Posted on 02/04/2005 4:33:14 PM PST by Luis Gonzalez
Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich was noticeably absent from the “Defend Maryland Marriage” rally in Annapolis last week, which drew about 1,000 protesters to Annapolis calling for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in the state.
In his place, Lt. Gov. Michael Steele made an appearance and expressed his support for traditional unions while remaining mum on whether he backs an amendment to the Maryland Constitution barring gay couples from marrying.
“We are here to affirm that marriage is only between a man and a woman,” Steele said. “We need to make it clear where Maryland stands.”
Shareese N. DeLeaver, Ehrlich’s press secretary, said that the governor would have attended the rally but was in New York accepting an award from an Ivy League football group.
Steele told the crowd that the governor would have spoken had he not had a scheduling conflict.
“Please know he is here in spirit as I am here physically,” Steele said.
Steele’s reluctance to state whether or not he supports an amendment to prohibit gay marriage remains consistent with his previous statements. In September, the lieutenant governor told the Washington Times that a premature discussion regarding a state constitutional amendment was detracting from more important issues during the 2004 election.
His press spokesperson, Regan Hopper, did not respond to Blade inquiries this week.
Ehrlich opposes marriage rights for same-sex couples. After a lawsuit was filed in July by the American Civil Liberties Union claiming that the state’s current law prohibiting gay marriage violates the Maryland Constitution, Ehrlich condemned the action as part of the ACLU’s “far left agenda.” He added that “traditional marriage in my view and the view of most Marylanders and Americans is the cornerstone of our society.”
Yet the governor has yet to publicly express support for an amendment banning gay marriage even as members of his own party, including Del. Donald Dwyer (R-Anne Arundel), are spearheading the effort to pass such a ban.
“[Ehrlich] wants it both ways,” said gay delegate Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County). “He wants to tell the righteous wing of the party that he’s with them on marriage being between a man and a woman but doesn’t want to alienate the reasonable wing of the party, the independent voters who are not comfortable with singling out people in our constitution.
“He won the last election by promising to be a moderate. The people who are out there leading the charge on the constitutional amendment could never be mistaken for moderates.”
Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland, issued a warning about Ehrlich’s opinions on gay marriage.
“Governor Ehrlich is portraying in the media that he is tepid to the idea of a constitutional amendment or DOMA,” Furmansky said. “But we can’t presuppose anything when there is a wink of the eye and a pat on the back from the second in command to a group of zealots with no respect for the separation of church and state, and no respect for the constitutional rights of thousands of Marylanders.”
Anthony McCarthy, a political commentator for WYPR radio in Baltimore who is gay, said the governor is playing smart politics because he is running for re-election next year.
“A majority of Marylanders may not support same-sex marriage but they do recognize that the leadership of the anti-gay marriage movement comes off as very extremist and mean-spirited,” McCarthy said. “I am not sure they want to be so closely associated with that kind of base.”
Early last year the General Assembly rejected attempts to reinforce a law that already stipulates that marriage in Maryland is between a man and a woman. In March, the House Judiciary Committee voted 11-9 to kill a bill that would have prohibited Maryland from recognizing a gay marriage performed in another state or foreign country.
Another defeated bill, sponsored by Del. Charles R. Boutin (R-Cecil, Harford Counties), sought to amend Maryland’s Constitution to read, “Only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this state.”
Marriage has been limited to opposite-sex couples in Maryland since 1973 under Section 2-201 of the Family Law Article, which provides, “Only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this state.”
Turnout falls short of expectations
Organizers of last week’s rally had predicted tens of thousands of protesters would show up but media reports estimated that only 1,000 demonstrators participated in the event.
Delegate Emmett Burns (D-Baltimore County) — known for his anti-gay positions — took to the podium to deride gay men and lesbians, according to the Associated Press, and was booed by some protesters.
“I’m married to a woman,’’ Burns said. “My wife is pretty and she’s soft. I won’t turn on my pillow in the morning and hear someone say [in a deep voice], ‘Good morning. How are you?’”
In a related development, Equality Maryland announced this week that Maya Keyes, the lesbian daughter of the anti-gay conservative Alan Keyes, is scheduled to headline the group’s lobby day in Annapolis on Feb. 14.
Keyes was the subject of much speculation last fall during her father’s failed campaign for a U.S. Senate seat from Illinois. Various Web sites and bloggers circulated rumors that the former ambassador’s daughter was a lesbian. The story gained particular significance after Alan Keyes called Vice President Dick Cheney’s gay daughter Mary a “selfish hedonist” during a radio interview in August at the Republican National Convention in New York.
According to an Equality Maryland statement, Maya Marcel-Keyes describes herself as a “young queer anarchist.” She was raised in Darnestown, Md., and attended high school at Oakcrest Preparatory School, a conservative Catholic school for girls in McLean, Va. She spent a year in the south of India where she worked with a tribal rights group and plans to attend Brown University this fall.
Michael Steele is going to go far. And as much as I like Alan Keyes, Steele is a much better candidate on any issue.
Well, I distinctly remember one of them saying they were not going to answer questions about it (which indicated at the time that it was true). As it turns out, there's even more to it than just the lesbianism. Whaddya know? Sheesh.
I know, I was just teasing. Probably a mistake. I hope I don't get banned.
I know,I know.........*sigh*
It's a terrible burden trying to change the world, isn't it?
I guess so...though I have less than NO experience in that venue.
I've always heard "What goes around, comes around."
Have you ever heard that one?
Me either. I just think it's ironic that the problems he's trying to prevent in the rest of the world show up under his own roof, so to speak.
Actually, I'd guess that it's the ultimate rebellion, or else a bid for Daddy's attention, but I'm not a psychiatrist, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night.
Yeah, I've heard that. This sounds like a major case of rebellion/backlash to me, but I'm not a parent, so I don't know...but I think it's rather odd that someone so willing to comment on someone else's offspring wouldn't be open and forthcoming regarding his own.
I'm tracking with you on all of that - just saw your post after I composed my own.
I think it's rather odd that someone with the same problem at home would have such an apparent lack of compassion for someone else with a lesbian daughter, or for someone else's lesbian daughter.
And, GMTA!
Alan needs to attend to his own children/family,before he throws out nasty,uncalled for insults at other parents! At least Mary Cheney isn't an avowed anarchist and unlike Maya Keyes,hasn't publicly made a spectacle of herself in an IN YOUR FACE LESBIAN way,as Maya Keyes has.
Did I forget my sarcasm off tag?
:-)
Oh, I'm sure she'll find a way to lick this problem.
Will the voters get a chance to vote on this?
Ummmmmmmm...why yes,you did. :-)
No doubt. : )
Hmm, were is everyones favorite Keyes activist, you know, the one that if you say anything wrong about his cult leader, he pings JR.
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