by
Matt | June 28th, 2008 |
3 Comments »
I’m bitter and outraged. Perhaps even a little radical. The Arizona Senate has broken all that America cherishes as our foundational principles and ideals. The federal government, charged with enforcing these ideals as embodied in the Constitution, is, of course, no where to be found.
Arizona, after soundly defeating a marriage amendment in 2006, will yet again face another constitutional showdown at the ballot box. It was decided last night. The vote on the amendment is maddening in and of itself, but what happened to two openly gay members of the Arizona Senate is even more maddening.
From Equality Arizona:
Integrity Lost
Tonight’s debate was intense for everyone on the Senate floor and those of us watching in the gallery. But what happened to our openly-gay Senators by their colleagues was absolutely disgusting. Senate extremists strategically broke the rules of the Senate, which govern the processes for discussion and voting on bills. During a filibuster-like discussion on another bill during Committee of the Whole, Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor (R-22) and Majority Whip John Huppenthal (R-20), among others, devised a scheme with committee chairman Jack Harper (R-4) to outright violate the rules of the Senate and the rights of Senators Aboud and Cheuvront.
In the middle of their discussion, Senator Harper turned off the microphones of Senators Paula Aboud (D-28) and Ken Cheuvront (D-15) and called on the Majority Leader to make a motion. Then, when Senators Aboud and Cheuvront loudly called for a Point of Order several times, even walking to the front desk where Senator Harper sat, he deliberately ignored their calls. To add insult to injury, these people attempted to justify their actions, even after the Senate President and other Senators admonished them for deliberately breaking the rules. Tonight’s actions of these and other Senators have forever tainted that body, and it’s important that we all let the people of Arizona know how these individuals acted so unethically.
If this happened in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas or Virginia, and if these clear violations of the rights of American citizens duly elected to represent the People in a body like the Senate had happened to African-Americans, the federal government would be all over it like white on rice.

Arizona Sens. Paula Aboud and Ken Cheuvront (pictured right) were, without question, denied their rights as duly elected members of the Arizona Senate and their rights as American citizens. As Equality Arizona has said, the amendment vote in that state was nothing less than a referendum on the LGBT community itself, including Sens. Aboud and Cheuvront.
Maybe I’m just a radical, but since the federal government is clearly not going to enforce our Constitution (as they would if these violations had occurred against African-Americans), the People should take their own stand. Arizona LGBTs should be out on the street today, demanding the impeachment/recall/resignation of those Arizona Senate members who stripped their gay colleagues of their rights.
All LGBT Americans, by the actions of the Arizona Senate, have been reminded that we are not equal, do not have the rights of other American citizens and should be silenced. Further, they’re willing to enshrine these shameful, bigoted beliefs into their state constitution.
But where is the federal government? They’re twiddling their thumbs.
Why aren’t they enforcing the Supreme Law of the Land? Because they could really care less; after all, it just happened to the gays.
“Created equal.” “Out of many one.” “Inalienable rights.” “Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness.”
Yeah… it all sounds good, but sometimes it’s just so hard not to think of it all as bullshit, and nothing more.
I bet anyone a $100 the federal government does nothing to punish the Arizona Senate for their actions against Sens. Aboud and Cheuvront. When (not if) I win the bet, I’ll send ya’ll my paypal link.
Posted in Anti-LGBT, Civil Rights, LGBT, Marriage Equality, Politics, United States | 3 Comments »