I think it is clear from my posts that I don't agree with all of Bennie's platform. That said, I want to reinforce the importance of distinguishing between support and news coverage. It is a personal decision to support a candidate. It is a professional responsibility to provide news coverage of a candidate. I can think of no more important reason to cover a candidate's campaign than the possibility that it is damaging to the GLBT community. I would certainly wish to know what was happening. A true journalist, in the tradition of Huntley and Brinkley, would give unbiased coverage and allow the reader to decide. This does not happen in real life. One only needs to read The Daily News and the L.A. Times in Los Angeles to see that the first is conservative and the second liberal IN THEIR COVERAGE. If the Tranny Tribune wishes to take a stand in it's support, that is one issue. If it denies coverage of a TG persons campaign, then it denies it's readers an important source of news for personal reasons. This reflects poorly on any publication.
Let us suppose, for the sake of argument, that I disagree with Bennie's platform to the point of not voting for her....I might still vote for her for the effect of demonstrating to the public that we are here, we are a force to be noted and we are not going away because they choose to ignore us and our rights. I don't think that Bennie will be our next President....however, this does not mean she cannot contribute to bringing us into the public eye by participating in the election process. I would definitely vote for Bennie ahead of George Bush if those were my two choices. I don't like either of my U.S. Senators in CA. However, there are issues on which I do agree with them. I voted Democrat across the board in the last election to send a message to the Republican Party and to Bush. It is the first time in my iife I have voted Democrat. In this case, the country agreed with me and the power in congress shifted to the left. Yesterday, the House voted to withdrew US troops from Iraq by April of 2008. I feel that voting for people I did not like as candidates had an effect on a bigger issue. What would happen if Bennie got 1% of the popular vote in the Presidential election? You bet people would take notice of us! Even by her running, that could happen. We have to decide as individuals if we feel that is more important or not than Bennie's position on GLBT issues. Even if people point out Bennie is against Hate Crimes legislation, it opens up dialog on these issues and probably coverage of other TG spokespersons. It could be the BEST thing that happens to get public attention for TG/TS issues. This is realpolitik, not theoretical or ethical factors. Anyone who has seen parliamentary politics knows the power of politics based on practical and material factors.
Agree or disagree with Bennie as you see fit. Don't deny us the right to make our own decisions by denying us coverage of this candidate or any candidate who impacts our community for good or bad.
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NOTE: i WROTE THIS AND POSTED IT BEFORE SEEING KATIE'S POST. It had no influence on my post.
"A live lived in fear is a life half-lived." - Native American proverb.
"Inside every man is a woman who was drowned in testosterone before birth". - Wendy Jeanette Larsen
"It is better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you're not." - Andre Gide (French writer)