Pataki: best NY governor on gay & lesbian issues
Just read in Log Cabin‘s e-newsletter, “Inclusion Wins,” this comment from Alan Van Capelle, executive
director of the Empire State Pride Agenda about the Republican Governor of New York:
George Pataki is the best governor gays and lesbians have had on their issues. If anybody was looking at specific accomplishments, Gov. Pataki has delivered and matched those when compared with anyone else who has been there in Albany before him. He has the best record on LGBT issues when compared to any other New York governor.
And despite his work on gay and lesbian issues, this good man probably never got more than one-third of the gay vote in the Empire State. It’s that pesky little (R) after his name.
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What about Gov. Schwarzenegger of CA? He’s signed more rights into law for GLBT than anyone else.
Comment by Stephen — August 16, 2005 @ 2:21 am - August 16, 2005
Stephen-
As far as I’m aware, Arnold Schwarzenegger has never been governor of New York.
Though the first sentence of the quote may seem unclear, every other sentence in the quote, the source of the quote, and the title of the piece all make it clear who he’s being compared to.
But if we were talking about the best Gov. of all time for gay rights…. Connecticut’s Jodi Rell would definitely have to be in the running along with the Gubernator. But the same question as is raised here could be raised with respect to Governor Schwarzenegger — since the official data are that 31% of self-identified gay voters voted for him in the recall.
On the other hand….
Comment by Clint — August 16, 2005 @ 5:03 am - August 16, 2005
On the other hand…
This seems like a question unworthy of a conservative. It’s supposed to be the liberals who expect to be able to buy minority support by supporting issues affecting those minorities.
Isn’t the obvious answer that gays and lesbians tend to be liberal on other issues (we could debate the causes of this correlation, but it’s absolutely there) — and so will tend to vote democratic for that reason — because being gay isn’t the only thing most gay people care about? Exactly the same reason so many commenters on this site voted for President Bush in 2004 despite his support for the FMA.
Comment by Clint — August 16, 2005 @ 5:08 am - August 16, 2005
That’s a good point, Clint.
However, the issue then becomes……when was the last time you heard a gay liberal say to a gay conservative that it was OK to vote the way you did because gay rights aren’t all that you care about? More often than not, we get called “self-loathing”, “self-hating”, and “collaborateurs” for doing it.
I totally see your logic, because it’s applying the worldview of a gay conservative — if it should be OK for us to vote as we do for reasons other than gay rights, it should be the same for gay liberals. Absolutely agree, and we should respect those who do.
However, I think GP’s point is to apply the logic of the left, which is that gays should always vote for the candidate that does the most for gay rights, and show that they don’t follow it themselves. I’ve done something similar, demonstrating how gay “activists” like John Aravosis and Mike Rogers who claim that gay rights are the all-important issue attack Republicans with better antigay records and protect Democrats who voted for the FMA and MPA.
Of course, Rogers and Aravosis have an excuse — the Democratic Party pays them to be hypocrites. However, the problem is that their attitude seems to be common among UNPAID gay activists as well.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 16, 2005 @ 8:03 am - August 16, 2005
I think the point is that Schwarzenegger also got a 100% rating from Equality California as the most gay-friendly Governor in our State’s history.
Comment by boifromtroy — August 16, 2005 @ 1:01 pm - August 16, 2005
And HOW many times have I been accosted on the corner of Castro and 18th by someone yelling about “Stop Schwarzenegger now”?
It makes one want to cross the street about six blocks ahead of them.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 16, 2005 @ 2:20 pm - August 16, 2005
NDT- Just use my response… “What do you have against gay rights?!? He’s the most gay-friendly Governor in California history?”
Usually that shuts them up.
Comment by boifromtroy — August 16, 2005 @ 5:15 pm - August 16, 2005
Hmmm…..that could work….and it’s a lot easier than carrying this cross, garlic, and holy water……
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 16, 2005 @ 6:35 pm - August 16, 2005
I live in New York and did not know about his stellar recors on GL issues. I didn’t vote for him because he is a tool….
Comment by Jim — August 17, 2005 @ 3:20 pm - August 17, 2005
Thank you Jim, for demonstrating so elegantly that facts will never stand in the way of liberal gay voting patterns. The fact that Pataki is quite good on gay rights issues is outweighed by the fact that he’s a “tool”….of what, who, or where we know not, but that’s not important….
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — August 17, 2005 @ 5:41 pm - August 17, 2005
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