Gay Bells in Bondage

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.slate.com/id/2297897/

Two days after legalizing same-sex marriage in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo marched in the New York City gay pride parade. "You're going to see this message resonate all across the country now," he predicted. "If New York can do it, it's O.K. for every other place to do it."

But most states can't do what New York did. Their legislatures can't legalize gay marriage, because their voters have passed ballot measures that prohibit it under their state constitutions. The ballot measures were enacted years ago, when gay marriage was unpopular. Now many of the old voters who opposed same-sex marriage are being replaced by young voters who support it. But the old electorate, through its constitutional amendments, has handcuffed the new electorate. The living are being ruled by the dead.

Twenty years ago, gay marriage was a fringe idea. Ten years ago, it was gaining support, but opponents still outnumbered supporters. In a 2003 Pew survey, taken shortly before the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that gay couples were entitled to marry, the national margin of opposition was 53 to 38 percent. In a 2004 Gallup survey conducted shortly after the Massachusetts ruling, it was 55 to 42 percent. In a Washington Post/ABC News survey, it was 55 to 39 percent.

That year, conservatives hustled to put anti-gay-marriage constitutional amendments on state ballots. One reason for their haste was the Massachusetts ruling, which set off alarms that judges might impose gay marriage in other states. Another reason was that Republicans needed a scary issue to mobilize the religious right in the 2004 elections. But the third reason was that the polls, from a conservative standpoint, were moving in the wrong direction. Conservatives often fret that traditional moral assumptions are unraveling. In the case of gay marriage, they're right.

So they took the issue to the polls. By 2002, voters in three states had approved constitutional amendments against gay marriage. In 2004, another 13 states joined the list. Two followed in 2005, eight more in 2006, and three more in 2008. That's 29 states.

[xchrom]

1. & I thought this was going to be about a newly discovered

Tennessee Williams play.

[w8liftinglady]

2. LOL...I won't tell you what I thought.

Nonetheless...too many people are unaware of the true meaning of DOMA...and the long-term effects it has had on us...including me.

[xchrom]

3. +1

[DURHAM D]

4. Huh?

DOMA has nothing to do with those state initiatives. They stand alone.

Edit: DOMA was a compromise. It was supported by Democrats and easily passed both the House and the Senate because at the time a movement for a federal constitutional amendment was roaring down the tracks. Had DOMA not been signed into law you (me/we) would be living with a federal constitutional amendment against marriage equality.

[TlalocW]

7. I thought bells was misspelled

Seriously, though, the religious nutjobs were smart to tackle it early. Approximately 30 states have some voter-passed initiative to prevent gay marriage in their state. They saw which ways the polls were heading and jumped while the numbers were still on their side. It will take work, but they can be undone.

TlalocW

[RKP5637]

5. Recommend!!! n/t

[damntexdem]

6. Hey, in Texas, a ballot initiative outlawed all marriage!

Passed overwhelmingly, even though it was pointed out that its wording technically outlawed all marriage.

;-)

[w8liftinglady]

8. LOL! don't tell my ex.