Kentucky Guardian’s Viewpoints are the views and opinions of our readers, journalists, and contributors.  To submit a Viewpoint, use the contact form. 

Viewpoints come from readers, guest users,  or contributors and generally do not conform to our editorial standards because they contain opinions. All Viewpoints however must contain links to sources when citing other stories or original content. All Viewpoints must be approved by an editor or moderator if they contain personal opinions.

Recent Viewpoints:

• Matthew Vanderpool made a smart choice in shunning the Victory Fund. Like any organization, the Victory Fund has its fair share of supporters and those who disagree with them (take the Human Rights Campaign, or HRC as a perfect example). Lexington’s House of Representatives District 45  Democratic Candidate Matthew Vanderpool yesterday stated he would not accept or pursue funds from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. Given the fact that Kentucky has never had an openly gay lawmaker elected to the legislature, nor does Kentucky currently have any elected gay lawmakers, I cannot help but wonder why Victory Fund was not beating the Vanderpool Campaign’s door down since they claim to “firmly believe every state legislature should have at least one openly LGBT lawmaker and places a priority on those races.”  Everyone across Kentucky should support Matthew Vanderpool for his morals alone.

• Count and be counted! The census is important, as it determines the number of seats our state occupies in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Additionally, the census provides vital information for advocacy, researching markets, locating pools of workers, and so much more.  In short, the census is critical and we hope you will all participate.  But, how can we ensure the LGBT community is represented in this year’s census and those in the future?

• Liberty Counsel’s Agenda for 2010: Take Back America: In an email to members, the anti-gay, very powerful Liberty Counsel outlines its 2010 priorities.  Perhaps this email would have been somewhat inspiring had it not been so misguided.  It was Liberty Counsel that first sounded the alarm to dismantle California’s same-sex marriage law. Should the legislation filed by Mary Lou Marzian (D-Louisville), a Senior Representative in the Kentucky House of Representatives to repeal Kentucky’s ban on same-sex marriage, civil unions, and “similar institutions,” make it out of a House Committee, we’ll have one heck of a fight on our hands.

• Obama/Oprah White House Christmas Special in Bad Taste: I found it bad taste for Oprah Winfrey to host the “White House Christmas” television special.  We are in the middle of a major recession; states have no money, people continue to become homeless, jobs continue to shrink, people are starving right here in the United States, and homosexuals may soon be executed in the Republic of Uganda.

• What can a Gay Kentuckian really do? I’m sure that, like me, many of my Kentucky activists friends that fight for LGBTQ-rights get frustrated. I do, even though I’m in the progressive oasis of Louisville. I can’t even imagine how hard it is to be a gay teenager in rural parts of our state…..we know it’s not easy for them.

• World AIDS Day, AIDS in Kentucky and AVOL:  Since the termination of the Kentucky AIDS Assistance Program, people living with HIV/AIDS are in need of assistance today more than ever.  Perhaps that is the biggest mistake we have made; depending on the government to teach our children about HIV/AIDS, or we have gotten so accustom to hearing about it, we no longer believe it is a problem.  With December 1st being World Aids Day, I can think of no better way to contribute to the Worldwide event than to make a donate to AVOL, or attend their Red Ribbon Ball on December 5th at The Red Mile in Lexington.

• Church, state and gay marriage: The Council of the District of Columbia is right to stand firm against the Catholic Church on the issue of same-sex marriage.

• Marriage equality lost, but not losing: Whether it is the National Organization for Marriage, the Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association, or the Family Foundation of Kentucky, anyone who denies that “American opinion is shifting” inhabits a fool’s paradise. Opposition to gay marriage is shrinking. In 1996, 65 percent took a negative view. Since then, support has fallen by about one percentage point a year. Basically, one (1) out of every eight (8) Americans has gone from opposing the concept to endorsing it.  The Family Foundation of Kentucky is continuing to support the “Kentucky Marriage Movement,” which started in October possibly due to Marriage Equality Kentucky’s attempt to collect signatures for marriage equality with their “Marriage Declaration Campaign,” which is currently only endorsed by one statewide gay rights organization, Kentucky Equality Federation.