Local Tester HQ has me FUMING!

[Ediacara]

I went into the local campaign office this afternoon to pick up a bumper sticker, but also to ask a question that has been nagging me for a few weeks. Not long after the primary the Burns campaign put out an add saying that Tester was for gay marriage. Within days the Montana Democratic Party put out an ad saying that Tester was for traditional marriage and opposed gay marriage. All I wanted to know was if Tester would vote for or against the FMA, and if Tester is for Civil Unions.

I went in and two staffers were there, one was on the phone, and the other talked to me. He answered my question by saying, "Jon Tester is for the traditional definition of marriage, but he would vote against the FMA."

Kind of good so far, essentially the same wishy-washy, but tolerable position as Kerry and most Dems.

"He just thinks that tinkering with the Constitution is unnecessary, it's already illegal in most states, so it's not necessary to have something in the Constitution. There are lots of things the Constitution doesn't mention that have laws on the books. Like the Constitution doesn't mention murder, but it's illegal."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just stood there staring at this guy. I couldn't believe those words just came out of his mouth. I couldn't believe anyone would make that comparison, much less a representative of MY party to MY face. They asked if there was anything else they could help me with, I said I wanted a bumper sticker, took one, and left.

I got in my car shaking, and drove for a minute, then turned around, and went back to their office. When I came back in they were all smiles, but I was almost shaking, and half yelled and half stuttered, "Did you seriously just compare gay marriage to murder!?"

He responds with, "No, I just said that murder was illegal and wasn't mentioned in the Constitution and so is gay marriage." Which translates to, "Yes."

"I can't believe you would even think that that's an appropriate comparison, how can you even see those as equal?" I was a little less shaky, and the staffer was going from on-script annoyed to shirking and embarrassed. At this point the other two staffers (the third came in from smoking while I was driving) took over and apologized. One of them said it must have been a slip of the tongue, and said sorry.

The guy I had been talking to apologized. He said it was wrong, and wouldn't happen again. I thanked him for the apology, and left. But I can't help but think how many others have gotten the gay marriage/murder equation, and what went through this guy's mind to initially make this comparison in the first place!

WTF!

[mconvente]

1. Ok, calm down.

Even though Tester's personal feelings may not satisfy you, as long as he votes against the FMA, that's great. On other issues, just as visitation rights for partners of sick partners, and the like, that's another deal that I hope Tester will support.

Overall, regardless if you're for or against gay marriage, any marriage definition should NOT be in the Constitution - period.

[Ediacara]

4. It's not Tester's position that bothers me

Like I said it's the same wishy-washy, but tolerable position held by Kerry and most other elected Dems.

What bothers me is that someone who works for the Party thought that murder was a perfectly appropriate comparison to gay marriage. That the intentional termination of a human life is in any way equivalent to the extension of civil rights to minorities. What kind of thought process leads someone to make that kind of comparison? It's much worse than Cornyn's gay marriage=bestiality comparison, so I really don't have an answer. I just can't believe any Democrat in the 21st Century would say something like that...

[nasher]

10. Elections rely on the efforts of people who are

overworked and/or overpaid and/or inarticulate etc. We have all said stupid things, maybe this was just a bad analogy.

Also, most red state Democrats are never going to be as progressive as blue state Democrats. Republicans usually win Montana by huge margins. Schweitzer and Tester and turning it around though. On a side note, what do you think about Schweitzer?

[Ediacara]

11. The most vociferous opponents of gay marriage and homosexuality

have never EVER compared it to murder that I can recall. Like I've said about 6 times, I think Tester's position is tolerable, but the staffer was making the most obscene comparison I've ever come across.

And yes, I'm quite well aware that red state Democrats are more moderate than blue state Democrats, but Republicans don't tend to "win by huge margins" in Montana (although they certainly can do it, it's hardly a tendency).

As for Schweitzer? He's doing ok, even with his wishy-washy positions.

[MissWaverly]

2. I would write a letter to Tester

and say this is what your volunteers are saying, do you agree with this or not, I would not
let it go, we have to be one nation with liberty and justice for all, not just for some of us,
or those that are approved by the fundies.

[Ediacara]

6. I am going to

maybe later today. It took me almost a half an hour to type the OP, I'm still pretty mad.

[MissWaverly]

7. first print out your post

to show how you have been trying to get money for him, then print out the post about the
foot in mouth guy and send them to him and say, I posted this on my website that has 92,000
readers, thought you would like to know. Oh, when you print the posts from DU, it's better
to do them in landscape, otherwise, it's screwey.

[stevedeshazer]

3. Sad but true, there's lots of bigots in this world, even working for Dems.

Bummer.

Look on the bright side, you spoke up and even elicited an apology when most like-minded folks would walk away.

I admire that.

[Ediacara]

5. Thanks

I actually did walk away for a few minutes because I was so dumbfounded. It was like a bad dream where people said the most absurd things with a straight face and I'm the only sane one left...

[Change has come]

8. Thanks for going back

You called him on his bull-shit statement and got an apology! I bet he doesn't make that "slip of the tongue" again

Well done. :patriot:

[Ediacara]

9. Thanks!

I don't think he will either.

[Tsiyu]

12. Good for you for speaking out

and calling him on it.

Perhaps he was only trying to find in his mind an easy "law" - as in a "statute" or "ruling," not necessarily a "sin" as murder would be considered if one ranked sexual orientation as poor behavior.

In other words, he was using a purely legal rather than moral argument, but his-poorly chosen example turned it into a "moral" comparison to your ears.

Or else he's a putz.

Anyway good on you for guts. :thumbsup: Gotta keep folks on their toes, keep them from growin' cobwebs between the ears!

[IChing]

13. I agree, well said and the OP did something even better

He made everyone "think"
with his impecable logic,
my hat is off to him