Abner Mason, an openly gay Bush appointee, argues in the
Advocate that Bush's support for an anti-gay marriage
consitutional amendment shouldn't overshadow his:
preelection statement on ABC's Good Morning America that he supports civil unions for gay couples....While making clear his opposition to same-sex marriage, Bush said he disagreed with the Republican platform, which opposes civil unions. ...
At a minimum, the president merited praise for his public recognition that gay relationships deserve respect and support. There was none. His announcement was met with deafening silence and, from some gay leaders, sharp criticism that condemned Bush's decision to back civil unions....
I guess it could be said that gay activists (including, in this case, the Log Cabin Republicans) never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. (Hat tip: Gay Patriot).
Also in the Advocate, Dr. Gary
R. Cohan observes of gay activists:
These ambitious, well-intentioned, but dangerously naive baby boomer leaders grew up in a fast-food culture of instant gratification. They acted on impulse -- "Let's go for the gold!" -- and in the process have torpedoed 20 years of forward movement in a single election. We need to express our disappointment with some serious introspection, more judicious philanthropy, and a major reorganization of our civil rights strategy.
And, he adds:
We presumed we could skip the usual prerequisites of winning the "hearts and minds" of the American public. So swept-up in the moment were we that we ignored an important fact: Even decent-minded straight people were having difficulty grasping the concept of "gay marriage."
This is the type of reevaluation that we most need right
now.