Subscribe to Breaking NewsRuby-Sachs: Making Time for Equal Rights in an Economic Crisis
Lesbian couple (Laura Davidson, L, & Nora Skolnick) kissing at candelight rally in support of state's civil union bill outside Vermont Statehouse as legislator's gave preliminary approval to historic gay union legislation.
Lawmakers in Vermont have just introduced legislation to progress from civil unions to gay marriage. When asked how the issue would fare in light of state budget issues, Representative Zuckerman pointed out that, although economic policies are a priority at the moment, there are many committees ably assessing risks and creating solutions and a legislature has room for other lawmaking agendas.
It’s a brilliant answer to a difficult question.
The essence of governance is multi-tasking. We rely on legislators to deal with education policy while also tackling unemployment. That also means being able to deal with equality legislation while determining expenditures for agricultural research.
But somehow, when things get really bad, we start wondering if we aren’t being whiny or self-entitled complaining about a little thing like rights when over 7% of the population doesn’t have a job.
But what Vermont reminds us is that we should expect more of law makers and the general voting public. Running a state, running a country, should be complicated. We should expect people to deal with more than one crisis and more than one success at one time.
As the weekend comes, let this little piece of news spur more agitation and protest and when we’re told that there’s a crisis respond that government is supposed to deal with crisis without violating fundamental rights at the same time. (perhaps that’s something Bush and Cheney should have realized a long time ago).
vanndean, you are right.
What I meant to say is that I would hope that Ruby-Sachs understands that personal rights are of paramount importance. Individual Rights are the fountain from which everything else flows.
I think Vermont should be commended for taking yet another step towards equality, and while there are indeed larger issues that need more immediate attention, any action that brings the LGBT people in the United States closer to experiencing true equality is worthy of celebration.
As for the wider topic here, there is no issue more important than human rights. No war, no economic depression, no disease, no problem so great that human rights should be pushed off the agenda. Sadly, it does happen, and it is encouraging to see that Vermont has taken a lead and kept equality at the top of the political agenda.
Oh yay, legislators are attempting to legalize gay marriage in VT. How irrelevant to things that matter to EVERYONE. Whether queer vermonters can tie the knot matters NOT at all to me in light of the absence of federal hate crimes legislation, workplace antidiscrimination laws, and the existence of DADT. I don’t feel inspired by the so-called gay rights movement’s prioritizing of assimilationist ideals…or constantly peddling the importance of marriage over the other initiatives. I’m not discrediting marriage “equality” as a legitimate RIGHTS based discrepancy, it’s just that people are getting killed because of the sexual orientation and gender identity in states that do not have sentencing enhancements, and in which those killers are getting a PASS because of the status of their victims. And if it were split the difference equal time, why is THIS, by far, the more covered topic? It’s cold comfort to see some bourgeoisie white lesbians or gays get hitched, or exchange a romantic gesture in solidarity as they protest their lack of marriage rights WHEN IN MANY STATES THEY COULD BE FIRED WITHOUT RECOURSE. BOOOOOO!
TRACE wrote: You and I usually have such diametrically opposing views, but I certainly hope that you would not think that rights and equality are and should be a priority.
I would hope that this sounded better in your head than it appeared in the printed word. Is there ever a time when rights and equality should not be a priority?
I think a strong argument for basic fairness toward LGBT people during an economic crisis is that we are all interconnected. Decisions that affect one demographic group indirectly affect us all. Employment discrimination, for example, results in people unfairly being demoted, fired, underpaid, and denied jobs. This in turn decreases spending; it increases poverty and the number of people competing for scarce jobs, government resources, and unemployment benefits. Workplaces and schools suffer when harassment, fear for one’s safety, and lack of benefits interfere with a minority’s ability to contribute effectively. And gay people have heterosexual family and friends that are also affected. Consider an older straight couple who are supported by their gay child. Bill Clinton argued to great effect that poverty of some was a drag on the economy for everyone. I think it can be argued that the economic and personal harm caused by denial of rights has a similar effect.
“But somehow, when things get really bad, we start wondering if we aren’t being whiny or self-entitled complaining about a little thing like rights when over 7% of the population doesn’t have a job.”
Little thing like rights? How about a little thing called equality?
I certainly hope that line was sarcasm. I’m never quite sure when reading your blogs, Ruby-Sachs. You and I usually have such diametrically opposing views, but I certainly hope that you would not think that rights and equality are and should be a priority.
Keeping peoples hopes up will also improve the economy. People forget that everything is related. Economy improves when people are happy and healthy, so we can’t just sit idly by trying to fix the money system and let everything else fall to the wayside, otherwise it is self-defeating.