His campaign sent one of those fearmongering letters about how his opponent had accepted a donation from a RICH, GAY BUSINESSMAN!!! and insinuating all sorts of resulting calamity.

The publicity he has received as a result has not been good! He has responded to the publicity about his homophobic campaign letter with a big editorial page letter in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch. Brad, when you're in a hole--dig faster!

Yesterday the paper publicized that George Allen (former VA Governor, tant pis, and rumored presidential fodder) would continue to support Marrs' campaign despite the tone of the letter.

I went to college with Brad Marrs I'm really hoping for his defeat. I hope it smears Allen as well.

[LibDemAlways]

1. Allen is apparently an equal opportunity hater.

Has no problem with gay bashing and is racist to the bone. I went to high school with him. He is best remembered for vandalizing the school with racist graffiti. A real piece of work.

[swimboy]

2. I'm shocked, shocked! n/t

[davidinalameda]

3. here's an article on this

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784193759&path=%21news%21politics&s=1045855935264

Gay Republicans yesterday urged U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., to withdraw as headliner at the re-election kickoff of Del. Bradley P. Marrs, R-Chesterfield, to protest Marrs' attack on a gay political donor.

Allen, who is attempting to soften his image as a conservative partisan for a possible presidential run in 2008, said he will participate -- despite concern that a Marrs fund-raising letter "went too far" in spotlighting the sexual orientation of a major contributor to Marrs' opponent.

Automobile dealer George M. "Mac" Pence III, while not identified by Marrs in the July 6 letter, was described by the suburban legislator as a "wealthy homosexual businessman" active in gay-rights groups. Pence gave $10,000 to Katherine B. Waddell, a moderate Republican running as independent who is trying to deny Marrs a third term.

[swimboy]

4. Thanks! That's good helpful information.

This is my 100th post and I really need to learn how to insert the links. Thanks for your help.

[davidinalameda]

5. you're welcome and welcome to DU

pull up a thread and stay a while

[swimboy]

6. Thanks! And congratulations on your 15,000 posts!

[thrift_store_angel]

7. Long post, sorry, ok so......

I am from Maryland and seeing as Virginia is our neighbor and all I posted about this to a local g/l/b/t message board. I was sort of frustrated when I read the article so I added a few "comments" at the end. They weren't really thought out at the time but this is approx. what I said:

"What the hell is up with all these huge donations to republican
candidates by l/g/b/t people? Your socio-economic status will only
protect you to a degree, it still doesn't afford you the basic human
rights that everyone else is enjoying. The fact that the whole board
of Equality Virginia seems to be contributing to the republican party
is even more disturbing, it is hard to believe that they are actually
working for g/l/b/t rights when they are funding a party whose
platform states that they wish to preserve "traditional marriage"."

I live in a conservative area and so of course out pop the right wing self-hating closet cases. LOL Someone wrote this back:

Boo, hiss.

The "LGBT" community (whatever the hell an LGBT is)
wants tolerance but can't tolerate people who don't
tow the liberal party line.

Plenty of Democrats stink on gay-equality issues. In
many states the leaders of anti-gay marriage ballot
initiatives were Democrats (like the African-American
minister in Baltimore who is co-sponsor of the
Maryland Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment) not just
Republicans. Who gave us DOMA and Don't Ask-Don't
Tell? Yep, Democrats.

And who has any right to say where and how Mr. Hall
should spend his money? In America if you earn it,
it's yours. And then there's that pesky First
Amendment to the Constitution. But I won't go
there...

My response to this was:

First of all I did not advocate any specific party as an
alternative. There are plenty of people out there who will tell you
that the Green Party is the only option for g/l people. As far as
party platforms go here is what the 2004 Republican Party platform
states:

The well-being of children is best accomplished nurtured by
their mother & father anchored by the bonds of marriage. We believe
that legal recognition and the accompanying benefits afforded couples
should be preserved for that unique and special union of one man and
one woman which has historically been called marriage.

That is fairly straight forward. The question is not one of whether
or not someone has a right to spend their money in whatever way they
see fit. Of course they do. The question is whether or not someone
who can shrug off the above statement and still support (more
importantly FINANCIALLY support) the republican party should be
entrusted to fight for the rights of g/l people. You cannot truly
fight for the right to marry while you are funding the people who are
fighting AGAINST that right. Marriage rights are a huge part of our
overall civil rights. Should someone who is in a board level
position on a statewide gay and lesbian advocacy group be funding
someone who is working against gay and lesbian civil rights? This
just doesn't make sense. Yes there are people from alternative
political parties working against our rights. However no other major
party has a section in their party platform devoted to how much they
oppose our civil rights (the republican platform mentions same-sex
marriage twice and also states "Homosexuality is incompatible with
military service"). It is not even that I strictly oppose people who
are republicans working for gay/lesbian rights organizations. I
believe firmly that you have to work for change from within. However
when it comes to people giving hundreds or even thousands of dollars
to get these politicians elected, then that goes beyond "working for
change". By putting a party in power that opposes my rights as a
lesbian, you are NOT advocating on my behalf and while what you do on
your own time is your business don't tell me that you are working FOR
me and then step down from your position and turn around and help put
someone in power whom will at every opportunity deny my right to be
treated like a human being. It isn't fair it isn't honest and it
sure as hell isn't good policy.

*jumping off my soapbox*

---end original post---

Any thoughts on this in case he pops back up with more of the right wing propaganda?

(Sorry for not posting links, it is a yahoo group and it requires registration to view the posts, I figured this way was easier)

[swimboy]

8. Yes, I agree that gays and lesbians that support Republicans

are missing the big picture. I don't get it. I have heard a defense in terms of "You can't be a single issue voter." Fortunately for me, I don't like anything the republican party stands for these days so you can't hang the single-issue issue on me.

I imagine Mr. Hall is contributing to republican causes and candidates as an individual and not as a Equality Virginia board member. I'm generally (but not always) pleased with EV's positions. I can further speculate that Mr. Hall is welcomed as a member of the board because he contributes healthily to EV.

I try not to invite the inner conflicts these contortions would visit on me.