Palin Ignores National Coming Out Day

Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaskan governor Sarah Palin said that she will not officially issue a proclamation recognizing National Coming Out Day. She declined a request by Alaskans Together for Equality to acknowledge the day, which will be on Saturday.

The organization says it approached her after the vice presidential debate on October 2, when debate moderator Gwen Ifill asked Palin and Democratic counterpart Joe Biden whether they support gay marriage.

After both said they did not, Palin added, "If there's any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know, I am tolerant, and I have a very diverse family and group of friends. And even within that group you would see some who may not agree with me on this issue; some very dear friends who don't agree with me on this issue."

According to the press release, Palin -- in October alone -- has issued proclamations for Careers in Construction Week, 10th Annual Christian Heritage Week, Biomedical Technician Week, Alaska Taiwan Friendship Week, World Farm Animals Day, Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and Grand Opening of Rilke Schule Day.

"Governor Palin called for 'tolerance,' and we hoped she'd show that type of leadership as governor with this proclamation," said Alaskans Together president Marsha Buck. "Coming out is a difficult and deserves recognition." (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)

Reader Comments

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Name: Vincent
Date posted: 2008-10-11 10:55 AM
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia

Comment:

Sarah Palin's actions in support of gay men and lesbian women since she became governor are a matter of record. She managed to take a divisive issue, gay and lesbian domestic rights and turn it into a unifying issue -- with gays and lesbians being the ultimate winners. Look up Sarah Palin's actions in support of gay rights during her tenure as governor. You'll see what I mean. She took a flawed court decision and used it to convince 60% of Alaskans to support same-sex domestic partnership rights under state law. That may not fit into the paradigm many of you hold toward Republicans but that's what happened and that's how it happened and she's the one who led it. I recognize that many of you will still want to hate on her in spite of that but I'm hoping that many of you who did not already know her record now know and recognize her courageous leadership on it.

Name: Kelly Anne
Date posted: 2008-10-10 10:10 PM
Hometown: New York

Comment:

My best friends are gay , my uncle died in 1996 from AIDS was gay so I can say from experience I am more than tolerant of gays but what make this country great is that people do not have to force each other beliefs. The Alaskans voters want a Governor who was conservative. What she said she was tolernant not approving of your lifestyle. If she declared a Coming Out Day then she would be going against her beliefs . By the way Laden does not seem the greatest advocate of gay rights. Why are you not questioning his motives? Why does he not come out with a statement saying he supports Coming Out Day? I forgot he is a Democrat so he get a free pass. Republican or Democrat you should question both thier motives? You know where she stands she is tolerant meaning she is not going to bash you, discriminate you, but she is not going to accept your sexuality by declaring Coming Out Day. Let stay focus many other issues to fight.

Name: JC
Date posted: 2008-10-09 11:37 PM
Hometown: Lake Balboa, California

Comment:

Palin is too busy inciting hate. John McCain's and Sarah Palin's negative attacks on Barack Obama have gone too far. Now they are inciting violence against Obama. At a campaign rally in Florida, as Sarah Palin was connecting Barack Obama to Bill Ayers again, a tenuous connection at best, (Obama was 8 years old at the time Ayers and the Weather Underground carried out their attacks) a member of the crowd shouted out, "KILL HIM!" Did Sarah Palin admonish the violent threat? No. Did she try and calm the crowd? No. Did she show any sympathy to the African American cameraman who was called the “N” word by a hateful member of her campaign crowd? No. She smiled and continued whipping up the anger and hate of the crowd. This woman is dangerous.

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