Posted on 02/09/2011 8:35:02 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
There’s a dangerous meme making its way across the Internets: “Does Sarah Palin support gay rights?” thanks to her almost-Libertarian response to gay GOP group GOProud’s attendance at this weekend’s CPAC. The Alaska Dispatch, writing at Huffington Post, reports Palin “told the Christian Broadcasting Network that it was a ‘scheduling conflict’ that prevented her appearance, not GOProud’s presence at the convention. And she went one step further, telling CBN that conference attendees should not so quickly dismiss the opportunity to provide a full spectrum of conservatism. News website POLITICO reports Palin alluded to the controversy that GOProud’s inclusion at the conference had caused for conservatives.”
“‘Should the GOP, should conservatives not reach out to others, not participate in events and forums that… maybe we don’t personally agree with? And I say no… I look at participation in an event like CPAC or any other event in that same vein as the more information that people have the better,’ Palin told CBN.”
But then they write, “Palin has mostly left her support or opposition to gay rights ‘open to interpretation.’ Last month, Palin re-tweeted a gay conservative’s post that was critical of the GOP’s ardent opposition to the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ calling it ‘hypocrisy.’”
And so let’s stop right here and “refudiate” yet another example of journalistic malpractice.
It’s called “Google,” people, and you can use it to do something many journalists evidently have forgotten is in their job description: research.
(Or, you can just spend all your time here at The New Civil Rights Movement, where we do the research so you don’t have to.)
After the whole Palin retweet of Tammy Bruce’s DADT comment fiasco, I did a fair amount of research and wrote, “So, Where DOES Sarah Palin Stand On Gay Rights?” Here are a few highlights:
So, here you go. Sarah Palin’s positions on gay rights:
Sarah Palin is against same-sex marriage:
■Palin has said, “I am pro-life and I believe that marriage should only be between and man and a woman.” (Campaign website, www.palinforgovernor.com, “Issues” Nov 7, 2006) ■“Ms. Palin said she supported Alaska’s decision to amend its Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. But she used her first veto as governor to block a bill that would have prohibited the state from granting health benefits to same-sex partners of public employees.” (New York Times) ■“Here’s what Sarah Palin has to say about same-sex marriage. Palin said she’s not out to judge anyone and has good friends who are gay, but that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.” “Elected officials can’t defy the court when it comes to how rights are applied, she said, but she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to homosexual couples. “I believe that honoring the family structure is that important,” Palin said. She said she doesn’t know if people choose to be gay.” (Anchorage Daily News, viaOnTheIssues) Sarah Palin is against spousal benefits for same-sex couples:
Q: Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples?
A: No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.
Q: In relationship to families, what are your top three priorities if elected governor?
A: 1. Creating an atmosphere where parents feel welcome to choose the venues of education for their children. 2. Preserving the definition of “marriage” as defined in our constitution. 3. Cracking down on the things that harm family life: gangs, drug use, and infringement of our liberties including attacks on our 2nd Amendment rights. (Eagle Forum 2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire Jul 31, 2006)
Sarah Palin is on the record against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal:
For the record, Palin came out last year against repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” although she suggested her first concern about repeal was the timing — “I don’t think so right now… And I say that because there are other things to be worried about right now with the military. I think that kind of on the back burner, is sufficient for now.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Palin is not on the record as for or against ENDA, but given all her other positions, I would bet she’s against that, too.
Bottom line, Sarah Palin is not the blank slate the media assumes. She’s made her positions very clear. She is anti-gay, and is on the record as being so.
Sarah is an evangelical Christian and I’m pretty sure that she is on God’s side in this matter, despite what some of FR’s in-house PDS’ers desperately want people to believe.
As for GOProud, I’m equally sure that it was not even on her radar screen until certain troublemakers decided to put it there this past weekend.
I agree with you there, which is why I'm disappointed that both Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain are featured speakers at CPAC. Jim DeMint has taken an unambigous stand against CPAC, which I appreciate him for having done. However, I'm disappointed that Jim DeMint came out publicly this week saying that Jeb Bush would make a great president.
Palin, DeMint and Bachmann are (for now) my three preferred candidates. The lesson here is that the perfect is the enemy of the good. All three of them have said or done things that have disappointed me, none of them are perfect. But any one of them is better than Romney, Huckabee, Gingrich, Giuliani, or others who have made noises about running.
Hmph.. I prefer a governor who has the guts to recognize co-equal branches of government and does not necessarily cede the top of the food chain to small panels of unelected men in black (”the courts”).
ROFLMAO
Surprise... Surprise
I just think its funny to see all the attempts to contort Palin’s statements into either an anti-gay or pro-gay message. All I can say is that either a large group of Christian Conservative Palin supporters or a large group of Libertarian Palin supporters are going to end up very disappointed.
While this is just speculation, my hunch is that she has a Reagan-like position on gays. Oppose laws that actively discriminate against them (such as laws that criminalize homosexual conduct) but is not willing to give gays special rights. She probably hasn’t thought out how that would apply to various laws and policies too deeply.
I like Sarah, but she - and others - was AWOL on the repeal of DADT when it could have a difference.
Oh, no. I knew the answer. In my head, I was saying it with a snort, if you know what I mean.
The writers here consider homosexual “rights” to be the New Civil Rights Movement, hence the name of their site. I doubt if they’re conservative in any sense that you and I would use that word.
Can NAMBLA participate in FudgePAC if they espouse fiscal conservatism? Come on, we need the full spectrum...
The media's drumbeat against Palin has power, even here on FR. Many so-called conservatives will throw her under the bus in a heartbeat if they detect her supporting liberty for all.
“But she used her first veto as governor to block a bill that would have prohibited the state from granting health benefits to same-sex partners of public employees.”
The AK Supreme Court had ruled an equivalent law to be unconstitutional, so she was following her sworn constitutional duty. I like to see a chief executive follow the Constitution when it conflicts with his/her own personal beliefs.
Have you read her books or listened to her talk on this subject at all? She is NOT “anti-gay”. She IS against gays being “more equal than others” or to call their romantic relationships marriage in order to use the legal system to force them into healthcare, benefits, etc.
She gave the same answer as Moot Romney on DADT. That is very discouraging.
Sarah Palin is a true Christian! True Christians KNOW that Homosexuality is a sin, I know
it, most of you know it, and Sarah knows it.
Would some want her to run on a hell fire and brimstone platform? Hell is a reality, but she wont be elected if she says people that do not share her faith are going to burn in hell.
She would and will get my vote, but I do not think it is the way to become President.
I think some are just trying to cause trouble.
I think her record speaks for itself, she is pro life/pro family and she Loves God/Christ.
Sorry, I thought it was obvious. As a Christian Sarah wishes them well—and truly wishing them well means that she wishes they will change their ways and stop doing all that perverted sex.
They may or may not be able to seek counseling and change their orientation, but any decent Christian should hope that they would try to stop sinning and destroying themselves.
I thought the meaning was evident.
Did you read the article? I was quoting the author (that’s why I used “). The article finished with Palin is anti-gay. Take it up with the writer or the one who posted it.
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