Civil Rights Bill

Johnson County LBG Community Wants Dems To Keep Their Word

Iowa City's Janelle Rettig challenges Pat Murphy and the House leadership:

For years we have been told that the Democratic Party supports equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people. Now after we've been loyal voters, financial contributors and given our sweat equity, the party leadership (as they received power) has abandoned GLBT people.

There is trouble in Des Moines with the State Civil Rights bill adding sexual orientation and gender identity. The Senate has already passed the bill with bipartisan support, but the House Democratic Speaker Pat Murphy now says he can't pass the bill in the house -- that he doesn't have enough Democratic support. I would suggest the problem might actually be with Pat Murphy's own problems with the issue.

You might recall that the Democratic Party of Iowa and of Johnson County have strong platform planks supporting civil rights for GLBT people. You might also know that Johnson County provides a lot of Democratic votes for anyone running for office in our County (i.e., Chet Culver, Tom Harkin, Dave Loebsack, County offices, state legislature, etc.). Furthermore Johnson County provides a lot of financial support, volunteer time, and enthusiasm for Democratic candidates throughout the state.

The Democrats are firmly in control of the legislature and the governership. Make no mistake about it if the party leaders, the legislative leaders and the governor actually demanded this bill, it could be passed.

It's time we stand together for something vitally important and at the heart of what the party supposedly stands for. Do we really need to continue to support a party that can't even use the majority to state that all Iowans should be free from discrimination and be allowed to work, live, attend school, bank, or even eat in Iowa? It's time for some leadership and accountability and let's talk about it tomorrow.

That conversation tomorrow:

GLBTA Emergency Summit on Civil Rights
Saturday, April 14 at 10:30 AM
Java Juice
122 E Washington St., (across from the postal station downtown) Iowa City
All are welcome, allies are coveted.

A couple of my own thoughts:

I was worried when we got a leadership team of Pat Murphy, whose Dubuque background skews his radar to the right on social issues, and Lieberman fan Kevin McCarthy that the social issues would be shoved aside. Leadership has shown they'll push it to the limit on fair share; where's the push for civil rights?
We're not talking marriage here (though that would be nice.) We're talking basic simple apple pie non-discrimination.

Updated:

A nice diary on Kos the other night likens the Democrats to the lyric of the Replacements' classic, "Bastards Of Young":

The ones who love us best are the ones we'll lay to rest
And visit their graves on holidays at best
The ones who love us least are the ones we'll die to please
If it's any consolation, I don't begin to understand them

The Dems have been dying to please social conservatives, who aren't going to vote for us anyway, for close to 30 years. Time to dance with those who brung ya.

Aside: "Bastards Of Young" is the Best. Video. Ever.