Mike Gravel states, in part:
By drawing upon the language of states rights, Hillary embraces the tradition of John Calhoun and the defenders of slavery along with Strom Thurmond and the segregationists. Throughout our nation's history, every time national public opinion turns against oppression, opponents of progress use states rights to present themselves as defenders of liberty in the face of federal power.
States rights has always been the last refuge of the bigots. Now Hillary has given rhetorical cover to the homophobes. If she wins the Democratic nomination, opponents of gay marriage will cite her statement to justify their opposition to national marriage equality over the next decade.
Now I much beg Senator Gravel's pardon, but it seems a little dangerous to put all our eggs in the Federal basket. Why, isn't DOMA federal legislation? Didn't the FMA start in federal government (and admittedly die there)? Or the Federal Estate Tax that will hit gay couples quite significantly once it is reinstated? Has the Senator from Alaska noticed that at least 16 states plus the District of Columbia have workplace protection from discrimination based on sexual orientation while ENDA continues to languish in a Democrat controlled Congress?
PS, I NEVER thought I would be defending Hills on this blog. That Sen. Gravel made me do that is the most irritating thing of all.
3 comments:
You're correct about his intentions. And you're also correct that many bad things have come out of the federal government. But in Gravel's defense, he was just making a historical observation. And, for the most part, he's correct. Whenever bigots want to stop a national trend toward equality, they squawk about states' rights. I will not be at all surprised if that's the rallying cry against any national move toward gay legal equality (should ever such a thing materialize).
So Gravel opposes a fundamental cornerstone of the Constitution. That's good to know.
States do not have rights. Only individuals have rights. States have powers -- powers that they abuse.
I do not care whether I am oppressed at the federal, state or local level. I only demand that it stop.
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