Mayor Gavin Newsom
Photo by Luke Thomas
By Tanene Allison
October 1, 2008
(Update: After the running of this post, Mayor Newsom changed the link in his post to lead to where readers can make donations to fight Prop 8, rather than to donate to the Mayor’s Exploratory Committee. We think that was a good call.)
I keep reminding folks that 2008 isn’t 2004. By that I mean, on the national level, I keep finding myself reminding Democrats that the tides have changed and it’s unnecessary to hold their support for LGBT rights at arms-length, the way so many were scared into doing four years ago.
On this topic, the other day I wrote a piece comparing McCain’s and Obama’s LGBT Rights policies for the Huffington Post. You can check that piece here in case you’re curious as to where they stand on such things. Take a moment to note that the massive amount of supportive comments and the numerous straight folks who rise up to support LGBT rights. 2008 just isn’t 2004. (If you think this is just because it’s on the Huffington Post, check out the type of comments I’ve gotten while writing about Immigration Rights!)
While scrolling through the Huffington Post this morning, I came across another example of how 2008 isn’t 2004. Apparently the issue of marriage equality is now something that can be used for a candidate’s personal political gain.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has a great piece in today’s Huffington Post. In it he honors the life and work of Del Martin, a woman all of us in the movement owe so much to. Let me also pause to say that I respect and admire the work Mayor Newsom has in fact done to support the movement that Del – and her partner in love and activism for more that 50 years, Phyllis Lyon – so much started.
The article speaks of the incredible work Del Martin did over all those years. The piece honors that work and mourns the recent loss of Del. (I actually heard of Del’s passing while sitting next to Mayor Newsom in Denver at the Democratic National Convention. I remember the moment freezing in my mind and recalling that I would long hold dear being in the largest gathering of LGBT delegates at a historic political convention while first hearing that news).
After reading through Newsom’s article, which writes of the ceremony to be held today at City Hall to honor Del, I was quite moved. The article also serves as a rallying cry to fight against Proposition 8. It encourages action to save marriage equality in California and to not reverse the progress Del experienced in her final weeks.
This was all beautiful and tasteful. And then Mayor Newsom closes the article with the lines: “Del and Phyllis started the struggle for marriage equality in California. It’s up to us to finish it.”
Fully agreed!
But? I then notice that the final line of the article includes a hyperlink through to another page. I roll my mouse over it, wondering: How best do we finish this fight for marriage equality?!?!
Gavin’s answer? The link leads to a donation page for his Gubernatorial Exploratory Committee. No joke.
To close out a respectful and moving article about Del Martin, Mayor Newsom choose to sign off with a statement that giving money to him is how best we can finish this fight for marriage equality.
2008 is so very much not 2004. It’s now apparently thought acceptable by some to use the memory of Del, and the issue of marriage equality, as a plea for personal financial gain.
Some moments in politics call for a little more decency than that. Or, at least, so I believed.
The Hunger Site
October 1, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Great article!
I heard about Newsom’s HuffPo money request and couldnt believe it. What we need are leaders who will work for the MOVEMENT, not for THEMSELVES.
LEARN NEWSOM! LEARN!