There's no other way to put it: Tuesday night was a momentous, historic night for gay equality. We won not one, but all four states in which marriage equality was on the ballot. No longer do NOM and other anti-gay forces enjoy the talking point that every time marriage equality is on the ballot, it loses. No longer can the anti-gay right say with any credibility that there are consistent majorities against equality. NOM has tried to spin it by claiming the "real America" didn't vote on Election Night, and that marriage equality was upheld by the "Obama electorate" in deep-blue states. Of course, that doesn't explain why the deep-blue state of California voted for Obama and against marriage equality in 2008, during a Democratic wave election. But, you know...facts like that aren't all that convenient. The reality remains that, just in the last four years, we've made strides on this issue that have all but rendered NOM completely irrelevant. And it's only going to get worse for them.
So, predictably, NOM is getting desperate. And they're going after companies like Starbucks, which publicly supports marriage equality. Not here in America, because Americans increasingly don't give a shit what NOM has to say. Instead, they're taking the fight to the Middle East. Follow me below the fold.
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In a conference call with supporters on Thursday, during which the 2012 election and the anti-gay right's massive defeat at the polls were discussed, a participant asked about Starbucks and what could be done to stop corporations from supporting marriage equality. NOM president Brian Brown responded that NOM's strategy is to make the Starbucks' position well-known in Middle East countries like Qatar, where homosexuality is still illegal. Said Brown:
Their international outreach is where we can have the most effect. So for example, in Qatar, in the Middle East, we’ve begun working to make sure that there’s some price to be paid for this. These are not countries that look kindly on same-sex marriage. And this is where Starbucks wants to expand, as well as India. So we have done some of this; we’ve got to do a lot more.
The audio, obtained by the American Independent, can be found
here.
So, since they can't win here in the United States with their bullshit boycotts, they're going where they know they can whip up some anti-gay sentiment. And then? Have they thought about the potential consequences? Have they thought about the harm they could very well do to Starbucks employees in these severely anti-gay countries? Have they thought about the anti-gay violence and murders they could inspire against citizens within these countries? Oh, of course they have. And that's why they want to take their hate-based campaign to the Middle East. It didn't stop them in April when they expanded their DumpStarbucks.com campaign into Turkish, Arabic, and Mandarin for this very reason, and it won't stop them now. They lost big-time, and by God, somebody is going to pay for it.
It's sick. It's twisted. But it's what NOM has to do to maintain any hope of remaining the least bit relevant. This is the flailing of a dying organization and movement. The only question is: How much damage will they do on their way to their grave?
TOP COMMENTS
November 9, 2012
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From Puddytat:
This picture posted by kerflooey is definitely worth 1000 words. It's part of a delicious thread in a diary about the fast disappearance of Mitt Romneys Secret Service security detail. Earlier, he drove in a 15 car motorcade. The next day, he was in a 1 car motorcade. Reportedly, his son Tagg was the driver, but some suspect it might have been Seamus having some schadenfreuden.
From blueoregon:
I'm nominating Helpless' comment in teacherken's diary about what the President should do about dealing with GOP obstructionism in Congress.
From loggersbrat:
In ThatPoshGirl's diary Oops, Republicans Arrested for Voter Fraud, this whole exchange between indycam and the dogs sockpuppet made me laugh.
From BlueJessamine:
Today in kos' diary The most awesome things about Daily Kos, election season 2012, Dave in Northridge agrees with Markos and gives credit where credit is due!
navajo has started something wonderful. May Kossacks around the world meet!
From Dave in Northridge:
jec came up with a hilariously good suggestion for how Republicans could bridge the gap in my own diary about the schism that's developing in the party.
From Pandoras Box:
I'd like to nominate this comment by Deep Dark. Perfectly put!
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TOP PHOTOS
November 8, 2012
Enjoy jotter's wonderful PictureQuilt™ below. Just click on the picture and it will magically take you to the comment that features that photo. Have fun, Kossacks!
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