Biggest city in Texas elects openly gay mayor!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Let's hear it for the Gay State of Texas.

[peejay 327]

Voter turnout constituted a whopping 16.5% of the Houston electorate... meaning that whoever was elected to ANY office received an indisputably overwhelming mandate.

That statement just doesn't make sense. An 83.5% voter apathy rate just doesn't equate into a mandate.

[slim 1,525]

First, it's equal protection under the law. Second - equal doesn't equate to exact same treatment. For example, adding a ramp to a public library to allow adequate access for the handicapped. Treating them the exact same would mean not making the handicapped a ramp, but making them take the stairs just like everyone else.

Adding a ramp is giving folks equal access. In politics, that would be akin to adding someone to the ballot - not actually getting them elected. What we've done nowadays is we've made it so we're not happy until our electorate resembles every single group in our society.

Sure, everyone should have a voice, but should that voice be equal, especially when it only represents 5% of the population?

Bullsh1t. I just made you curious --- and no, you cannot watch. Pervert

Isn't it in the TOS that you have to post an X-Tube link? I'm pretty sure it's in there somewhere.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

First, it's equal protection under the law. Second - equal doesn't equate to exact same treatment. For example, adding a ramp to a public library to allow adequate access for the handicapped. Treating them the exact same would mean not making the handicapped a ramp, but making them take the stairs just like everyone else.

Adding a ramp is giving folks equal access. In politics, that would be akin to adding someone to the ballot - not actually getting them elected. What we've done nowadays is we've made it so we're not happy until our electorate resembles every single group in our society.

Sure, everyone should have a voice, but should that voice be equal, especially when it only represents 5% of the population?

Bullsh1t. I just made you curious --- and no, you cannot watch. Pervert

Isn't it in the TOS that you have to post an X-Tube link? I'm pretty sure it's in there somewhere.

You will have to ask my husband... it is a well known fact he manages my *ahem* career ---almaty has tried to sell pirate copies, but was caught recently.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

First, it's equal protection under the law. Second - equal doesn't equate to exact same treatment. For example, adding a ramp to a public library to allow adequate access for the handicapped. Treating them the exact same would mean not making the handicapped a ramp, but making them take the stairs just like everyone else.

Adding a ramp is giving folks equal access. In politics, that would be akin to adding someone to the ballot - not actually getting them elected. What we've done nowadays is we've made it so we're not happy until our electorate resembles every single group in our society.

Sure, everyone should have a voice, but should that voice be equal, especially when it only represents 5% of the population?

I don't follow you. How does being an openly gay mayor translate to representing only homosexuals?

[zqt3344 21]

Gay Texans in charge, oh my what is GW Bush's grand state coming to next!

From the Houston Chronicle:

With 89 percent of precincts counted, Parker holds a lead of nearly 8,000 voters, a divide that former City Attorney Gene Locke cannot make up with the relatively small pool of voters expected to be counted in the remainder of the night.

Parker's election-day advantage has reached nearly 11 points.

With 652 of 738 precincts reporting in Harris County and 100 percent in Fort Bend County (slightly less than half of the total), Parker leads former City Attorney Gene Locke by about three points with 52.7 percent to his 47.3 percent. About 7,000 votes separate them out of more than 145,000.

She won despite attempts by bigots to turn her homosexuality into a campaign issue:

Longtime anti-gay activist Dave Wilson, who once led a successful effort to amend the city charter to deny benefits to the partners of gay and lesbian city employees, said he has sent out 35,000 fliers opposing the mayoral candidacy of Annise Parker in part because of her sexual orientation.

The front of the flier has a 2004 photo of Parker being sworn into office as city controller while her partner, Kathy Hubbard, looks on, accompanied by the headline: “Is this the image Houston wants to portray?”

...

“There's a cultural war going on in our society today,” Wilson said. “I feel that homosexual behavior is an affront to the family values of one man-one woman, and homosexual behavior, to any society that's embraced it, has led to the extinction of that society.”

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

zqt is back.

[TBoneTX 45,305]

Voter turnout constituted a whopping 16.5% of the Houston electorate... meaning that whoever was elected to ANY office received an indisputably overwhelming mandate.

That statement just doesn't make sense. An 83.5% voter apathy rate just doesn't equate into a mandate.

'Twas wry facetiousness, si man, sans emoticon to tip it off.

[HAL 9000 96]

Voter turnout constituted a whopping 16.5% of the Houston electorate... meaning that whoever was elected to ANY office received an indisputably overwhelming mandate.

That statement just doesn't make sense. An 83.5% voter apathy rate just doesn't equate into a mandate.

If they wanted to have a mandate, they should have voted. Simple as that.

[ValerieA 350]

You know what upset me most about the whole election in Houston? I was reading the Houston Chronicle about it, and they endorsed candidates. When did the media so completely lose their objectivity that they ENDORSE CANDIDATES? That is so wrong, and just kills the whole theory of an informed populance, never mind freedom of speech.

Actually, to clarify, I was also totally ticked off at the attacks on the candidate's sexual orientation. What does it matter? Why even bother commenting on it? It does not affect her ability as mayor. It's just part of her background story.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

You know what upset me most about the whole election in Houston? I was reading the Houston Chronicle about it, and they endorsed candidates. When did the media so completely lose their objectivity that they ENDORSE CANDIDATES? That is so wrong, and just kills the whole theory of an informed populance, never mind freedom of speech.

Actually, to clarify, I was also totally ticked off at the attacks on the candidate's sexual orientation. What does it matter? Why even bother commenting on it? It does not affect her ability as mayor. It's just part of her background story.

It's a long held tradition of newspaper editorial pages to endorse a candidate.

[ValerieA 350]

You know what upset me most about the whole election in Houston? I was reading the Houston Chronicle about it, and they endorsed candidates. When did the media so completely lose their objectivity that they ENDORSE CANDIDATES? That is so wrong, and just kills the whole theory of an informed populance, never mind freedom of speech.

Actually, to clarify, I was also totally ticked off at the attacks on the candidate's sexual orientation. What does it matter? Why even bother commenting on it? It does not affect her ability as mayor. It's just part of her background story.

It's a long held tradition of newspaper editorial pages to endorse a candidate.

Really? I originally come from Saskatchewan, and it was never done their. Is this an American thing?

[Nagishkaw 510]

It does not affect her ability as mayor.

Not as long as she can kick start her own vibrator.

[ValerieA 350]

Really? I originally come from Saskatchewan, and it was never done their. Is this an American thing?

there, not their. My English teacher is rolling over in his grave. If he is dead.

It does not affect her ability as mayor.

Not as long as she can kick start her own vibrator.

Oooohhhhh, you can get ones that require kick-starting?

[Nagishkaw 510]

Indeed, and it is even possible to roll your own tampons, too!