Yes Mike Conaway, You Are Anti-Gay
A constituent of Texas' 11th district asked Congressman Mike Conaway an interesting question at a recent town hall meeting in Brownwood: "Are you anti-gay?"
“I am not anti-gay,” the congressman asserted, before offering tepid support for civil unions on a state-by-state basis. A decade ago, that would've been a signal of progress. One of those subtle signs that a politician might be warming up to equality. Unfortunately for gay people in Conaway's district, it's 2017.
Marriage equality has been the law for two years. Separate is certainly not equal. Campaigning on a policy to reduce LGBT marriages to civil unions is literally campaigning to "put all the gays back in their place!" Why even bother changing anything, if that's not the goal?
I wanted to know what Conaway meant, or at least how he had arrived to his (perhaps self-assessed?) conclusion, that he isn't anti-gay. Friday, I set out from Midland to his latest congressional town hall meeting in Coleman, Texas.
“I am not anti-gay,” the congressman asserted, before offering tepid support for civil unions on a state-by-state basis. A decade ago, that would've been a signal of progress. One of those subtle signs that a politician might be warming up to equality. Unfortunately for gay people in Conaway's district, it's 2017.
Marriage equality has been the law for two years. Separate is certainly not equal. Campaigning on a policy to reduce LGBT marriages to civil unions is literally campaigning to "put all the gays back in their place!" Why even bother changing anything, if that's not the goal?
I wanted to know what Conaway meant, or at least how he had arrived to his (perhaps self-assessed?) conclusion, that he isn't anti-gay. Friday, I set out from Midland to his latest congressional town hall meeting in Coleman, Texas.
I couldn't remember the last time I'd made that drive, but a lot's changed. The Texas Big Country is somehow more beautiful dotted with a patchwork of soaring spindles churning up the sky. Beneath them, charming new houses and fancy trucks on the roads. Don’t let anyone tell you green energy isn’t valuable to rural and agriculture communities. Further reminders that it's 2017.
“Perhaps Conaway isn’t so bad these days,” the inner (and often wrong) optimist in me wondered, deluded by the gorgeous countryside. Meanwhile, the journalist in me figured I had better give my hometown representative a chance before letting his legislative record and rhetoric speak for itself. Because, oh boy, does that record speak damnable volumes.
In 2006, Mike Conaway co-sponsored the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban marriage equality. It would've been the first constitutional amendment denying people a right under the law, as opposed to establishing a right. In 2010 he opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell — a policy that kept armed services members in the closet and discharged those who were outed. Only last year, Conaway voted to allow federal contractors to discriminate against LGBT people.
On his official congressional blog (https://conaway.house.gov), Conaway argues that marriage should be reserved for heterosexual families as a means to protect children, as though the 400,000+ married same-sex couples in this country aren't real families. That is particularly vile rhetoric, coming from a congressman.
“Perhaps Conaway isn’t so bad these days,” the inner (and often wrong) optimist in me wondered, deluded by the gorgeous countryside. Meanwhile, the journalist in me figured I had better give my hometown representative a chance before letting his legislative record and rhetoric speak for itself. Because, oh boy, does that record speak damnable volumes.
In 2006, Mike Conaway co-sponsored the Federal Marriage Amendment to ban marriage equality. It would've been the first constitutional amendment denying people a right under the law, as opposed to establishing a right. In 2010 he opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell — a policy that kept armed services members in the closet and discharged those who were outed. Only last year, Conaway voted to allow federal contractors to discriminate against LGBT people.
On his official congressional blog (https://conaway.house.gov), Conaway argues that marriage should be reserved for heterosexual families as a means to protect children, as though the 400,000+ married same-sex couples in this country aren't real families. That is particularly vile rhetoric, coming from a congressman.
At the town hall, I detailed Conaway’s voting record on LGBT issues and asked the congressman to reconcile that with his previous assertion that he isn’t anti-gay.
“I am not anti-gay, I just disagree with the lifestyle,” Conaway responded. “Marriage involves one man and one woman--”
“With all due respect,” I interjected. “[Your anti-gay record] involves way more than marriage. What I’ve just outlined.”
“If you'll listen, marriage is a man and a woman ... it's a Christian and Jewish institution, and..." the congressman repeated. Total made-up nonsense.
“It's a civic function..." I corrected.
"Marriage is a man and a woman," Conaway repeated. "If you want to have civil unions..."
"The 14th amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. The Supreme Court has already ruled. I won’t be told that I don't have equal protection under the law,” I objected. “I simply won’t.”
Following that, I exited the town hall meeting. I had other questions on a range of issues affecting the constituents of Texas' 11th congressional district. I regret that I wasn't able to get to them, but I refuse to be indirectly characterized as a second-class citizen. At least not without filing protest.
You're about as anti-gay as elected officials come, Mike ‘I-Disagree-With-The-Lifestyle’ Conaway. That's not an opinion. It is a verifiable fact.
“I am not anti-gay, I just disagree with the lifestyle,” Conaway responded. “Marriage involves one man and one woman--”
“With all due respect,” I interjected. “[Your anti-gay record] involves way more than marriage. What I’ve just outlined.”
“If you'll listen, marriage is a man and a woman ... it's a Christian and Jewish institution, and..." the congressman repeated. Total made-up nonsense.
“It's a civic function..." I corrected.
"Marriage is a man and a woman," Conaway repeated. "If you want to have civil unions..."
"The 14th amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. The Supreme Court has already ruled. I won’t be told that I don't have equal protection under the law,” I objected. “I simply won’t.”
Following that, I exited the town hall meeting. I had other questions on a range of issues affecting the constituents of Texas' 11th congressional district. I regret that I wasn't able to get to them, but I refuse to be indirectly characterized as a second-class citizen. At least not without filing protest.
You're about as anti-gay as elected officials come, Mike ‘I-Disagree-With-The-Lifestyle’ Conaway. That's not an opinion. It is a verifiable fact.
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