That's so 36 years ago

In another press release, the GLBT Libertarian group, Outright Libertarians Nashville-Middle Tennessee, responds to the news of the most inclusive Democratic Party platform ever.

The Democratic Party Platform , which is to be presented to the Democratic National Convention in Denver later this month for approval, finally adds what party officials described as language opposing the Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,”

Outright Libertarians Nashville would like to extend a warm welcome to the Democratic Party to 1972. For the last thirty-five years the Libertarian Party Platform has included equality in marriage, adoption, military service, and immigration for all regardless of their sexual orientation.

If either the Democrat or Republican Parties are looking for more great ideas to include in their party platform, they are more then [sic] welcome to check out the Libertarian Party Platform and take ideas on individual liberties and personal responsibilities.

The final draft of the Democratic platform has not been released yet. Although it does not include the words "gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender," it addresses specific policy issues of concern to the GLBT community and does use the terms that are increasingly appearing in legislation such as sexual orientation and gender identity, according to those who helped draft the document and those who participated in a conference call explaining its details.

Down right Outright Libertarians!

Outright Libertarians, the GLBT division of the Libertarian party, has started a Nashville area provisional chapter. From their press release:

Unlike our friends in the Stonewall Democrats and Log Cabin Republicans, Outright Libertarians have broad based support in the our party and need not fight for basic recognition of our equal status in society. In the Libertarian Party, GLBTQ individuals start with the assumption of equal status and equality under the law.

In contrast to other parties, the Libertarian Party has included sexual rights, including equal marriage and adoption, equal military service, and the end of sodomy laws, ever since its first national platform in 1972. We're very happy with our party and its platform, our main job is to reach out to the LGBT community to explain why Libertarians offer better solutions to our community than any of the other political parties.

With friends like these...

Ron Hart, a former member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, is a "Southern humorist." I'm not sure whether that means he's Southern and a humorist or he believes he's writing Southern humor. In this piece, he hits as many stereotypes and stock images as possible--Liza Minnelli's marriage, leather chaps, Indigo Girls CD collections, activist judges, liberal elitists, gay priests, Richard Simmons, "hot lesbians," and references to the "mechanics of gay male relationships."

Sorry I had to stop typing for a moment because I was slapping my knees so hard.

Despite the carnival that our community apparently presents, Mr. Hart still manages to say that he agrees with the California Supreme Court's recent ruling on marriage. The libertarian stuff at the end supposedly supplies the justification for his view.

Thanks for the help, Ron. I can hear our fellow Southerners laughing all the way to the voting booth. I can't wait for your piece on race relations.