Nov 18, 2005  |  By: ADAM EBBIN  | COMMENTS     

SOME MOMENTS IN my first term as Virginia’s first openly gay state delegate have made me want to scream. Last week’s Democratic wins in the Old Dominion offered a silver lining to those memories.

Last winter, I heard extremist Del. Dick Black (R-Loudoun) present his anti-gay adoption bill. As a new uncle, I realized I would never be able to adopt a child in Virginia under Black’s proposed legislation.

Even if my sister and brother-in-law suffered a tragedy, Black’s bill would have sent my niece to an orphanage rather than allow me to adopt her.

The bill was later amended to merely require information on whether the prospective adoptive parent was “known to engage in voluntary homosexual activity.” The amendment’s author, Del. Brad Marrs (R-Richmond), explained the change by saying he preferred not to “create a class of homosexual persons” in the Virginia code because he considered homosexuality a behavior, not an innate characteristic.

Another delegate, Jeff Frederick (R-Prince William), cavalierly voted for the bill while scanning his e-mail. The bill sailed through the House before a Senate committee sensibly killed it.

BUT THE STORY in Virginia is not all bleak. We recently passed legislation (by a single vote) that brings Virginia in line with the other 49 states to allow private companies to extend group health insurance to their employees’ “other household members” (including same-sex partners).

Still, Virginia has a history of hostility to its gay citizens, with anti-gay legislation reaching a fever pitch in the 2005 session. For a fourth time, a state constitutional amendment won easy preliminary approval to outlaw same-sex marriage, with sweeping, broad language that might even nix contracts between committed couples.

The General Assembly would have to pass the amendment again next year before possible consideration by voters.

This is precisely why the election results on Nov. 8 are so cheering.

Del. Black, perhaps the most anti-gay, anti-choice state legislator in America, was defeated by Democrat David Poisson. Poisson’s message to Loudoun County voters was that Black’s fixation on narrow social issues was at the expense of transportation and schools in that fast-growing county.

Del. Marrs, an arrogant, anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-immigrant delegate also was upset in Tuesday’s election. Marrs sent a fund-raising letter this summer complaining that his opponent had received a $10,000 contribution from a “wealthy homosexual businessman.” Even Jerry Kilgore, the failed, far-right gubernatorial candidate from Marrs’ own party, distanced himself from the Richmond conservative.

In Fairfax County, right-wing GOP nominee Chris Craddock, a 27-year-old youth minister told the Blade earlier this year, “Christians and gays hate and despise each other.” Craddock didn’t help things when he told local high school students that AIDS spread fast in Africa because, “Africans will have sex with anything with a pulse.”

Craddock was handily defeated in a Republican district.

VIRGINIA’S ELECTIONS SHOW that voters are most concerned with close-to-home issues like transportation, education and affordable health care. Strategist Hans Johnson of Progressive Victory observed that suburban voters are not falling for divisive appeals. They know hogwash when they hear it and will choose a fairer course when it’s presented forcefully.

The elections held a particular lesson for gays: When we are focused, disciplined, on message and allied with others, we can topple even the most fearless extremists.

The defeat of far-right candidates and a narrow, white-knuckle win for freshman Jeff Frederick put Virginia’s Republican Party on notice. If they continue to scapegoat immigrants and gays for political gain, their extremist candidates will be defeated in 2007.

The commonwealth does not yet live up to its famous tourist slogan: “ Virginia is for Lovers.” But after Nov. 8, we can at least say: Virginia is not for Haters!”