According to reports many gay voters, angry at what they believe to be a deliberate pattern of the dismissal of their concerns and demands by Democrats are considering sitting out these mid-term elections, or voting in protest for Green candidates.
Certainly the LGBT community has every right to be upset at the lack of action by Democrats. DADT still exists. Many Democrats refuse to even discuss issues important to the Gay community like an end to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gay marriage. I can’t really argue with anyone who chooses this year to make the Democrats pay for their inaction.
I will say, however, that the election of gay bashing bigots like the numerous tea party candidates running as Republicans this year will not make the lives of LGBT youth or LGBT adults better. Quite the contrary. Lets examine Colorado, my old stomping ground and home to some of the most racist, bigoted homophobic candidates running for state and federal office:
“I’ve had it happen to me plenty of times, people walk past and say, ‘Faggot, you silly queer,'” Babcock said. “They were pushing for it, they were pushing for it. They were waiting for any kind of reaction. They got one out of my friend and then they just came after us. It was honestly terrifying.” […]
Babcock said he and his friends all suffered concussions and one person had to have stitches near his eye. Babcock said he will have to have surgery to repair a broken jaw. […]
Greeley Man convicted of Murdering Trangender Teen
GREELEY, Colo. — A man who beat a transgender teen with a fire extinguisher has been found guilty of first-degree murder and bias-motivated crime in what has become a landmark court case in the state and the country. […]
This was the first case in the country where a hate-crime statute has been used to prosecute the killing of a transgender person. Colorado is one of the few states with a hate-crime law that covers transgender people. Zapata’s death has sparked calls for a national hate-crimes law.
If Republicans win, hate crimes will increase, and hate crime laws and anti-discrimination laws in states that protect LGBT individuals will be under attack. That is my opinion, but it’s an informed one, I believe. So, before you drop out or walk away from the Democrats consider what the election of far right extremists to Congress and State Legislatures will mean. Things are lousy under Democrats. They will get worse under Tea Party fueled rage given a national platform in Congress, however.
Just my opinion.