Kudos to Governor Beebe, He Actually “Manned-up”!

I have on several past occasions accused Governor Beebe of Arkansas fame of needing to “man-up”. He has perfected, if not invented, the political philosophy of “not doing anything that offends anyone”. Well this last Wednesday June 29 it was reported that he “manned-up” the previous Tuesday. Since I’ve been so diligent to take The Beebe to task for being the ‘cowardly lion’, the need for fair and honest ‘blogging’ requires that I must recognize this wonderful, even if a “one-off”, manifestation of manhood on his part.

Seems that he was invited to speak to a group self-named Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Arkansas. Turns out that he was speaking to a homosexual-rights group. Actually he already knew that as he had turned down their contribution to his 2006 campaign for Governor. They subsequently withdrew their endorsement of The Beebe after he made a campaign statement against homosexual foster parents.

Exactly why they invited him to speak now wasn’t reported but one might surmise that with the recent New York state approval of homosexual marriages they were hoping to apply some pressure on him. Well children, I’m here to report that The Beebe ‘manned-up” and put it on the line to these folks.

Per the local paper, here are some of his comments to the above-mentioned group:

1. “Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday that ‘attitudes in Arkansas toward same-sex marriage aren’t likely to change in the foreseeable future.” [Arkansas’ constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriage passed in 2004 with a 75% voter majority.]
2. “’If you want tolerance, if you want understanding, you’ve got to give It, Beebe said.”
3. “Beebe said that his opinion that marriage is between a man and a woman has not changed.”
4. “He [Beebe} said after the meeting that he also does not support civil unions. ‘I don’t favor them. I don’t think we need to pass a state law’, Beebe said. ‘That’s not what the majority of the folks [at the event] really wanted to hear, but that’s how I feel’.”

(Shirley, I’m almost beginning to like this guy. Oh, I know that he’s a “Neo-Democrat”, but he went into the lion’s den and stuck a stick in their eye! He was willing to trade off 150 votes and stick to his guns!)

5. “Beebe said that’ public opinion isn’t going to change in the foreseeable future. That’s the law and that’s the constitution and that’s just the way it is’, Beebe told the crowd. ‘That is a fundamental disagreement that you and I have. I don’t think that it is discrimination because I think that’s an appropriate societal judgment’.”

Can you believe all of that? A “Neo-Democratic” telling a bunch of gay rights folks that he not only disagrees with them, but he thinks that that judgment is societally correct. No equivocation here. I bet his campaign committee chairman experienced a mild cardiac infarction, whatever that is.

KUDOS for The Beebe Manning-up!!! Hip, Hip, Hooray!!!

One last item on this agenda. Seems that one of the attendees was really upset that the Batesville Daily Guard had not listed him as a survivor in the ‘free’ obituary when his ‘significant other’ had passed away. The newspaper told the feller… (Now that’s interesting. When two guys are making out like man and woman, what do you call the ‘woman-man’? You can’t call him a ‘feller’, yet it sounds just as strange to call him a her, or dame, or woman, or something feminine. I know, for our purposes here we’ll just call him a ‘himher’.) Well the paper had told this ‘himher’ that their policy was that in the ‘free’ obit they only list legal spouses, relatives, and kin. But for $85.00 ‘himher’ could submit a more in-depth obit. Well the cheapskate wasn’t so distressed in feelings to fork-over $85.00 for ‘mentioning value’ but the ‘himher’ is now so offended that ‘himher’ brings it up to the governor on Tuesday last. “Governor, what do you think of the paper’s homophobic policy to not list ‘himhers’ for free in their obits?” (Or something like that was thrown into the Gov’s face.) Well our newly found manly Governor responded, “Beebe said the policy did not specifically exclude homosexuals partners and that the government shouldn’t get involved.” Can you believe that? A “Neo-Democrat” politician actually stating in public that there is something in which the government should not get involved! The Governor continued, “And I think that you’re wrong. The way I understand the facts, this was an unpaid obituary, and in an obituary they don’t list any partner whether its gay or straight – only actual legal married relatives are listed, Beebe said.” (emphasis mine).

Beebe may have been attempting to assist in resolving my dilemma on what to call the ‘her’ in a ‘him-him’ relationship. Did you notice that Beebe referred to the person in the last quote above as “it”? So takes your pick and makes your choice, the ‘her’ in a ‘him-him’ relationship can be called an ”it” or a ‘himher’. Of course pride of authorship, and also in pursuit of real clarity, I prefer ‘himher’.

One last thought. Why would this group use the sacred name of a noble Confederate General who, I’ll ‘betcha’ your last buck, wasn’t in favor of homosexual marriage? “Stonewall” Democratic Caucus of Arkansas? Oh, the group also claims that they are not an affiliate of the Democratic Party of Arkansas. I have grave doubts about the veracity of that statement, but after last Tuesday’s “manned-up” session with The Beebe, they just might be considering a name change. The “Stonewall ‘Himher’ Caucus of Arkansas just might be a possibility. Wish that they would change it to “The Custer Himher Caucus of Arkansas”.