The wedding of Mary Cheney, daughter of former Republic Vice President Dick Cheney, to her partner of 20 years, Heather Poe, received little attention in the press. Their two children, 5 and almost 3, were probably relieved that their parents had finally married. The kids aren’t old enough to read the papers, and probably don’t appreciate the significance of the marriage. For those of us born during the 50’s, it is a big deal!
Mary Cheney is the daughter of one of the best known Republicans of my life time. Dick Cheney was the most powerful Vice President in American history. While Dick Cheney occupied the office of the Vice President, he was at the center of power inside the White House, and at the helm of the U.S. decisions on foreign and defense policy. Dick Cheney surprised other Republicans by his support of his daughter’s homosexual life style. Mary Cheney was always close to her father, and he supported her even in high school when she told him of her sexual preferences. Yet inspite of Cheney’s power in the White House he was unable to change the Republican position on gay marriage. In 2004 Cheney confirmed that he was personally in favor of recognizing same-sex marriages. However he and George Bush were diametrically opposed on this issue. Dick and his wife Lynn embraced their daughter’s lifestyle and celebrated the birth of their grandchildren.
Bush was opposed to same sex couple marriage, and was so adamantly opposed that he favored a constitutional amendment to “protect the institution of marriage.” Other famous positions of Bush included:
1. Bush opposed anti-discrimination laws being applied to gays.
2. Bush said he didn’t know if homosexuality was a choice.
3. Bush said that the union of a man and woman deserves an honored place in our society, he supported the protection of marriage against activist judges. He admitted he would appoint “federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law.”
4. Bush did block hate crime legislation from being applied to homosexuals.
5. Bush opposed adoption of children by same-sex couples.
Hence, it is undisputed that even though Dick Cheney was clearly in favor of same-sex marriage, even HE, in such a powerful position, was unable to convince the Republican party or the President that same-sex marriage should be embraced.
During the 2012 Republican primaries we watched as Rick Santorum compared homosexuality to bestiality. Santorum argued that if the Supreme Court struck down sodomy laws and allowed people to perform homosexual acts in their own homes, thousands of years of civilization would go out the window. Marriage as an institution that exists only between a man and a woman must be upheld, he said. “In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality,”Santorum said. “That’s not to pick on homosexuality. It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be.”
However because Mitt Romney appears to be the most likely Republican candidate in the 2012 race, perhaps you were thinking that homosexuals shouldn’t be so concerned. You would be wrong. Mitt Romney opposes same-sex marriages, and even civil unions. Even more frightening is the fact that Romney chose Robert Bork as his constitutional advisor. Bork has made it clear that he favors a constitutional Amendment preventing homosexual marriages. During Barack Obama’s first term, he has certified the repeal of the rule in the military of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” More recently he has become a strong advocate for recognizing same-sex marriage.
It is not coincidental that Mary Cheney had to wait until the President of the United States became an advocate for recognizing same-sex marriages. It is not coincidence that the first President to do so was a Democrat. Mitt Romney now says that same-sex marriage, although he opposes it, is a state issue. To say that this is a “state issue” is a total disservice to the GLBT community. Currently only six states and Washington D.C. allow same-sex marriages, and only nine states recognize such marriages. This is unlike abortion, where if you needed an abortion you could go to the state where it was legal, and then return to your home and enjoy all other rights guaranteed under the constitution. If you go out of state to marry a same-sex-partner, and return to one of 41 states, your marriage is not recognized. Forty-one states in the United States still refuse to recognize the validity of a same-sex marriage, even if it was legal and condoned by a fellow state.
Same-sex marriage is a federal issue. It is a Republican/Democrat issue. If Mitt Romney were elected, and allowed to appoint one or more U.S. Supreme Court Judges, Mary Cheney’s marriage might be deemed unconstitutional. Surely we won’t let that happen?
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June 23, 2012 at 12:55 pm
dragonpuff
Ahhhh yes. In conservative republican speak this is “We only believe in things that affect us personally. Although; when we have the power to do so–we will not legislate good policy for other Americans. We want all the personal freedoms that money, good lawyers and liberal lawmakers can legislate. But we only want those policies to help our friends and families. Everyone else can blow. . . .
June 23, 2012 at 1:44 pm
malialitman
dragonpuff,
The title for this post originally was “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” and it is so true the Republicans seem to feel that whatever they think is right for them is how each of us should live.
June 23, 2012 at 11:56 pm
MM
wow, Cheney’s daughter was in a partnership for 25 yrs and just now got married? probably out of fear of Romney, lol
her father is a whole nuther story. He is a dark and dangerous soul.
June 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm
malialitman
MM,
I agree that Cheney is a dark and dangerous person. That’s what makes this story so amazing to me. I am sure that if he hadn’t had a daughter who is gay he would have been a strong, outspoken, opponent of recognizing the rights of all GLBT. Now that he is personally involved…SHAZAM… he is sensitive to the issues of GLBT, but none of the people in his party seem to be willing to what he does. Because his daughter has just married, it seems obvious that she appreciates that if Obama should lose in 2012 that this law would probably be repealed and that if she was going to marry she should do it now.
June 25, 2012 at 2:19 am
Kate (@AKRNHSNC)
I doubt there is many of us who don’t have gay and lesbian friends or family. My nephew is getting married in the fall to his partner of 12 years. We’re having the wedding at our new home on Cape Cod and I couldn’t be happier for them. I remember telling my Dad about Scott and his main concern, despite having grown up in a time when it was unheard of to openly be gay or lesbian, was the pressure his grandson would face in the future, that his life with his partner would be much more difficult than any heterosexual couple would face. However, he willingly embraced them, loved them and I’m sure would be there celebrating with them if he had lived long enough to see this day. I’ll never forget the first time we really discussed the issue in depth and my asking him, “Dad, when did you choose to be a heterosexual?”. It was such a wake-up call for him, he realized that we don’t choose our sexuality. We’re born this way.
What are the odds that one of Romney’s many grandchildren will turn out to be gay? It’s much more likely that one of them will be. Will they be shunned by their family if they reveal their sexuality or will they be forced to live a lie rather than openly live as the person they are? The GOP wants to turn back time, they want to take away rights, rather than see everyone live as equals. The hateful, ignorant ranting of some of the members of the GOP is so despicable and unnecessary. I’ve never worried before in my life as I do now about the future of our country. If Romney becomes President, he’d set about making sure that we lose rights as women, that the military once again becomes anti-gay with DADT repealed, not to mention the advances we’ve made as far as healthcare goes would be eliminated. We can all make a difference just by giving a few hours of our time to getting out the vote, educating our friends and neighbors about what has been accomplished during President Obama’s first term and what we stand to lose if he’s not re-elected.
Thanks, Malia, for your informative, thought-provoking blog. It’s always a pleasure to read.
June 25, 2012 at 8:27 am
malialitman
Kate,
I share your fear and have had a party for a lesbian couple who got married. It was the very best party we’ve ever had. Every person at the event was so excited to be there and to celebrate the marriage. Of course the couple had to get married outside Texas, but all the people were from Texas, and we were all so excited to celebrate with other people who were as happy for the women as I was. I hope your party is as much fun!
I too share your fear and concern about a Mitt Romney administration. It seems so obvious to me that the issues of civil rights should be a given, and we should be talking about the economy and foreign relations, but sadly, it seems that civil rights is still a very real concern. Thank you for your comments!