This last weekend was the 'March For Marriage', a group of people who represent the core of the anti-gay rights movement. They were there to talk to crowds (much smaller than expected, of course) about the impact of marriage and what their definition of marriage means for a community.
Then, Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) dropped some of his 'wisdom' on the crowd.
During his speech to the “March for Marriage” crowd, Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS) urged every man in America to “stand up” and wed “your woman.”
“[women are] desperately looking for a husband. They’re desperately looking for a father,” said Huelskamp, who has introduced a constitutional amendment in the House that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. “Be a real man of God because this is about you. Marriage is about you and your wife and your children.”
Real men, it seems, oppose gay rights. More importantly, the only thing going on in the life of a woman is a desperate search to get married.
Democratic candidate Jim Sherow had no problem putting Huelskamp in his place on this issue.
From Sherow's Facebook Response:
While I applaud my opponent's efforts to encourage men to take responsibility, Mr. Huelskamp's words show just how out of touch he is with his constituents. I know that my daughters' are valuable members of society whether they choose to marry and have children or not. It is never a legislator's role to tell women what they are "desperate" for, or to naively believe that his experiences as a man and elected official give him that right. Regardless of how Mr. Huelskamp may judge their choices, women deserve every opportunity to choose their own destiny.
What Sherow understands is what Huelskamp misses. That marriage is not something that should be undertaken out of a desperate hunt to become whole it is a decision that should be predicated on love and respect between people.
It is about the right of people to chose their own destiny - to make their own decisions in life.
This isn't about an LGBT issue, or gay marriage - it is about the right of a woman to feel as though she is 'whole' without being perceived as in a constant desperate hunt for a husband.
I had figured since Huelskamp at one point was taught by nuns, he'd understand that the idea of asserting that all women desperately hunt for husbands is a bit.. wrong.
It's good to see a Democratic challenger in the Big 1 stand up for those who need it, and against those who obviously devalue them.
So yes, I'll plug his ActBlue. Democrats who speak to all of us deserve our support. It's how we build a party.
https://secure.actblue.com/...