Colorado GOP Senate candidate Ken Buck on “Meet the Press”:
From the same interview:
MR. GREGORY: …
And Mr. Buck I want to start with you. The issue of gays in our country, in a debate last month you expressed your support for “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which we talked about with Mr. Gibbs, and you alluded to lifestyle choices. Do you believe that being gay is a choice?
MR. BUCK: I do.
MR. GREGORY: Based on what?
MR. BUCK: Based on what?
MR. GREGORY: Yeah.
MR. BUCK: Well…
MR. GREGORY: Why do you believe that?
MR. BUCK: Well, I guess you can, you can choose who your partner is.
MR. GREGORY: You don’t think it’s something that’s determined at birth?
MR. BUCK: I, I, I think that birth has an influence over like alcoholism and some other things, but I think that basically you, you have a choice.
Ken Buck wants to be the republican senator from Colorado. If he makes it he will be part of the most influential lawmaking body in the US, arguably the world. And yet his response to the question above does not come from any respected, authoritative medical or psychological organization. It comes from the collective dogma and pseudo-science of ex-gay and anti-gay ministries and their supporting organizations.
For years now such groups have lobbied lawmakers with such false information in an attempt, not to gain any rights for themselves, but to curtail or deny the rights of gay and lesbian citizens. Ex-gays, those who have allegedly changed from homosexual to heterosexual, are presented as proof without any explanation of how the change they represent doesn’t really mean change.
The next time someone says that that ex-gays don’t involve themselves in politics or are not interested in denying civil rights, remember how it works. We cannot allow personal beliefs to encroach on civil rights; our lawmakers must not be allowed to draw on lies when crafting laws that affect our lives.
Hat Tip: Good As You
David, you are so right about this!