Post-Amendment 2, gay activists want more say in Democratic party

Some gay activists remain frustrated over the Florida Democratic Party's silence on the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage that passed in November. And they've done something about it.

Leaders of the party's Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Caucus helped get seven of its members elected to state committee posts. Another member, Rick Boylan of Pinellas County, also got elected state party secretary.

"The caucus wanted the party to do a mailing opposing Amendment 2 and it never went anywhere,'' said Stephen Gaskill, a spokesman for the GLBT Caucus. "The party's official position was that they don't take positions on constitutional amendments, but this is a civil rights issue at its core...We decided that we wanted a say in the direction of the party.''

The Herald's story Monday-morning quarterbacking Amendment 2 is here.

Comments

[Miami Patton]

Gays are free to have a say in the Democratic party. And the 62 percent of the public that voted against homosexual marriage are free to vote against democrats that try to overturn our will and rightful votes.

[Cynical Idealist]

One would hope they're free to have a say in the Republican party, too....

[Republican]

Yeah, as long as they realize the Republican platform defines marriage exclusively as between a man and a woman -- what a concept!

[No thanks]

Yeah, really, discrimination is such a hard concept for some people... what a concept, indeed.

[TRUE BLUE]

Rick Boylan got elected State Committeeman from Pinellas, and Democratic Party Secretary, NOT because he is gay but because he has the experience and skills needed for these positions. The fact that he is gay is just the icing on the cake.

[TRUE BLUE]

Rick Boylan got elected State Committeeman from Pinellas, and Democratic Party Secretary, NOT because he is gay but because he has the experience and skills needed for these positions. The fact that he is gay is just the icing on the cake.