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Unintended consequences

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Illinois

The over-hyped response by the opponents of the gay rights bill cost them at least one vote last week.

When Joe Dunn took his seat on the House floor Tuesday morning, he had every intention of voting against the hotly debated gay-rights bill that would be put before him later that day.

The Naperville Republican, who also represents the DuPage County section of Aurora, reasoned that “voting his district” would mean voting “no.”

“The conservatives who support me demand it,” he remembers thinking. “and I should represent them.”

But as Dunn sat back and listened to his colleagues from both sides of the aisle debate the issue, he slowly began to reconsider what he was about to do.

“I was just really turned off by what was coming out of the mouths of some of my fellow party members,” he said of the conservative Republicans who were trying to derail the bill. “I just didn’t like the hatred and bigotry and intolerance I was hearing.”

One downstate Republican, Rep. Shane Cultra, went as far as to suggest that, if homosexuals were extended equal rights, pedophiles and people who have sex with animals might as well be given similar legal protections.

Others, including Sen. Peter Roskam â€” a Republican from Wheaton who represents parts of Aurora, North Aurora and Batavia â€” argued incorrectly that the new law would require churches that see homosexuality as a sin to hire gay ministers.

“It was just disgusting, what they were trying to do,” Dunn said.

Read the rest of the story. It’s pretty good, and a cautionary tale for the right wing.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 17, 05 @ 3:24 pm

Comments

What is the bill number anyone? Thanks.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 18, 05 @ 10:59 am
Senate Bill 3186

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 18, 05 @ 1:11 pm
Rich,
What does the bill say about religious institutions and hiring exemptions with the new law?

And if sexual orientation is a protected class, what does that potentially mean for any other genetic sexual orientation? Is pedophilia genetically predisposed or inherent? Is there a justification for polygamy?

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jan 21, 05 @ 9:31 pm
Rich,

I came a bit late to this story - but I think you ought to consider my take on Joe Dunn’s vote on the Illinois Human Rights Act (SB3186) - the consequences were entirely intended, at least for Joe Dunn. After reading it you might want to consider the possibility that either:

1. Joe had pre-arranged for some religious far right group* to come out against what he did (for appearances of legitimacy - he’s been their man for awhile - and they were going to lose this vote in the House - so why not help their guy appear more moderate to advance him and get something out of the loss, instead of nothing), OR

2. That in concert with Republican House Minority Leader Tom Cross (and in exchange for promises of higher office support - and at least implicitly money), Joe Dunn has decided to jettison overt support of some of these far right religious groups, helping Tom moderate the IL GOP on social issues, and position it better to win elections in a moderate state.

Depending on what type of game Joe Dunn is playing, these two possibilities are not mutually exclusive.

It is also possible that the “prominent ‘family values’ interest group” Joe cites as turning against him doesn’t exist. Whether the interest group mentioned exists or not, Joe may have made pre-arrangements like those mentioned in possibility #1 to give his key religious supporters a heads-up and coordinate with them - and then asked those supporters to remain publicly silent.

Whatever the particulars, Joe Dunn seems to have been quite politically smart about this vote - he got a lot out of nothing.

Note:
* From the article in the Beacon News you cite:

“Indeed, Dunn said one prominent ‘family values’ interest group already has promised to recruit a conservative challenger to run against him in 2006.

‘They told me that they were praying for my redemption and that, until I was redeemed, they couldn’t support me anymore,’ Dunn said. ‘But to be honest, I don’t mind disagreeing with that group anyway.’”

Comment by HiramWurf Saturday, Jan 22, 05 @ 12:13 am