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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

John McCain and Senate Democrats outbreak of homophobia over immigration bill

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 01:06 PM

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Republican Senator John McCain

In a truly shocking moment of high handed arrogance, Senator John McCain announced this morning that granting immigration rights to legally married gay couples was not 'a matter of paramount importance' to him, or presumably anyone.

Well, it may not be a terrific surprise that a rich old white Republican man can't bring himself to think of gay people as his social equals, but I can tell you it's a matter of 'paramount importance' to the tens of thousands of pointlessly separated gay couples whose legal marriages are still rendered meaningless by the pointless Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

McCain's casual bigotry, unthinkingly expressed, is precisely why he lost the presidency in 2008. McCain still calls a move toward equality for gay people a 'red flag.' But it's liberty and justice for all, not just for some, Senator McCain.

Frankly, McCain is of the generation of elderly conservatives who can not and will not see the common humanity that he shares with the gay people whose lives and fondest hopes he is so casually consigning to the waste bin.

Instead he is playing to the GOP's evangelical base and hoping to fracture Democratic resolve, and he's being successful at it.

McCain's Democratic colleagues in the senate have failed to call him out for his hostility to gays, because they don't have much to crow about themselves yet.

On Monday the bipartisan blueprint produced by group of senators for comprehensive immigration reform contained no provision for bi-national same-sex couples, despite the years long push among LGBT advocates to include such language in immigration reform.

This is shameful. It's political cowardice.

Read more: Immigration reform advocate Chuck Schumer says 2013 year Congress ‘finally gets it done’

Senators Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez and Michael Bennet may still not understand that the time has come to include longstanding gay couples in a reform bill but thankfully President Obama clearly does.

It is past time for Senate Democrats to use the tactical advantage they have to their clear advantage - Republicans are desperate to show Latino voters they support reform. They are desperate for a successful bill. Now is the time to move all bills forward.

It's beyond disgusting to watch Republicans and some Democrats still play politics with people's lives over immigration reform for gay couples, as though it were 1983 and not 2013. The time for these risible theatrics is over.

Frankly we expected more from Senate Democrats and we will hold them to account if they walk on sensible reform now, when their hand has never been stronger.

See more: LGBT , Irish Democrats , Irish Republicans

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McNamara31 | Jan 30, 2013, 10:28 AM EST

PhlutiePhan "Is BHO really a symbol of the risen Christ" Many in American politic "use" religion rather than live it. Obama is married to his first and only wife, is a great father and has his mother in law watching the children. He has attended church in Washington and has given many prayers at official meetings yet he continues to be vilified as no other president has been. Why?

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slainte9 | Jan 30, 2013, 10:11 AM EST

Here's an example of one of the left's big problems. As soon as a Republican comes forward with a compromise on a very controversial issue, activists on the left throw in something else controversial that's not directly related to the immediate problem. Who says the Tea Party crowd are the only people who stand in the way of progress. Extremists on the left are just as bad.

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PhlutiePhan | Jan 30, 2013, 10:04 AM EST

@Rebelforce: How about that 6.5 in the Hanoi Hilton? He left a wife behind and came back a different and scarred man. He has already stated how sorrowful that he was in regard to his wife. It is called remorse. You call for his head in regard to being faithful to marriage in one breath and with the next desicrate the meaning itself. J Mac defended a country with ideals and suffered accordingly. Christ Himself suffered and died on a cross for the sins of "man". Is BHO really a symbol of the risen Christ for his support of depravity while McCain is just a Nazi storm trooper? "It all depends on what the meaning of 'is' is".

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pat1505 | Jan 30, 2013, 10:03 AM EST

Rebelforce I think perhaps you should read the Bible, I will cede the literal point that Jesus does not specifically speak on the issue of Homosexuality but he does specifically speak on marriage. Matthew 19 and divorce. Hollabackgurl it would behoove you to take a textile class or a class in food safety. That of which you speak you do not know the cloth reference is to the fact that the strongest weave is always made of the same materials and the shellfish was considered dangerous due to allergies and biological toxicity.

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lecorri | Jan 30, 2013, 09:27 AM EST

Oh for crying out loud! Gays are humans, citizens, patriots, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers just like everyone else. This bible rubbish is getting on my last nerve. If you choose to believe the bible, literally or otherwise, be my guest..but dont expect that everyone else is going to share your views.

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McNamara31 | Jan 30, 2013, 09:24 AM EST

Coming from a military family where my husband, father and brother all served in the military, we find that the present day John McCain a pathetic caricature of the man he once was. After failing in two past presidential attempts, he has become a man who will lower himself to the bigoted agenda of the conservatives, smear, obstruct and vilify at every chance, and is an example of all that’s wrong in our government today. Remember, he is the man who chose the very inept Palin to be second in command, because he thought it would "energize" his campaign, and get the female vote. How out of touch, and simplistic are his views of American women as well.

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Shmrck5S | Jan 30, 2013, 09:15 AM EST

Pardon me, but it's an immigration bill, not a bill regarding gay rights. Should we also re-write the second amendment to reiterate the rights of gay married people (an oxymoron in my book) to keep and bear arms? Should we now put marital statuses on drivers' licenses so we can include "gay married" to prove the right of gay people to drive? It ain't all about being gay. You don't like girls; we get it. Can we talk about something else?

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Nicopernicus | Jan 30, 2013, 08:58 AM EST

Trashy piece.Simply trashy.

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hollabackgurl | Jan 29, 2013, 07:33 PM EST

I don't see why we should heed the input of some bronze age bigots, who also believed eating shrimp or wearing mixed fabrics was an 'abomination.' Democrats need to get this done. Now is the time.

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Rebelforce | Jan 29, 2013, 04:37 PM EST

@ Seanmor: If McCain is such a good Christian how come he DIVORCED his first wife? We know Jesus never mentions homosexuality, but He was unambiguous about His opposition to DIVORCE and likened it to ADULTERY. Jesus also warned against being a hypocrite. Read about it in the "Holy Bilbe" (sic)

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Seanmor | Jan 29, 2013, 04:14 PM EST

John McCain is a Christian whose oppositin to same-sex unions is based on the Holy Bilbe, which tells us that it is "an abomination" for a man to lie with an other man as he woud with a woman. In all lkelyhood the former P.O.w. also knows that Jesus Christ said" "A man shall leave his father and mother and cleve to his wife". There is nothing in the Old or New Testiments to suggest that same-sex unions are acceptable to Almighty God.

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