Marriage is above all, a legal issue, and has been for a very long time. The State issues a marriage license, not a church. Under the law all citizens deserve to be treated fairly and equally unless good reason can be shown otherwise. Despite the way that the anti-gay groups complain, no cogent, realistic, meaningful, or rational case can be made for stopping loving committed same-sex couples from marrying.
The link below is to Joe.My.God, although  everything from there is also here, and some more. Family Research Council head bigot Tony Perkins is once again making the Baby Jeebus cry by telling the American Family Association radio audience that President Obama has “unilaterally decided not to enforce DOMA.” If fact, as we all know, the president has merely decided not to defend DOMA and its full enforcement remains in effect. Joe.My.God uses the image[Read More…]
The good news, is we have a president who is now acting like many thought he would to support fairness and equal treatment under the law for all people, including gays and lesbians. The bad news (or maybe it will be good news?) is that same-sex marriage will be a central issue in the next national elections of 2012.
The solution is to ignore the intimidation and refuse to be silenced. The more we are out and visible, the harder it is for our opposition to accomplish their goals to silence us and deter equality. The more we share who we are as individuals, as couples, and as families or as supportive allies, our collective voice will drown out the hatred, lies and misinformation.
Activists who care about Same-sex marriage need to recognize the value of work on every front, and support the efforts by others in those regards. We must support the legal efforts, the legislative efforts, and also continue to change public opinion and affect cultural change if we want to see Marriage Equality in the future.
Real equality is for all people, and that will include those who seek to be married as well as those who do not. Focusing only on the right to marry misses the real issue, which is creating an environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity, and have the same rights and freedoms.
When talking about same-sex marriage, it is often a muddy subject where the religious and the civil collide or overlap. But when discussing, a state’s recognition of a same-sex marriage in another state, the dialogue is free from the religious discourse.
Ginny LaRoe, writing on Legal Pad offers further comment about the status of the Pro 8 Appeals case, currently before the Federal Ninth Circuit panel of judges. Here is my earlier recap/commentary on the state of the case. LaRoe writes about how a Washington DC ruling could offer the Californai panel direction in the question of if the Prop 8 proponents have standing. She writes: With the panel judges on the Prop 8 appeal so[Read More…]
Bills like this are going to be showing up all over the place in a concerted and strategized way, supported by big money and groups like the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). Because of the recent wins for Marriage Equality on all fronts, they are stepping up there efforts to get anti-gay legislation on the books in as many states as they can, and get that legislation as deep into the constitution as they can get it.
To try and suggest that racial issues are the basis of Civil Rights, is another attempt by the far right to rewrite (or at least retell) history to suit its own needs.