Make no mistake about it: There is a new America after this election. Tuesday was full of watershed moments for LGBT equality, as the nation, from shore to shiny shore, spoke with one voice.
Simple recap, since there’s a lesson here. Up to this election, we had lost ballots in 32 states on marriage equality. This election brought not one, but four, state victories — Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota, the latter of which beat back an anti-equality referendum. Not only did marriage equality win, but we also elected our first out member of the U.S. Senate, Tammy Baldwin. A host of out candidates also won in state representative, state senate and Congressional races. And let us not forget that the president of the United States of America ran as a pro-marriage-equality candidate and his party, the Democratic Party, has a strong marriage-equality plank.
While the Republicans ran or attacked the issue, the president and his party embraced it. And America rewarded them with victories.
Putting all of this together, it is rather obvious. But two main points stand out. The nation has indeed embraced the LGBT community and no longer will tolerate the Republican Party scare tactics — meaning, we are no longer fair game to be hunted in an election. There are places that will still attempt to use this issue (read Mississippi and Alabama), but that brings me to point number two, which if you read this column, you know I’ve been preaching about for almost a year now: People like Rick Santorum are walking dinosaurs. The Republican Party has to see the handwriting on the wall; they must change, since demographics on all sides are against them. Latinos, women, Asians and Pacific Islanders, LGBTs and moderates, among many other groups, all left the GOP,running for the doors.
The marriage of the Tea Party and Republicans is about to hit a wall. This is going to be a civil war of sorts, and it might be a while until we see the new Republican Party, which as we’ve noted here, will mirror the conservatives in Great Britain and support LGBT equality. This is a place where Log Cabin and GOProud can finally prove themselves. You guys owe your community, and here’s the payback: Get us the Republican votes in the House to pass ENDA. Without that, you prove yourselves a paper tiger with no clout.
And the greatest news of the night: If there are openings on the Supreme Court, they will be named by President Obama.
Congratulations and thank you, President Obama.
Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. He can be reached at [email protected].