"At the end of the day, people vote on issues based on how they think it will impact them and their families. We spent a great deal of time trying to understand what impacts could we develop that would work. Communication has to be aimed at and appeal to those self interests of the electorate."
This is the challenge our opponents have. The quote is from the emerging guru of the right, Frank Schubert, whose Shubert/Flint Communications had the task of instilling fear about same-sex marriage into otherwise disinterested heterosexuals during the Prop. 8 battle. What he found was that gay marriage wasn't an issue most moderate voters cared much about. Schubert and his folks needed to "develop" those fears, so they could exploit them.
Karen Ocamb does a thorough job of examining exactly how much work this involved, and I'll leave you to be fascinated, appalled or sickened by the underlying videos (via Pam's House Blend). The only thing I can add is to emphasize this obvious truth. Most heterosexuals don't see a real threat from same-sex marriage because there isn't one. This is something we've known from the start, but we've been doubting ourselves. In the words of Schubert's partner in this crime, Jeff Flint, their trick is in "â¦raising a doubt and projecting a doubt forward - that you have to get people to believe may happen but it hasn't happened yet." Along with heterosexuals, they got us, too.
Schubert/Flint proved in California that they could raise those doubts among the undboutful, creating and inflating the fear they needed people to have. They are now unleashed in Maine, and will be spooking people throughout the Halloween season.
To the sturdy people of Maine, I can only say this: Your instincts are right. Same-sex marriage will not, and cannot affect yours. It will only add to the happiness in the world, not subtract from it. These ghouls haunting the countryside and the airwaves are being paid to scare you. Tell them to take their horror stories somewhere else.
4 Comments for “Horror Show!”
posted by jones on
Proposition 8. Enough already. As a gay man, you might be surprised to hear that I was not shocked that the outcome of Proposition 8 in California was upheld. Infact, I?m not so sure I would have voted any differently then the most conservative citizen of the United States of America who has little to no contact with a gay person.
The freedom and the right to get married comes down to one thing for the gay community: respect. My mother always told me; in order to get respect, you have to respect yourself first.
For many uninformed Americans, there is a stereotype for the gay community; sex, drugs, disease, and partying. Respect worthy? No, I dont think so. As a gay man, I am certainly aware that this stereotype is not necessarily true for the entire gay community. However, to most uninformed Americans, this is the only picture that is being painted over and over each year to remind them of how disgusting the gay community can be?. and I totally agree. It is disgusting.
The day I can go into a gay bar and not feel like I lost my virginity from every poking finger to my ass, or shower stalls in the middle of the club for men to publicly shower in and engage in sexual acts, or bathroom stalls that are solely for the purpose of sex, is the day that I might think gay marriage is possible.
One of the most important and influential factors to informing the uninformed about homosexuality is Gay Pride. Gay Pride for me is more like Gay Ashamed. Every year, in Chicago during the Gay Pride festival, I used to stay clear of anything north of Michigan Avenue. What I saw at Pride was shocking.
Stop using your dicks, and start using your voices.
If you want to be heard, keep your shirt on and your legs closed. Blow jobs in alleys, crude displays of public affection on every float, drunk gay guys making out with anyone who has a face ? I feel like I?m getting an STD just from thinking about it.
I think pride in oneself is a beautiful thing. But I dont see pride at Gay Pride events, I see sex. And if I see it, then America sees it too.
Gay awareness and pride is something that America needs. I think the original concept of Gay Pride was perhaps a beautiful and powerful thing, but it has become so diluted with sex that there is no pride left.
Personally, I am pissed off by the acts of the individuals who participate in such crude events. It?s embarrassing. And that stereotype? You created it yourself, darlings.
Don?t get me wrong, many straight individuals participate in disgusting acts as well; things like strip clubs, prostitution, etc etc? That is disgusting too, and certainly not respect worthy.
As Americans, we are free to do pretty much do anything. We are spoiled. Yes, the government is corrupt, but so is every other government on this planet. The point is simple?. if you wanna take off your shirt and rub your body in oil while making out with the guy next to you during a parade that is suppose to help the gay community out, you have that right. I am comfortable enough in my own skin to keep my shirt ON and let my voice be heard.
Unfortunately, many gays are not heard because we all know sex sells, and intellect does not.
Many Gay Americans are being stereotyped because of these public displays, and It needs to stop.
Think about any other minorities in American history that had to fight for their rights?. They had to overcome their stereotypes in some manor in order to obtain respect from an uninformed society.
Any gay, straight, bisexual, or trans gender person that is acting out will get us nowhere.
Come on guys, we are a minority. We already have had a bad rap, why do you keep on doing it?
Thanks to those like Tela Tequila, Gay Pride, and (many) Gay Bars and Saloons, gays will continue to live legally single.
posted by jimmy on
jones-
I get what you’re saying, if crude gay men (and that is what we’re talking about here because apparently they are the problem) would just reform themselves in the way you suggest they should, and in so doing, retire those stereotypes that our enemies use against us, you would deem gays and lesbians worthy of marriage equality because your moral prerequisites have been met.
I think you need to take that stick out of your butt.
If it wasn’t flamboyant clowns and sluts that run down the middle of the street one damn day a year, it would be something else, like the icky butt-sex gay men are known to engage in, for example. Because in reality, there will always be something that will be held against us by those who wish to do so.
The rights we are granted under the Constitution are not guaranteed to us because we are respectable or upright or whatever else a moral scold thinks we should be. Our rights are due us because we are citizens.
posted by Chrish_Tiyan on
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posted by ChrisT on
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