Okay FULL DISCLOSURE here.
I have a chip on my shoulder against Freedom To Marry, the organization which “campaigns for the right of same-sex couples to marry in the United States”. That is unless you live in a throwaway state like Ohio or North Carolina where Freedom To Marry totally screwed the LGBT community, because they think that they might not win so it’s a waste of money and time and not worth the effort.
You see earlier in the year “Ohio Freedom to Marry” (no relation) won approval from Ohio’s Ballot Board to move ahead on a proposed amendment legalizing same-sex marriage. Which is a long shot yes. But is worth a try never the less. But Freedom to Marry, the nation’s largest group devoted to the issue of marriage equality, told the Gay People’s Chronicle that it wouldn’t support the effort. because “Ballot measures are expensive and we need to do years of groundwork, hit benchmarks, and get the state to where we can win,”
But I am sure they never said that to the people of Ohio, North Carolina or Maryland who donated money to FTM in the past that their help was conditional to if it was easy to pass same sex marriage in that state..
So without National Freedom to Marry’s backing, The Human Rights Campaign also refused to back it, and then in typical Gay Inc. style even Equality Ohio did a 360 and went from supporting the ballot initiative to refusing to back it. (They just had to be in with the A Gay Inc’s after all)
Well today comes the news that without FTM, HRC, or EO support, that while these numbers are still below national polling 37 percent of people in Ohio now support same-sex marriage, while 50 percent oppose it.
While the numbers seems bad. Thats a 10 POINT JUMP from a similar poll taken 9 months ago in October 2011.
Democrats’ support increased from 46/41 support to a 54/30 majority, and Independents have shifted from opposition (32/51) to support (42/38). A small sample of black voters shifted vastly from opposition (16/63) to support (42/35). And while favor on the issue of marriage may be below average, 66 percent of Ohio voters do support some form of legal recognition for same-sex couples, such as civil unions.
A 10 point jump with no help in 9 months. Imagine what the jump would have been with help and support from Freedom To Marry and the Human Rights Campaign?
In the end when we win same-sex marriage rights in Ohio. And we will. I want to put Freedom to Marry, the Human Right Campaign, and Equality Ohio on notice right now if they try to seek credit for any victories.
You turned your backs on us when we needed you the most and it won’t be forgotten. And while some may be nice enough not to call you out in “polite company”.
Remember. I’m not that polite.
(Oh and btw. More people read this blog than you think)
That’s bullshit that Freedom To Marry aren’t even trying to help, no matter how pointless and how much money it’s cost. Just by their help it makes the cause more visible which makes awarness and education more visible as well. It shouldn’t be forgotten, and I hope at the very least they realize the error in their way and help.
I don’t know about Ohio, but I am glad that Freedom to Marry stayed out of the North Carolina mess. The referendum in North Carolina did not fail because of a lack of money. It failed because the bozos who ran the campaign tried to pretend it didn’t have anything to do with gay people–it was all about the “collateral damage” the amendment would do by harming unmarried straight people! No wonder the amendment passed!
Also it seems that Ohio Equality isn’t doing a very good job in Ohio either. Their executive director (the fourth or fifth in four years) had to resign. People in Ohio need to get their act together before criticizing others for not helping enough.