Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Chilling Sound of Silence From The Indiana Republican Party

The sound of silence can be very chilling. Last April after Governor Mitch Daniels enacted an EEO policy of non-discrimination for state employees, which included sexual orientation and gender identity, the Christian right launched a major assault against his policy. Not one single Republican leader in the State of Indiana defended Governor Daniels’ policy publicly.  Daniels recently capitulated to the Christian right by coming out against federal, state and local civil right laws of general applicability to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination—saying private businesses should be left alone to decide for themselves.

The reaction from the GLBT community to Daniels’ apparent “change of heart” was met with disappointment, although most were not surprised. One well-known gay defender of Daniels actually blamed the GLBT community, in part, for Daniels’ capitulation, for failing to rally enough support for the Governor’s policy to counter the attacks from the Christian right.

Now that Marion County Republican Prosecutor Carl Brizzi’s non-discrimination policy for his office, which includes sexual orientation, has become known, the Christian right is once again ratcheting up the attacks against him. And again, not one single Republican leader in Marion County has stood up to defend Brizzi’s policy.

Advance Indiana wants to know: Is there one brave Republican leader anywhere in the State of Indiana who is willing to stand up and support Governor Daniels’ and Prosecutor Brizzi’s policies of non-discrimination towards gays and lesbians? I can’t hear you? Are you there? Hello? The sound of silence is indeed very chilling.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good job and I understand that there was a article in the paper on Clark. You know you will not get any response from the Republican party. But keep up the fight.

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately, many democratic leaders are not standing up either. I'll never forget, when listening to the debate/vote on SJR7 in the statehouse, one democratic rep (whom I can't remember his name)argued against it and how unconstitutional it is - but then at the end of his speech, said that he would vote for it because it would be political suicide not to.

THIS is what we are up against as a gay community. More mainstream stright people should stand up for these issues, so elected officials know that the majority of hoosiers are for fairness.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Kevin,

The easiest way to get the problem to go away is to get leading Republicans to denounce the use of gay rights issues as a political wedge issue-then Democrats can vote what they say is their conscience without fear of reprisal in the next election.

Gary

Anonymous said...

The easiest way to get the problem to go away is to get leading Republicans to denounce the use of gay rights issues as a political wedge issue

Easiest? Certainly it would be the most effective way, but I seriously doubt the party of Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant, Franklin ($1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100) would give up such a reliable instant fund raising cash cow.

Get the preachers in an uproar, they work the sheeple on Sunday, money rolls in on monday. Or in the case of the City Council - emails. Perfect built-in "grass roots" without all the work and money on the part of the Republican party to organize and manage it.