McCain/Palin Ticket: No Laughing Matter For Gay Community

Over the weekend, Tina Fey did a hilarious send up of Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live. And SNL hasn't been the only one poking fun at the Alaska Governor who has foreign policy experience because she can "see Russia from Alaska." But Palin's nomination and McCain's campaign aren't very funny if you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. 

Last week Palin was interviewed by ABC's Charlie Gibson and one of the questions Gibson asked touched on gay issues. Here was the exchange:

GIBSON: Homosexuality, genetic or learned?

PALIN: Oh, I don’t — I don’t know, but I’m not one to judge and, you know, I’m from a family and from a community with many, many members of many diverse backgrounds and I’m not going to judge someone on whether they believe that homosexuality is a choice or genetic. I’m not going to judge them.

There are a whole litany of issues with that exchange starting with Gibson's question which is, frankly, stupid. This is the one question he asks her about gay issues? Nothing about same-sex marriage or gay adoption? Most legitimate scientists agree that being gay is at the very least significantly influenced by biology with some sociological components also possibly occurring. Call me crazy, but something tells me that a woman who is open to teaching creationism in public schools probably hasn't kept up on the latest scientific literature concerning homosexuality.

Thanks for the wastd opportunity, Charlie. 

Sarah Palin being interviewed by Charlie Gibson

So what might Palin actually do when it comes to gay issues if she gained the top spot? Well, apparently she won't "judge", especially not those who believe that "homosexuality is genetic or a choice". Call me super cynical, but I can't help but notice she doesn't actually say she doesn't judge gays and lesbians.

More importantly, what of Palin's actual actions while in office thus far? The folks over at gay rightwing blog GayPatriot tout the fact that as governor, Palin vetoed a bill that would have denied equal benefits to the same-sex partners of state workers, something the court said the state couldn't do. So did Palin veto the bill because she thinks gays should have benefits in the work place? Yeah, and I'm a moose.

In fact, the only reason Palin signed the veto (on which her Republican predecessor Governor Frank Murkowski had refused to act after calling the court's ruling against discrimination "shameful") was because the state attorney general told her doing otherwise would be unconstitutional. Said Palin at the time, "Signing this bill would be in direct violation of my oath of office." In fact, Palin later issued a statement saying "The governor's veto does not signal any change or modification to her disagreement with the action and order by the Alaska Supreme Court. It is the governor's intention to work with the Legislature and to give the people of Alaska an opportunity to express their wishes and intentions whether these benefits should continue."

Because that's what non-judgmental folks like Palin do -- put the rights of a minority up for a public vote. 

What? You were expecting something from her about wanting to treat those Alaskans of "many diverse backgrounds" with some semblance of equality. R-i-i-i-ght. And I've got a bridge to nowhere to sell you. Indeed, Palin promptly signed a bill allowing state legislators to hold a special session just so they could craft a bill to get around the court's ruling. (But the GayPatriot folks say her actions show we should trust her because she follows the law. I call this "spinning" or simply delusional.)

Photo credit: AFP/Robyn Beck

Now we've learned that Palin also tried to ban books from the Wasilla Public Library when she was on the Wasilla city council. Apparently among those books was Daddy's Roommate which Palin grew upset at when she noticed it in the library. According to The New York Times, Palin told her colleagues that it didn't belong there. When it was suggested Palin read it before trying to ban it, Palin said she didn't read that stuff.

So a woman potentially one heartbeat away from the U.S. Presidency believes in doing something as drastic as banning a book without even reading it. Seems to me like Palin can't just see Russia from her doorstep, but thinks an awfully like those communist rulers from days gone by.

Then there is the matter of Palin's church which recently touted an ex-gay conference they plan on holding. I guess they won't "judge" you, however they certainly are interested in changing you. But according to the GayPatrioters, this is also okay because it shows Palin doesn't want to damn us; rather, she actually cares about us.  I kid you not. Said one GayPatrioter: 

Which shows that they care to help instead of declining to piss on you if you were on fire. It’s still nothing like the left’s buddy at Westboro Baptist.

The "left's buddy"? O-kay. And talk about nutty! I don't want people like Palin to care about me. I want them to leave me the hell alone and stop banning gay books, signing laws restricting my rights, and supporting constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. FYI, Palin supported Alaska's 1998 amendment banning gay marriage. What a shock. (BTW, here are the thoughts of someone gay who lived in Wasilla when Palin was mayor.)

John McCain

Photo credit: Getty Images/Elsa

But all we really need to know about Palin and gay rights is that she was picked by John McCain, a man who has definitely not been a friend of the gay community no matter how much he and the Log Cabin Republicans like to pretend otherwise. McCain is against almost all equal benefits for same-sex couples. He opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, expanding the hate crimes act to cover sexual orientation and he supports the military's discriminatory "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy.

But gay rightwingers love to tout the fact that McCain was against the Federal Marriage Amendment that would've amended the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Well, don't get too excited over that because McCain is actually a hypocrite on the topic. At the time, McCain said he was against the FMA because he believes that it should be a state issue. 

But that isn't what McCain really believes. He supports states right when they do what he wants -- oppose gay rights. For example, McCain opposes the California Supreme Court's decision granting same-sex marriage rights citing activist judges and community values. But didn't he say he thought the issue to be a state's right issue and isn't the California Supreme Court, well, part of that state? Then why is he supporting Proposition 8 to ban gay marriages? The word hypocrite comes to mind. 

FYI, McCain also opposes gay adoption and his presidential campaign website includes protecting marriage from adding same-sex couples next to overturning Roe v. Wade and, get this, protecting children from Internet pornography and online predators.But according to the GayPatrioters, that doesn't really matter because McCain has met two gay people and treated them nicely. 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't find anything about a McCain/Palin administration the least bit funny.