On many occasions I have noted how the USA is lagging behind other nations - even some once considered to be parts of the developing world - when it comes to freedom and equality for all citizens. Worse yet, in the context of viewing citizens as an asset and providing across the board minimum health care the USA lags far behind many countries. It is a continuing disgrace and makes a mockery of the lofty principles set forth in the nation's founding documents. Andrew Sullivan has an interesting take on how dramatically American conservatives are falling behind their counterparts in the United Kingdom. Indeed, many British conservatives appear to be flaming liberals compared to their U.S. counterparts. In my opinion, the increasingly reactionary trend among American conservatives is frightening, particularly the worship of ignorance [think Sarah Palin] and devolution of control of the GOP to the lunatic fringe and Christianists. Here are some highlights from Andrew's point on analysis: *
I just learned a pretty staggering fact. If the Tories win the next election in Britain by just a one vote majority, there will likely be 15 openly gay Conservative MPs in the next Parliament. . . . In the US, there are no openly gay Republican representatives or Senators - fewer than in the past. The closet cases, like Larry Craig, are just sad shells of human beings, or being hounded out by homophobic primary campaigns, like Charlie Crist. Heck, the British Tories are far ahead of gay inclusion than the American Democrats - and support military service and full legal equality in relationships. And they sure have more courage in making the case.
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Remind me why I moved to the land of the free? To lose freedoms? To watch conservatism calcify into anti-gay bigotry as one of its binding principles? To see a newly elected and allegedly moderate governor of Virginia actually rescind previous protections for gay people employed by state government - so that the gay people who work for their own government must live in constant fear of being fired solely for being gay? The GOP is going backward so fast it's giving this Tory whiplash.
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British Tories believe that including gay people in the British Conservative Party, supporting their commitments to one another, and celebrating their service to their country in the military are essentially conservative ideas and are integral to the Tory plans to win the coming British election.
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As I have said before, once the boyfriend's parents and my mother are no longer living, we are likely to leave Virginia for a more gay friendly locale. Increasingly, I wonder whether or not such a move will also include leaving the USA.
I just learned a pretty staggering fact. If the Tories win the next election in Britain by just a one vote majority, there will likely be 15 openly gay Conservative MPs in the next Parliament. . . . In the US, there are no openly gay Republican representatives or Senators - fewer than in the past. The closet cases, like Larry Craig, are just sad shells of human beings, or being hounded out by homophobic primary campaigns, like Charlie Crist. Heck, the British Tories are far ahead of gay inclusion than the American Democrats - and support military service and full legal equality in relationships. And they sure have more courage in making the case.
*
Remind me why I moved to the land of the free? To lose freedoms? To watch conservatism calcify into anti-gay bigotry as one of its binding principles? To see a newly elected and allegedly moderate governor of Virginia actually rescind previous protections for gay people employed by state government - so that the gay people who work for their own government must live in constant fear of being fired solely for being gay? The GOP is going backward so fast it's giving this Tory whiplash.
*
British Tories believe that including gay people in the British Conservative Party, supporting their commitments to one another, and celebrating their service to their country in the military are essentially conservative ideas and are integral to the Tory plans to win the coming British election.
*
As I have said before, once the boyfriend's parents and my mother are no longer living, we are likely to leave Virginia for a more gay friendly locale. Increasingly, I wonder whether or not such a move will also include leaving the USA.
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