Despair: Marriage Equality Fails (again)

With the passage of time, some things may change. Political attitudes may evolve and public support may appear on the rise; but in the end most things remain the same. Today, the election results from Maine's Question #1 to repeal Marriage Equality for Gay and Lesbian partners appears to have passed, by a similar margin to the California vote last year which amended the California Constitution to ban same gender couples from having the rights of marriage. Associated Press Associated Press reports this morning:

PORTLAND, Maine - Maine voters repealed a state law Tuesday that would have allowed same-sex couples to wed, dealing the gay rights movement a heartbreaking defeat in New England, the corner of the country most supportive of gay marriage. Gay marriage has now lost in every single state — 31 in all — in which it has been put to a popular vote. Gay-rights activists had hoped to buck that trend in Maine — known for its moderate, independent-minded electorate — and mounted an energetic, well-financed campaign. With 87 percent of the precincts reporting, gay-marriage foes had 53 percent of the votes.

This result is significant, not just for the people of Maine, but for those in California spear-heading an effort to repeal by initiative last years Proposition 8. One of the foundational arguments for the Repeal 8 effort has been the belief that the support for marriage equality for lesbian and gay couples has increased since the vote a year ago, and the conviction that such support will only increase over the next twelve months when the repeal initiative is planned for presentation to the voters. The result in Maine provides us with just one more example of a few core problems in relying on the voting public to embrace change. First, like with interracial marriage, if the question is placed to the voters, history shows that those who have a right are rarely willing to give someone else that same right. The change that brought the strongest advancements in civil rights have been initiated by our federal and state courts, not by voter initiatives. Second, people vote their fears, and the opponents of marriage equality have been very successful at capitalizing on those fears to stop advancement of this civil right. The results from this election make one thing very clear. Our record in achieving Marriage Equality by action of the voters is a dismal 31-0 against success. A significant amount of voter education will be necessary to achieve majority support for Marriage Equality in California and around the nation.

The work we need to do will not be easy, and the results will not materialize over night. Absent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Marriage Equality, civil unions and domestic partnerships, like approved by voters in Washington State on Turesday, appear to be about as far as we are going to move in the short term. This does not mean that we won't ultimately get there, but I have my doubts about us getting there through a proposed ballot initiative in California next November. Going to the voters over and over again with the same request hoping for a different result, absent application of the financial resources to get voters to change their core opinions, is the very definition of futility.

This article s cross-posted from TheLiberalOC.com.

 

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Comments

[S E Martin]

To Christians who think marriage is a religious institution: it's not. Get over it.

Marriage was practiced long, long before anyone ever even thought about Christianity or your version of "god".

Marriage is actually, therefore, a PAGAN idea. Gasp!! Every Christian should quickly get divorced since marriage is actually not a Christian idea.

Christians do NOT "own" the idea of marriage.

Marriage has been around for as long as we've recorded history, and most likely even longer, because there are many legends passed down through oral history about marriage.

The ancient Greeks, Romans, Celtics, and so on, all practiced marriage. Guess what? Not a single one of those cultures married in front of a Christian version of God because "God" hadn't been concoted/i­­nvented/f­a­bricated quite yet.

It really doesn't take much knowledge to understand this. It's not like it's a hidden fact; it's quite common knowledge actually.

[Cliffd]

This could have been a done deal if you would just change one thing, the title you want to call this union. For me this has nothing to do with religion. I was brought up as a Catholic but am closer to an atheist. The thing I am most proud about in my life is my 36 year commitment of Marriage to my wife. To me Marriage is and has on the majority been a union between a man and a woman. I know that there have been same sex unions since the beginning of man and that religion should have nothing to with it but you can’t tell me that is was the norm. From what I can find on the word “Marriage” it is traditionally, for the majority of the world a union between a man and a woman. Heck you could call it “Marriagge” that would be fine with me because it defines a difference between your union and mine, which I believe there is. This also has nothing to do with procreation at least not for me. My wife and I chose early on that we did not have to bring a child into this world when we (the world) have yet to care for the children already here. Change the name and you have my vote, you already have my heart.

[xenas mom]

You are incorrect. The word "marriage" is being used as a smokescreen. Take a look at Referendum 71 in Washington state. That was about domestic partnerships, yet the anti-LGBTQ-rights organizations descended upon that state in force, as well as upon Maine. Why? Because the actual agenda of the organizations working diligently against same sex marriage are working just as diligently to remove any and all rights the LGBTQ community might have gained. If that were not the case, they would have stayed away from Washington. The fact that they did not pulls back the veil. We now have the opportunity to see them as they are. Do not be deluded that it's about the word "marriage"; it is actually about keeping/putting LGBTQ people "in their place". Why is it necessary for my marriage and yours to be defined differently? Are you that invested in ensuring that discrimination continues? Platitudes are simply empty words. Our marriage is as valid as yours, yet you receive greater tax benefits than do we. I'm sorry you are uncomfortable with our marriage; we are not uncomfortable with yours. I guess I'm supposed to take some comfort in the fact that I "have your heart" but frankly, I'd rather have equal rights.

[Cliffd]

I am telling you how I feel about the subject, no smoke screens. This is how I feel and I know others who feel the same. We older folks will die out in about 10 of 20 years. Do you want to wait for that long or do you want to start the process now, it’s your choice. Sometimes the one step at a time is the best approach to what you want. But if you want my vote next time around you know what you need to do.

[MocksNix]

Sadly, gay folks seem to want to forget that this is America, not some foreign country.

[xenas mom]

My family was here before the American Revolution, so we certainly have not forgotten this is America, which is supposed to be about equal rights for all Americans. Sadly, it is only about equal rights for SOME Americans.