July 10, 2009

New straight hero on DADT

Posted by: Andoni

Congressman Patrick Murphy, a straight Congressman from PA, is taking the lead on repealing DADT. The above clip from the Rachel Maddow Show clearly demonstrates Murphy's passion and determination to get this done. The other clip at the end shows Murphy burying a right wing defender of DADT during Congressional hearings and is definitely worth watching. It demonstrates Murphy's ability to handle himself while under fire from the right wing. All the attributes of a good soldier are evident in the second clip. He both served and taught in the military and knows the culture and the rules inside out.

It's my opinion that we need more straight politicians leading on gay issues. It's fine that we have Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, and now Jared Polis representing our interests as gay people in Congress, but I really think that when a straight person takes up a gay cause, it gives it much more credibility. When a gay politician is for gay rights, the sub text is that it is simply self serving for his community. When a straight person takes up gay rights, it truly becomes a civil rights/human rights issue and more people are convinced of its rightness.

Another problem is I don't think our gay Congressional leaders push hard enough. Maybe there is a bit of self censorship going on because they don't want to be perceived simply as the "gay" Congressman. They would rather be known as the the chair of this or that committee. As a result, they don't agitate enough on our issues.

The Civil Rights Movement did not really take off until white people began advocating for the rights of blacks as well as blacks themselves.

This may be our turning point, as straight politicians Congressman Jerry Nadler and Senator Patrick Leahy (two others we should consider heros) have become fierce advocates for the Uniting American Families Act, the bill that would recognize gay partnerships for immigration. Now we need a straight politician to take the lead on repealing DOMA.

Below are the co-sponsors of Congressman Murphy's DADT repeal bill. If yours is not on the list, get busy, call your Congressperson and ask him/her to co-sponsor. And don't let up until they do.

And don't forget the clip of Murphy in action at the end.

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] - 3/17/2009
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] - 7/8/2009
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] - 3/12/2009
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] - 6/16/2009
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 3/3/2009
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] - 6/8/2009
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 3/3/2009
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] - 4/27/2009
Rep Carson, Andre [IN-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11] - 3/3/2009
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI] - 3/3/2009
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 3/3/2009
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 3/3/2009
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 4/27/2009
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] - 3/3/2009
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] - 3/6/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6] - 3/9/2009
Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] - 3/3/2009
Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] - 4/2/2009
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] - 3/3/2009
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 3/3/2009
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] - 3/3/2009
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 3/3/2009
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 3/3/2009
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] - 3/6/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19] - 3/3/2009
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 3/3/2009
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] - 3/3/2009
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 3/3/2009
Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] - 6/26/2009
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] - 4/29/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 3/3/2009
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 3/3/2009
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 3/3/2009
Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 3/9/2009
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 3/9/2009
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30] - 3/3/2009
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] - 3/5/2009
Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15] - 3/5/2009
Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22] - 6/9/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] - 6/23/2009
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12] - 7/8/2009
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 3/3/2009
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 3/3/2009
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] - 6/23/2009
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 3/3/2009
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Massa, Eric J. J. [NY-29] - 3/23/2009
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep McMahon, Michael E. [NY-13] - 6/9/2009
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17] - 3/3/2009
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] - 3/3/2009
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] - 3/23/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 3/3/2009
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 3/3/2009
Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] - 3/3/2009
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep Peters, Gary C. [MI-9] - 5/13/2009
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 3/3/2009
Rep Price, David E. [NC-4] - 3/3/2009
Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5] - 6/2/2009
Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37] - 3/17/2009
Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18] - 3/3/2009
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 3/3/2009
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] - 3/3/2009
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] - 3/3/2009
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 3/17/2009
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] - 3/3/2009
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] - 3/3/2009
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 3/3/2009
Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Snyder, Vic [AR-2] - 3/12/2009
Rep Speier, Jackie [CA-12] - 3/3/2009
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 3/3/2009
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] - 3/3/2009
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 3/3/2009
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 3/17/2009
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 3/3/2009
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] - 3/3/2009
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 3/3/2009
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 3/3/2009
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 3/3/2009
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] - 3/3/2009
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 3/3/2009
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 3/3/2009
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 3/3/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 3/3/2009
Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 3/3/2009
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] - 6/9/2009

And don't forget to watch this clip of Murphy in action.

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