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TALKING POLITICS
Gay-rights advocates try to influence Democratic caucuses
BY ADAM REILLY

Before last Saturday’s Democratic caucuses — at which 61 of the state’s 120 Democratic National Convention delegates were elected — the pro-gay-marriage group Mass Equality e-mailed an exhortation to gay-marriage backers. Its gist: hold state legislators accountable for their votes on the anti-gay-marriage amendment at the constitutional convention by voting for the ones who supported gay marriage and against the ones who didn’t.

Against this backdrop, fireworks seemed likely in the Fourth Congressional District, where one state legislator considered a gay-marriage supporter (Representative Kay Khan of Newton) and three regarded as gay-marriage opponents (Representative Mark Howland of East Freetown and Senators Joan Menard of Fall River and Marc Pacheco of Taunton) were expected to run. Before the voting took place, a group of about 35 gay-marriage supporters — sitting together toward the front of the room — helped block a proposal to eliminate the two-minute speeches usually given by aspiring delegates. After that, though, they had little effect. Because there were only three nominees for the three men’s delegate slots, Pacheco, a figure viewed with particular resentment by gay-marriage activists, was easily elected. (He did have the lowest vote total, but only by a slim margin.) The only nominee actually to discuss gay marriage was Kathleen Thurmond, a candidate for one of four women’s slots. In a brief speech, Thurmond, a surgeon and Brookline resident, introduced herself as a member of Mass Equality and told the crowd that she and her partner have two sons, ages 16 and 13. "This is an ongoing struggle," she said. "People like us will come to you until we have equal rights." Her words were greeted with enthusiastic applause from the pro-gay-marriage bloc, tepid applause from about 200 other caucus-goers, and one or two cases of disgruntled muttering.

As the ballots were tallied, Bev Baccelli, a Mattapoisett woman wearing a red I AGREE WITH THE SJC sticker, explained why she’d come to her first caucus. "I believe that gay men and lesbians — if we’re going to expect, as we should, that we have equal rights in our Commonwealth — should participate in the democratic process, and in particular we should be seen at caucuses like these," she said. Baccelli also described a conversation she’d just had with Cameron Kerry, brother of Democratic presidential nominee-to-be John Kerry and one of three male delegates elected in Taunton, in which she criticized the Massachusetts senator’s convoluted opposition to gay marriage. "His response was, ‘My brother has been consistent with his position on this issue.’" Baccelli shook her head in apparent disgust. "Please. I’m 54 years old. I’m so tired of holding my nose to vote for people."

Soon, the final tally for the female delegates was announced. State Senator Cynthia Creem, a gay-marriage supporter, had 209 votes. Elsie Souza, a staffer for Congressman Barney Frank, had 194. Thurmond, with 36, was a distant third. "Shit — so it’s Cindy and Elsie," Baccelli said. "Kathleen didn’t get in." Then Baccelli paused. "That’s okay," she added. "We’re here. That’s good."


Issue Date: April 9 - 15, 2004
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