Houston Elects First Openly Gay Mayor

[JLM]

Well, based on the opening post, there isn't a lot of substance to be able to offer an opinion on whether or not the better person won. The person who won happens to be gay, and the one who lost wasn't, although I'm making an assumption on the loser's sexual orientation as it wasn't clearly stated in that opening post.

There wasn't any mention made about the platforms of the candidates, their track records, and their experience. I guess if we (Canadians) are so interested in the civic election results in Houston, Texas, we'd have to dig a bit further come up with a valid opinion on whether or not the best qualified candidate actually won.

I realize that the winner is gay, but I'm not too clear as to how that (alone) would qualify a person to run a big city like Houston. Personally, that wouldn't be on my list of things to be concerned with if I had been voting in that election.

Hopefully - for their sakes - the voters of Houston weighed all the information and made an intelligent, informed decision. Just like we do every time we go to the polls. :lol:

Hey, you've encapsulated the whole situation perfectly. That pretty well answers my original question "who cares about this crap'? Of all the things to be concerned about in electing a mayor of a city of four million, sexual orientation would be about 100th on my list (and ethnicicity would be about 99th). :lol:

 

[countryboy]

Hey, you've encapsulated the whole situation perfectly. That pretty well answers my original question "who cares about this crap'? Of all the things to be concerned about in electing a mayor of a city of four million, sexual orientation would be about 100th on my list (and ethnicicity would be about 99th). :lol:

Wow! A list of 100 things?!? JLM, you've proven once again that you're a lot smarter than me. I'd have trouble coming up with more than five! But I'm with you on the principle of it...on my short list of 5 things to worry about, race and sexual orientation would be numbers 6 and 7. :lol::lol::lol:

 

[JLM]

Wow! A list of 100 things?!? JLM, you've proven once again that you're a lot smarter than me. I'd have trouble coming up with more than five! But I'm with you on the principle of it...on my short list of 5 things to worry about, race and sexual orientation would be numbers 6 and 7. :lol::lol::lol:

Well, maybe 100 was just the closest really round number............:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

[ironsides]

Hey, you've encapsulated the whole situation perfectly. That pretty well answers my original question "who cares about this crap'? Of all the things to be concerned about in electing a mayor of a city of four million, sexual orientation would be about 100th on my list (and ethnicicity would be about 99th). :lol:

Have to keep in mind that if the subject is about gays, SJP will make sure we know about it ASAP. Wonder what it is like to live in a isolated society where everyone has the same sexual orientation?

 

[JLM]

Have to keep in mind that if the subject is about gays, SJP will make sure we know about it ASAP. Wonder what it is like to live in a isolated society where everyone has the same sexual orientation?

Yep, the whole subject can get rather monotonous, years ago I'm sure I knew lots of gay people without knowing that they were gay. Some of them were nice and some of them were a$$holes, but the decision was not based on their sexuality because we didn't know. Then they all came out of the closet and started shoving it in everyone's face, not realizing that it's not the orientation that p*sses us off, it's their pushy behavior. I don't spend two minutes a year wondering what a person's "sleeping habits" are, because as long as they don't want to sleep with me why would I care?

 

[ironsides]

Yep, the whole subject can get rather monotonous, years ago I'm sure I knew lots of gay people without knowing that they were gay. Some of them were nice and some of them were a$$holes, but the decision was not based on their sexuality because we didn't know. Then they all came out of the closet and started shoving it in everyone's face, not realizing that it's not the orientation that p*sses us off, it's their pushy behavior. I don't spend two minutes a year wondering what a person's "sleeping habits" are, because as long as they don't want to sleep with me why would I care?

Exactly.

 

[countryboy]

Yep, the whole subject can get rather monotonous, years ago I'm sure I knew lots of gay people without knowing that they were gay. Some of them were nice and some of them were a$$holes, but the decision was not based on their sexuality because we didn't know. Then they all came out of the closet and started shoving it in everyone's face, not realizing that it's not the orientation that p*sses us off, it's their pushy behavior. I don't spend two minutes a year wondering what a person's "sleeping habits" are, because as long as they don't want to sleep with me why would I care?

Damn straight, JLM! Oh-oh, did I choose the incorrect word there? :-(

 

[AnnaG]

Yep, the whole subject can get rather monotonous, years ago I'm sure I knew lots of gay people without knowing that they were gay. Some of them were nice and some of them were a$$holes, but the decision was not based on their sexuality because we didn't know. Then they all came out of the closet and started shoving it in everyone's face, not realizing that it's not the orientation that p*sses us off, it's their pushy behavior. I don't spend two minutes a year wondering what a person's "sleeping habits" are, because as long as they don't want to sleep with me why would I care?

Pushy? Nothing like the way boys treat girls, right? "Oh, please, just a little touch. I promise I'll still respect you" as he gawks at her boobs. lol I wish I had a loonie for every time I've had to remove a wandering hand from my butt and other parts.

 

[Downhome_Woman]

Yep, the whole subject can get rather monotonous, years ago I'm sure I knew lots of gay people without knowing that they were gay. Some of them were nice and some of them were a$$holes, but the decision was not based on their sexuality because we didn't know. Then they all came out of the closet and started shoving it in everyone's face, not realizing that it's not the orientation that p*sses us off, it's their pushy behavior. I don't spend two minutes a year wondering what a person's "sleeping habits" are, because as long as they don't want to sleep with me why would I care?

Well at the beginning of the modern women's movement they were pushy as well, and the movement pissed of a load of people who liked women as equals and had no problem with them having what they should have. But after a while, the stridency died down because of acceptance. All movements are pushy at their beginnings.

 

[countryboy]

Well at the beginning of the modern women's movement they were pushy as well, and the movement pissed of a load of people who liked women as equals and had no problem with them having what they should have. But after a while, the stridency died down because of acceptance. All movements are pushy at their beginnings.

I think a "pushy movement" is an interesting but appropriate description! :lol::lol::lol:

 

[JLM]

I think a "pushy movement" is an interesting but appropriate description! :lol::lol::lol:

The problem with being "pushy" if you are going to do it you have to be prepared to do it for a long time. If you can just be determined in a more laid back manner, you come across as being more credible.

 

[countryboy]

The problem with being "pushy" if you are going to do it you have to be prepared to do it for a long time. If you can just be determined in a more laid back manner, you come across as being more credible.

"Pushy" is just another word for "rude." Doesn't matter what we're talking about. - used car salesmen, gay rights activists, representative of the Jehova Witnesses, whatever...it's just rude. Does it need to be? Why should good manners and common sense go out the window when somebody gets emotional about something? Shows a lack of control and a disregard for other people, as far as I'm concerned.

Honey is better than vinegar, in more applications than just catchin' flies!

 

[JLM]

"Pushy" is just another word for "rude." Doesn't matter what we're talking about. - used car salesmen, gay rights activists, representative of the Jehova Witnesses, whatever...it's just rude. Does it need to be? Why should good manners and common sense go out the window when somebody gets emotional about something? Shows a lack of control and a disregard for other people, as far as I'm concerned.

Honey is better than vinegar, in more applications than just catchin' flies!

You were being very polite in using the word "rude", in my post I was going to say "obnoxious". It's very widespread these days (more so than '59), some salespeople are bad, they either dog you around the store or when you do ask for help gesture in a general direction with their thumb. It wouldn't take much imagination to simply say, "if you need help you'll find me in aisle "x". But that may be due to their determination to act like minimum wage employees (to guarantee they keep getting that wage)

 

[countryboy]

You were being very polite in using the word "rude", in my post I was going to say "obnoxious". It's very widespread these days (more so than '59), some salespeople are bad, they either dog you around the store or when you do ask for help gesture in a general direction with their thumb. It wouldn't take much imagination to simply say, "if you need help you'll find me in aisle "x". But that may be due to their determination to act like minimum wage employees (to guarantee they keep getting that wage)

Yeah, I have even better words than "obnoxious" to describe pushiness and they don't have as many letters! But, I'm half Mennonite and my ancestors wouldn't approve. On the other hand, my Scottish ancestors (the other half) probably wouldn't give a sh*t! I'm always trying to strike the right balance. :-|

I get a little riled up over this whole issue of rudeness...in fact, I fired up a new thread on it called "Customer Service Sometimes Sucks"...;-)

 

[JLM]

Yeah, I have even better words than "obnoxious" to describe pushiness and they don't have as many letters! But, I'm half Mennonite and my ancestors wouldn't approve. On the other hand, my Scottish ancestors (the other half) probably wouldn't give a sh*t! I'm always trying to strike the right balance. :-|

I get a little riled up over this whole issue of rudeness...in fact, I fired up a new thread on it called "Customer Service Sometimes Sucks"...;-)

See you over there.......................:smile::smile:

 

[coldstream]

I think someone with such a confused and disordered sense of her own identity.. will produce confused and disordered public policy. But that's par for the course now.. i'm trying to think of a politician that is in any way a model of virtue.. and i'm coming up blank.

But when homosexuals are elected to public office.. BECAUSE they are homosexuals.. then that is a sure sign our society is in a death spiral.

 

[AnnaG]

I think someone with such a confused and disordered sense of her own identity.. will produce confused and disordered public policy. But that's par for the course now..

Who said she's confused?

i'm trying to think of a politician that is in any way a model of virtue.. and i'm coming up blank.

I try that periodically with about the same amount of success.

But when homosexuals are elected to public office.. BECAUSE they are homosexuals.. then that is a sure sign our society is in a death spiral.

lol People have been electing people for a very long time for the silliest reasons. We're still here.

 

[GreenFish66]

Hope she will benefit Houston ...Good for a term ...If she get's re-elected..That will be a story ..

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Well, based on the opening post, there isn't a lot of substance to be able to offer an opinion on whether or not the better person won. The person who won happens to be gay, and the one who lost wasn't, although I'm making an assumption on the loser's sexual orientation as it wasn't clearly stated in that opening post.

There wasn't any mention made about the platforms of the candidates, their track records, and their experience. I guess if we (Canadians) are so interested in the civic election results in Houston, Texas, we'd have to dig a bit further come up with a valid opinion on whether or not the best qualified candidate actually won.

I realize that the winner is gay, but I'm not too clear as to how that (alone) would qualify a person to run a big city like Houston. Personally, that wouldn't be on my list of things to be concerned with if I had been voting in that election.

Hopefully - for their sakes - the voters of Houston weighed all the information and made an intelligent, informed decision. Just like we do every time we go to the polls. :lol:

Countryboy, both the candidates were Democrats, so I assume there really wasn't that much of a difference between their platforms, I think it probably came down to whether you want to vote for a gay person.

But homosexuality was very much the prime factor why the race generated so much interest. If neither candidate was gay, would we be discussing it here? Can you really imagine somebody posting a thread, outlining platforms of the two candidates, judge the platforms and see if the better candidate won? Not a chance, it was the homosexuality of one candidate (and the fact that she won) that generated all the interest, not only ere but around the world.

And I suppose the fact that the candidate was a pretty, photogenic, baby faced woman did not hurt any, that if anything enhanced the interest. You (and JLM) may not think these things are important, but they are important in politics.

 

[SirJosephPorter]

Well at the beginning of the modern women's movement they were pushy as well, and the movement pissed of a load of people who liked women as equals and had no problem with them having what they should have. But after a while, the stridency died down because of acceptance. All movements are pushy at their beginnings.

Quite so, Downhome Woman, Feminist movement started with Feminists burning their bras. Any movement is militant, pushy in the initial phases; they have to get the attention of the society. That is why the black civil rights movement had Black Panthers and other militant groups.

But as the movement matures, the more extreme element falls by the wayside and the more moderate ideas are incorporated into the mainstream of the society. Thus Black Panthers is nowhere today, but NAACP is going strong. Feminists are not burning their bras any longer; they are Senators, Congressmen, doctors, lawyers etc.

It is the natural progression of a movement. But the interesting part is that while the moderates in the movement may not agree with the extreme elements, they have nothing but respect for the extreme elements, for paving the way for the moderates to take the movement into mainstream.