If you’re a Seattle Storm fan with a lick of common decency, the following should irk you. And if you’re a lesbian Storm fan, you’ll be especially disgusted to know where the new owners’ money is being doled out:

It’s even worse than my tipster thought.

The campaign finance records I’ve reviewed show that Sonics/Storm co-owner Tom Ward has contributed $475,000 to Gary L. Bauer’s Americans United to Preserve Marriage.

And another Sonics/Storm co-owner, Aubrey McClendon, contributed $625,000.

Both men made their first contributions to the group, $250,000 apiece, on September 8, 2004—the day after the group was formed.

Now. I’m not going to get all hysterical about this, but damn. I am quite disappointed, though unsurprised.

When I last touched upon the Storm in-depth, I wrote about what the team means to me in terms of lesbian community:

Since the rumors and eventual sale of the Sonics and Storm began, I’ve had one thought about what it would mean to lose the Storm in particular:

Seattle’s lesbian community would be devastated. Bayou and I have attended several games in the past, and two within the last month. Both times, I looked around, and thought: “Wow, I can’t believe how many lesbians are here.”

Everywhere, wall-to-wall dykes, couples, femmes, singles, sports dykes, families with one or more kidlets, goth riot grrrls. It was an absolutely diverse microcosm of gay women and their loved ones.

The blessing of the Storm games is the lack of ‘meat-market’ attitude. It’s a great meeting place for friends and groups of friends. If the Storm leaves town, it will leave a big, gaping hole in the lesbian community here.

Part of me would like to flip the virtual bird to the owners and tell them to do their hate-mongering in Oklahoma. It’s an insult to the fans who support equality and to the players, who are known for being reflective of the same. And yet, I hesitate to the flip that bird and withdraw my support. The team didn’t ask to be purchased by conservative schmucks. They didn’t ask to see their salaries paid by people who are more interested in preserving the illusion of marriage as the pure and unblemished heterosexual institution to end all institutions.

That said, I’m not sure how their anti-marriage equality donations should affect Seattle’s decision about whether to fund a new stadium. On one hand, it can be argued that we shouldn’t bankroll a group of people actively trying to restrict the rights of others. On the other, what would the relocation of the teams do besides remove pro basketball from Washington? Is it worth it, economically and politically, to tell Clay Bennett et al to take their anti-equality supporting asses and go back to Oklahoma with their new toys? In other words, are we willing to stand by our views and take the economic and visceral hit that would result?

This development leaves me, a loyal fan, deeply divided. I love my team, and I love how welcoming their games have always made me feel. But somehow, I don’t think I can set foot into Key Arena without being reminded of what’s going on behind the scenes. And because gay marriage is something that I desire politically and personally, I feel compelled not to part with my cash, only to see it meander into Gary Bauer’s coffers.

Technorati Tags: Seattle Storm, lesbian community, anti-marriage equality, basketball, Clay Bennett