11/27/2007
Georgia Man 1st Openly Gay Republican Elected in Deep South
Brian Bates, a 36-year-old business owner and member of the Log Cabin Republicans who says he "disagrees with how the Republican party has handled gay issues," has been elected to the Doraville, Georgia City Council, making him the ninth openly gay official elected in Georgia and the first openly gay Republican elected in the state, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Doraville is northeast of Atlanta.
Said Bates: "I am gay and there's no reason to hide it. I made the conscious decision to be open and honest about my orientation. It really didn't come up with my conversations with voters and for the most part, I don't think they care. It was not a campaign issue. There is not a gay agenda. It wasn't an issue...Residents were waiting for someone to take a stand to protect the police chief. And this provided residents a way to show their support and get behind us...I don't think it's responsible to attack individuals. The Republican Party has been a party of freedom and acceptance and they need to stick to the policies that work and that's about being fiscally responsible...I was elected to represent the residents of Doraville and look forward to doing it with honor. And if it provides other opportunities for other candidates or encourages other individuals to run, I certainly encourage them to do so."
According to Georgia Equality, Bates is also the first openly gay Republican elected in the deep South.
Posted 10:27 AM EST by Andy Towle in Brian Bates, Georgia, News, Republican Party | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Log cabinites = racist gays whose racism trumps their own self preservation
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Nov 27, 2007 10:31:06 AM
Correct again, Jimmyboyo. I was wondering what could possibly make Republicans vote for "openly" homosexual men? Nigras, of course! (I didn't feel like using the "n" word. I want to bring a new civility to Towleroad...for today)
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 27, 2007 10:39:25 AM
He says: "The Republican Party has been a party of freedom and acceptance and they need to stick to the policies that work and that's about being fiscally responsible."
HAHAHA, that's rich, fiscally responsible, too funny. There hasn't been a fiscally responsible Republican President since Eisenhower, and Bush has been the absolute worst when it comes to fiscal responsibility. What a joke.
Posted by: Will | Nov 27, 2007 10:40:21 AM
"The Republican Party has been a party of freedom and acceptance..."
Ok, whatever drugs this guy has been on, I want some. Anyone who fools themselves into thinking they can be brought into the loving fold of the Republican Party AND be openly gay is just plain pathetic.
Posted by: Raze | Nov 27, 2007 10:44:18 AM
though i am loath to admit it, i guess in an infinitesmal way, some gay repugs serve a purpose. (i just threw up in my mouth, a little.)
Posted by: nic | Nov 27, 2007 10:49:48 AM
Re: derrik
My own experience with meeting Log cabinites, they drop the n word 24/7 and blamed everything bad on brown people.
Tax cuts ranked 2nd on their list of why they were repubs.
They need to realize the good old boys repubs will use them to help out with the lynchings then turn on them and lynch them last of all.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Nov 27, 2007 10:58:17 AM
Politics aside - Brian was in my fraternity in college and is a stand-up, responsible and man. While I also have a hard time understanding why gays and lesbians would ever identify as Republicans, not every one in that party is Dick Cheney or George W. Bush. Personal attacks because of political affiliation gain nothing and do not advance thoughtful discourse.
Posted by: Andy | Nov 27, 2007 11:20:21 AM
It pains me to see such intolerance in the gay community. While you may not agree with Bates' views, you should at least acknowledge the fact that another gay man has chosen to become part of the democratic process. These small steps make tremedous waves in a state that saw the revival of the Ku Klux Klan on Stone Mountain in 1915.
Posted by: JCinDC | Nov 27, 2007 11:26:46 AM
How come Democrats in Georgia haven't been able to elect an out gay Dem? Is it possible that the GOP is more inclusive than we thought?
Posted by: matt | Nov 27, 2007 11:31:40 AM
I am happy to see this happen in my home state. That area of Atlanta, if I remember correctly, actually has a significant number of L/G residents. From what I read in the article, I would be happy to have Councilman Bates as my Councilman.
Posted by: Sam Gillespie | Nov 27, 2007 11:33:57 AM
Yes, Andy, you're right about personal attacks not being productive, but I believe there can be justification in attacking someone's political affiliation. If the forces one alligns himself with are evil, and present a danger to me, then I have a right (maybe obligation) to defend myself. You know that openly Gay Americans SEEM/APPEAR to see the Republican Party as their enemy. Your friend's choice to be a Republican is going to bring on attacks due to his political affiliation.
As much as I fantasize about Reggie Bush, if I found out he was a Republican--then, hell, he wouldn't be no better than Terrell Owens to me.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 27, 2007 11:37:26 AM
I'm excited to see someone openly gay in georgia in a public seat. I live here and we could use it from either side of the aisle. I get confused on why gays hate republicans? Aren't there many different types of conservatives within the party just like there are many different types of liberals within the democratic party? I'm personally moderate. I have fiscally conservative values but socially liberal. I don't agree with either side who is at the far end of the spectrum. I have to say I saw Barney Frank on Charlie Rose the other day and was very impressed.
Posted by: Matt | Nov 27, 2007 11:37:56 AM
Let me put out a challenge then
Any and ALL log cabinites come hang out with me for a few days, if you don't drop the N word or resort to blaming some imagined problem on brown people then you can color me purple and slap my behind.
:-)
I seriously doubt that I will end up purple.
I have never ever met a non racist log cabinite.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Nov 27, 2007 11:49:41 AM
``The Republican Party has been a party of freedom and acceptance and they need to stick to the policies that work and that's about being fiscally responsible.``
I agree with several of you above. This comment is totally ironic. Freedom and acceptance for gay people have constantly been opposed by Republican administrations, and there has never been a fiscally responsible Republican administration in my lifetime.
Posted by: GregV | Nov 27, 2007 12:07:15 PM
OK, it's interesting (and kinda' good) to see Gay Republicans/Conservatives/Moderates speak up here on Towleroad.
Look, if we left-wing homos don't like Straight Republicans, what makes you think we're going to like Gay Republicans.
"How come Democrats in Georgia haven't been able to elect an out Gay Dem?"
Well, we've been able to get rid of most of the white racist bigots from the Democratic Party down South, but we've still got a load full of Christian Evangelical bigots in the Party. Those church folk aint gonna' vote for Gays, even though we make up the majority of the angels singin' in their church choirs...
Just like a tree planted by the water, WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 27, 2007 12:17:18 PM
RE: "I have never ever met a non racist log cabinite."
Jimmyboyo, I hate you for making me defend gay republicans... but that is one of the most asinine statements I've ever read on Towleroad. It's every bit a blatant stereotype as saying that all black people are thieves or all arabs are terrorists or all gays are pedophiles.
Honestly, I expect a bit more intelligence from a fellow Democrat.
Posted by: crispy | Nov 27, 2007 12:33:59 PM
I spent the first 24 years of my life living in Georgia. All of my immediate family still lives there. The Republican party in the south has become the party of racists. Many white Republicans in the south wouldn't dream of voting Democrat because they see the Democrats as the party for African Americans. My father says of other white people in Georgia, 'They're afraid they'll turn black if they vote Democrat.' The south may be the only place left in Amerikkka where being gay is less of a stigma than being a person of color.
And MATT to address your question about why gays hate Republikkkans, pay attention! Ronald Reagan virtually ignored the HIV/AIDS pandemic that was exploding in front of him, many believe because the disease first struck gay men. George H.W. Bush (the first one), when asked by a reporter in the White House press room about gay rights, said, "I wish it would just go away." The proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, a bill that would write discrimination against GLBT Americans into the U.S. Constitution, was introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives in 2003 by a Republikkkan, Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave of Colorado. It was introduced into the U.S. Senate by Senator Wayne Allard, also a Republikkkan from Colorado (or perhaps we should call is KKKolorado?). The bill was supported almost exclusively by Republikkkans with the support of a few southern Democrats. The bill failed. In 2004, the same two Republikkkans, Musgrave and Allard again introduced a slightly revised version of the bill for the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, and it again failed. In 2005, Senator Allard introduced the Marriage Protection Amendment, which was verbatim the same bill he introduced in 2005. It had 21 co-sponsors, all Republikkkan. In 2006, Congress voted this bill down. To give you an idea of the breakdown of the vote in both houses of Congress, it was supported by 36 Democrats and 249 Republikkkans. Do I need to go on here, or are you clear on why the GLBT community as a whole hates the Republikkkans?
Posted by: peterparker | Nov 27, 2007 12:35:04 PM
OK, the Democratic Party in Georgia is full of Evangelical Christians who hate the homos. So, in light of that, being a Republican sounds a little more reasonable, doesn't it?
Posted by: matt | Nov 27, 2007 1:00:00 PM
P.P.:
sometimes i think MATT is "special." very, very "special."
Posted by: nic | Nov 27, 2007 1:16:37 PM
prove me wrong crispy by bringing to me a non racist log cabinite.
I dare you to find one.
You won't
Just try looking for one
By the way, I am not exactly a dem. I am so left of center that dems are repubs lite.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Nov 27, 2007 1:17:57 PM
Well, that's the tricky thing about stereotypes. You can't possibly meet every member of a minority group to prove the stereotype true or not.
I only expect intelligent people to understand that. Clearly, you're not one of them.
Posted by: crispy | Nov 27, 2007 1:30:21 PM
Okay I got you peter parker. If i decide to ever vote, I will not vote for the 249 Republikkkans and the 36 Demokkkrats you listed.
Posted by: Matt | Nov 27, 2007 1:33:17 PM
For a community espousing "tolerance and acceptance," this discussion demonstrates why we are the least deserving, or perhaps it is that we indeed have what we deserve!
Posted by: RK | Nov 27, 2007 1:35:26 PM
Well, Matt, if we're talking about Georgia, Alabama, Tennesee & the Carolinas; you're going to have Evangelicals even if you're the Communist Party.
Actually, I haven't been South in a long time, but I imagine Democrats in big cities could elect an openly Gay candidate for city council. But still, the Evangelicals make up a major part of the Democratic Party in Dixie--especially the Black Evangelicals. Christian fundamentalist in the Democratic Party seem to be conservative on some "moral" issues but liberal on economic & foreign policy issues. But "moral" issues for a Democrat Christian Evangelical may be the right to healthcare, improved education, fighting violent crime in big cities, school prayer, etc. A Democrat Evangelical will fight against Gay Marriage, but may be appalled to hear a Gay public school teacher lost her job just for being Gay.
Christian Evangelicals in the Democratic Party (especially down South) are not easy to figure out. That's why Hillary, Barack & John say and do stupied things when they go South.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 27, 2007 1:40:15 PM
And as note of correction to many comments above, in the AJC article, it states there are nine openly gay elected officials in Georgia - he is the first openly gay Republican. Being in Georgia though, it doesn't really matter what party you're in - most elected officials aren't doing anything to advance the cause of gay rights.
Lets also remember this was a non-partisan, city council election. Many Americans identify as one party affiliation, yet vote across party lines. It's not a declaration of support for anyone. I think its great that some of the homophobic people in the state party now have a gay voice within their ranks. Hopefully it can lead to eventual change and understanding.
Posted by: Andy | Nov 27, 2007 1:42:50 PM