Posts
Focus on Florida
I've given small amounts to political campaigns before - Betty Castor and John Kerry in 2004, John Yarmuth and Steve Beshear in their earlier races - because I'm a highly political person, and I know that political leadership does have a direct impact on my life and the lives of those around me. But never had I given as much as this year, and for good reason. I don't use the word lightly, but I truly believe that this year has the potential to be a realigning election, and one that signals the end of the fiscally conservative, socially reactionary policies that have largely dominated our country since 1980. And back home, the implications are going to be just as major as on the national scale.
I have a vision for election night: Stevie Wonder music blaring as Barack Obama crosses the 270 EV threshold after carrying the West Coast states; the Democrats with even larger majorities in the House and Senate; and signaling a new era of common-sense decency and tolerance, Florida and California becoming the 2nd and 3rd states to reject discriminatory treatment of LGBT citizens by voting down their respective constitutional amendments.
Of course, the situation in California is more dire. Florida's amendment will need 60% to pass, while a simple majority will suffice in California. Furthermore, gay marriage is legal in California, while that reality still has years to go before materializing in Florida (well, the reality is more nuanced; I think that people in South Florida and the Keys are fully prepared for full same-sex marriage rights, but everywhere else in the state - perhaps with the exception of liberal Gainesville - would riot at that possibility.)
I've already contributed to the "Say No on 2" campaign and in fact urged my friends to give donations to that campaign this year as opposed to giving me gifts, but I gave more today. Two reasons:
1. This thing is on the cusp of passage, even given the difficult 60% barrier.
See: http://floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/CAPITOLNEWS/808290326
2.
I got a phone call from a (really cute sounding :-P) guy on the campaign. And he gave a rather detailed explanation of some of the challenges opposition groups are facing in mobilizing resources to defeat this thing. A little less money for me, and more resources for a critically important campaign; fair trade-off in my calculus.
I'm very interested in this, because Florida can emerge from its decision on Amendment 2 in one of two very different positions:
1. The first "Southern" state (in fact, the only non-Western state) to have rejected a same-sex marriage amendment. I can only imagine how that will change the image of Florida in the minds of people who see us a being some reactionary backwater dominated by old people and their 1950's-style regressive ideology.
2. The only state in the country to outlaw adoption by gay couples (unfortunately, that dubious and disgraceful distinction will last for years to come) and merely another one of the long list of states to have anti-gay discrimination in its highest laws.
And option two has me wondering...just how much do I love Florida? To live in Florida, I have accepted a lower salary; an underdeveloped technology sector; hurricane risk; high real estate costs (though sinking rapidly); and a political environment that is dominated not by South Florida diversity and liberalism, but rather the markedly conservative, socially backwards dogma of the upper 63 counties. This year especially, I have considered a move to California; mostly as a potential move, but with increasing seriousness.
Of course, California could pass its anti-gay resolution while Floridians reject ours. Wouldn't that be something...
Short of the outcome in the presidential election, this is by far the development that I will be watching mostly closely this election day. And with good reason; you can bet your socks that the effects of Amendment 2 will not only be felt by LGBT Floridians, but by everyone in the state. The world is watching us, and we only have one chance to go down the right path on this one.
I have a vision for election night: Stevie Wonder music blaring as Barack Obama crosses the 270 EV threshold after carrying the West Coast states; the Democrats with even larger majorities in the House and Senate; and signaling a new era of common-sense decency and tolerance, Florida and California becoming the 2nd and 3rd states to reject discriminatory treatment of LGBT citizens by voting down their respective constitutional amendments.
Of course, the situation in California is more dire. Florida's amendment will need 60% to pass, while a simple majority will suffice in California. Furthermore, gay marriage is legal in California, while that reality still has years to go before materializing in Florida (well, the reality is more nuanced; I think that people in South Florida and the Keys are fully prepared for full same-sex marriage rights, but everywhere else in the state - perhaps with the exception of liberal Gainesville - would riot at that possibility.)
I've already contributed to the "Say No on 2" campaign and in fact urged my friends to give donations to that campaign this year as opposed to giving me gifts, but I gave more today. Two reasons:
1. This thing is on the cusp of passage, even given the difficult 60% barrier.
See: http://floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/CAPITOLNEWS/808290326
2.
I got a phone call from a (really cute sounding :-P) guy on the campaign. And he gave a rather detailed explanation of some of the challenges opposition groups are facing in mobilizing resources to defeat this thing. A little less money for me, and more resources for a critically important campaign; fair trade-off in my calculus.
I'm very interested in this, because Florida can emerge from its decision on Amendment 2 in one of two very different positions:
1. The first "Southern" state (in fact, the only non-Western state) to have rejected a same-sex marriage amendment. I can only imagine how that will change the image of Florida in the minds of people who see us a being some reactionary backwater dominated by old people and their 1950's-style regressive ideology.
2. The only state in the country to outlaw adoption by gay couples (unfortunately, that dubious and disgraceful distinction will last for years to come) and merely another one of the long list of states to have anti-gay discrimination in its highest laws.
And option two has me wondering...just how much do I love Florida? To live in Florida, I have accepted a lower salary; an underdeveloped technology sector; hurricane risk; high real estate costs (though sinking rapidly); and a political environment that is dominated not by South Florida diversity and liberalism, but rather the markedly conservative, socially backwards dogma of the upper 63 counties. This year especially, I have considered a move to California; mostly as a potential move, but with increasing seriousness.
Of course, California could pass its anti-gay resolution while Floridians reject ours. Wouldn't that be something...
Short of the outcome in the presidential election, this is by far the development that I will be watching mostly closely this election day. And with good reason; you can bet your socks that the effects of Amendment 2 will not only be felt by LGBT Floridians, but by everyone in the state. The world is watching us, and we only have one chance to go down the right path on this one.
No comments:
Post a Comment