Schwarzenegger: Girlie Man

I like many other moderate and/or libertarian Republicans thought that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would present an alternative face of the GOP. Instead of a far right face that sought to put gays back in the closet, the California Governor seemed more concerned with fiscal issues than with two guys holding hands.

I guess I was proven wrong.

It saddens me that the governor chose to wimp out on this issue. Here was a bill that was passed by both houses of the state legislature, NOT by the courts. Schwarznegger, for whatever reason, decided to punt, basically saying that he didn't think the Legislature could overturn the referendum passed by the people back in 2000.

I don't think Arnold is a bigot, but in a long line of politicians of both parties (that means you, Bill Clinton), he has chosen political expendiency over justice.

I think the betrayal of gays by people like Schwarzenegger and Clinton is even more infuriating than dealing with the haters like James Dobson. These people claim to love gays and talk about all the discrimination we feel. But when the rubber hits the road on something as bread and butter as marriage, they back off.

Gays don't simply want to not be discriminated against. Like heterosexuals, we want to form lasting relationships with those we love and have the same legal protections that they have. We want to take care of our spouses should they become ill. We want to take care of children. We want to own homes together and be not have to face a legal quagmire should one partner die.

My parents have been together for 37 years. Both of the have had serious health problems as of late. My Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 (she's three years cancer free, thank God) and my Dad had a heart attack and bladder cancer in 2003 (he's doing well). They have taken care of each other during these dark times. When my Dad was in the hospital about a decade ago for a serious surgery, one of his nieces thanked my Mom for taking care of him. My mother responded "what does she expect? That what I'm supposed to do."

Gay marriage is not about destroying marriage. It's about two people of the same sex who want to be able to take care of their partner without worrying that some authority would try to keep them apart. That's what this is about and shame on Schwarzenegger for not taking that into account.

UPDATE:Dale Carpenter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota has a good article regarding the California Governor and gay marriage.