Agenda update for Federal Marriage Amendment

The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) is about much more than marriage, or even domestic partnerships, both of which it bans despite some early attempts to claim it didn't affect the latter. It's about re-establishing gay, bisexual, and lesbian people as "strangers to the law," by writing a wedge between us and heterosexuals into the Constitution. The fundamentalist right has been after this ever since the Supreme Court struck down "sodomy" laws a few years ago, and stated that we were, in fact, protected as people.

Many people are being dismissive of this amendment for this year, but I think that's a mistake. The Republican leadership sent it directly onto the floor, so that they can prevent it from being killed (as it would be) in committee. Doing this in an election year is intended to put as much pressure on moderates as possible, and may be intended to identify people "soft on fags" in their own party - possibly for primary challenges later.

Here are two web sites where you can send messages to your Senators and Representatives:

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/senate_oppose_fma

http://www.campaigntoprotect.org/campaign/takeactionnow

Bush and Ralph Reed court Southern Baptist "I Vote Values" campaign

The Southern Baptist Convention seems to be trying to rally the troops towards more than just the amendment. (Which should surprise no one.) Stolen from Andrew Sullivan's website:

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PARTY OF GOD, CTD: The fusion of the Republican party with evangelical Christian churches is now well-entrenched, as this latest NYT story reveals. Ralph Reed, of course, was unrepentant in his courting of the Southern Baptists for the Republican party last month. And the president addressed the SBC conference by satellite, while Richard Land launched the voter registration drive called "I Vote Values." "I, for one, believe people of faith have the same rights to participate in the political process as any other citizens," Reed said. "Christians should not be treated as second-class citizens." Of course they shouldn't. Still, it's worth checking out the IVoteValues.com website to see exactly which values the president is endorsing. In the section on homosexuality, the Southern Baptists remind us of what the founding fathers thought of gays:

During the American Revolution, when the Continental Army Lieutenant Enslin was found "attempting to commit sodomy," Commander George Washington issued an order "with abhorrence and detestation." Enslin was to be "drummed out of the camp ... never to return." Thomas Jefferson authorized legislation to penalize sodomy with castration. At the time the Constitution was ratified, the states of New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut, Virginia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Jersey each implemented the death penalty for those who committed sodomy."

Why is the SBC reporting this? There are other sections on the dreaded homos, entitled: "Targeting You ... And Your Children." And: 'Homosexuality Costs You Plenty!" This is what Bush Republicanism is now about - beneath the surface. Worth considering in this campaign. (Hat tip: Roger Abramson).