I just took in a really good article (“A Church Asunder“) published in last month’s New Yorker. The news context for it is the recent appointment of Gene Robinson as the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop. But the piece does a really good job of putting the current controversy in historical and global perspective. It’s a rare article that brings the reader to an understanding of the philosophical and strategic concerns of both sides of an issue.

If your read on, I’ve excerpted some great quotes from Frank Griswold, the presiding Bishop of all Episcopal churches in the U.S.

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This USA Today article showcases democracy at its finest. Gay and Lesbian candidates, fed up with state-sponsored discrimination against them, seek to insert themselves into Bushco state legislatures across the country including Alabama, Arkasas, and Oklahoma this Fall. Incumbents in Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Utah will attempt to defend their respective state legislature posts.

I’m really happy to see that the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is shelling out millions to help these candidates. It’s absolutely necessary for activism to spearhead the frontlines of the gay marriage battle in homo-friendly states. But, it’s also imperative that gays shore up the attack from the rear — that gay and lesbian citizens take active roles in the more homphobic (Bushco) states where they can prevent state-sponsored discrimination from within the system. Utah state senator Scott McCoy did just this, by blocking a bill that would have denied gay partner benefits.

Liberal MP Warren Entsch is a former crocodile farmer and all around “manly man.” Despite his extremely macho ways, he has proven to be an unlikely supporter of the struggle for marriage equality.

From 365gay.com:

On the surface Entsch would seem an unlikely champion of LGBT rights. A former crocodile farmer from the far north Queensland who rides Harleys and spouts some of the most colorful language in Parliament, Entsch was pressing Howard to support civil partnerships, similar to those in the UK. “I’ve got no issue with my own sexuality — I’m fiercely heterosexual — but I will defend (same-sex couples’) rights to any extent to ensure people in that situation are fairly treated,” Entsch told The Age newspaper following the party meeting. “Most of the gay people I talk to, all they want is to have an opportunity to formalize a commitment to each other and get the same sort of recognition … as any other couple who have committed themselves to a relationship,” Entsch told The Age.

Except for the “I’m straight, really really straight” rhetoric, his comments are refreshing and encouraging. I wonder if we could convince him to come talk to the US Red States.