Thursday, August 30, 2012

Mitt's Promise Made - And Broken

Tonight Mitt Romney delivered his acceptance speech to the Republican National Convention.  It was well delivered.  Although I hate the content of his speech, he executed it well and my guess is that he’s likely to get a bump in the polls for it.
Mitt: “President Obama promised to begin to slow the rise of the oceans and heal the planet. MY promise...is to help you and your family.”
Let’s reflect on what a Romney-Ryan administration would mean for my family.
Although we are not legally married in Indiana, we are legally married in New York.  Mit Romney supports a federal marriage amendment which would nullify our legal marriage and enshrine discrimination against LGBT people in the United States Constitution. 
The Defense of Marriage Act, which is the federal law that prohibits Indiana from recognizing our legal New York marriage, is something that Mitt has committed to defend vigorously in court.  He would do so through an attorney general that he has sworn will not defend the rights of LGBT Americans.
In regards to civil unions that could bestow all of the legal rights of marriage except for the name itself, Mitt Romney said in May that he wouldn’t support them.
As one of two soon-to-be fathers in my household, I’m concerned that Mitt believes that the “ideal setting to raise a child is with the mom and the dad.”
As the primary income earner for our family, Mitt Romney’s position against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act means that my employer will maintain their right to fire me for being gay (thankfully they adopted an internal Non-discrimination policy in 2012 that includes sexual orientation).  Specifically, Romney thinks that it’s a “burden” that businesses would not be able to fire LGBT employees for their sexual orientation.
In regards to our judiciary branch of government – often the only real hope for a check-and-balance system - Romney has taken a vow to the National Organization of Marriage that he will only appoint anti-LGBT judges.  I don’t hold out hope that the courts will defend my family if Romney has his influence.
Mitt also committed to establishing a commission on religious liberty that would investigate organizations supporting marriage equality. 
Paul Ryan has many of these same positions, but he also supports reinstatement of the anti-gay “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, he opposes gay people adopting (something that Jacob will have to do in order to be the legal second parent of our upcoming child),  and he continues to be opposed to hate crimes legislation of any kind. 
So really, Mitt, I don’t think you can keep your promise to help me and my family.
America must re-elect President Obama in 2012, not for hope and change, but for consistency.  He's already advanced the rights of LGBT citizens significantly during his time in office, but we need more.  With Mitt Romney, we'd likely have less.
This year, think about all families when you step into the ballot box.