Members of the UW-Madison Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center are less than pleased with President George W. Bush's comments regarding same-sex marriage made during a speech at the Republican National Convention.
Bush, who has publicly endorsed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, said Thursday he supports the protection of marriage against \activist judges.""
""Because the union of a man and a woman deserves an honored place in our society,"" he said. ""I will continue to appoint federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law.""
These statements drew fire from the LGBTCC, who, according to Communications Coordinator and UW-Madison senior Elliot Imse, finds such comments offensive, especially coming from a person who ""claims to have so much compassion.""
""It's very difficult for people in the LGBT community to hear that kind of talk from him [saying] marriage will fall apart if [they] are included in that same thing,"" he said.
Eric Trekell, director of the LGBTCC, said in a press release it's just as difficult for UW-Madison LGBT students to find said compassion in a man who speaks so openly against them.
""It is extremely insulting to hear President Bush speak with such hostility about LGBT people, and then to tell America about how compassionate a leader he is,"" he said.
""I think the president has an unnecessarily narrow definition of marriage,"" said UW-Madison junior and LGBTCC Student Programs Coordinator Max Camp, who also took issue with what he called the ""contradictory"" nature of Bush's statements.
""When we're going to war to liberate other people ... at the same time that [Bush] wants to limit people's freedom in this country is very contradictory and undermines his argument,"" he said.
Just as disconcerting to Camp was the national stage upon which Bush has made these comments.
""I think it lends institutional support for discrimination and second-class treatment,"" he said.
Imse said he thinks Bush's statements could have an effect on how LGBT people cast their ballots this November.
""There's definitely a lot of conservative LGBT people on this campus and in the U.S. ... that want to vote Republican [but] are being pushed away from it,"" he said. ""I don't think the Republicans understand the ramifications of that.""
