2016 Postmortem
Showing Original Post only (View all)Has Sanders really always supported marriage equality [View all]
unlike the vile wishy washy Clinton who evolved. We have been regaled with tales of the courageous Bernie supporting marriage equality back in 1972. When I was asked for any evidence that his vote against DOMA in 1996 was due to favoring marriage equality as opposed to, like every other straight Congressperson who opposed, being opposed to a law singling out gay people, I was ridiculed. Well, I was searching for stuff the other day and found something rather interesting. This is a piece from 2000 during the Civil Unions debate in Vermont. For the uninitiated, Vermont had a decision which required the Vermont legislature to find some way to honor gay and lesbian couples in Vermont. The legislature was left to choose how. Here is how some politicians in Vermont responded.
I found this recently and have to say I was waiting for a chance to bring this up.
http://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/fuggedaboudit/Content?oid=2291039
The two Democrats running for Jeffords senate seat disagree with him on this. No problemo, they say. Ed Flanagan and Jan Backus both support gay marriage. Like Associate Justice Denise Johnson, they say its time for Vermont town clerks to provide marriage licenses to all couples who pay the fee.
snip
Obtaining Congressman Bernie Sanders position on the gay marriage issue was like pulling teeth...from a rhinoceros. Last month, shortly after the decision of the Amestoy Court was issued, Mr. Sanders publicly tried walking the tightrope applauding the courts decision and the cause of equal rights without supporting civil marriage for same-sex couples.
This week we were no more successful getting a straight answer. All we did get was a carefully crafted non-statement statement via e-mail from Washington D.C. And Bernies statement wins him the Vermont congressional delegations Wishy-Washy Award hands down.
Once more he applauds the court decision but wont go anywhere near choosing between same-sex marriage and domestic partnership. By all accounts the legislature is approaching this issue in a considered and appropriate manner and I support the current process.
Supports the current process, does he? What a courageous radical!
end quote
Now, unlike the author of this piece, I have no problems with Sanders' behavior in this regard. What I do have a problem with, a rather big problem with, is being regailed with tales of the oh so horrible Hillary and the Oh so true Bernie when apparently that isn't even remotely close to the truth.