Since recent events have caused the issue of Lesbian and Gay marriage to become one of heated national debate and political importance, I thought it would be best to start this all-inclusive topic on the subject.
Those wishing to review this topic's precursor can see it at:
Help mess up an anti-gay marriage poll
The courts in Massachusetts have recently ruled that restricting marriage to a man and a woman violates the state constitution and have given the state legislature until May to correct this. As of this writing, the lawmakers have been unable to do so.
President Bush entered the fray when he announced during his January State Of the Union Address that he supported outlawing "same-sex" marriages, by amending the Constitution if necessary.
And, most interestingly, this past weekend, Gavin Newsome, the mayor of San Francisco, ordered the County Clerk to change the applications for marriage licenses to be non-gender specific, and to permit same-sex unions without discrimination.
Opponents say that this violates 1974 state law and have sought an injunction, which was denied consideration until Tuesday. Mayor Newsome apparently came to his decision in Washington while attending President Bush's speech.
As of this writing over 2,000 such licenses have been issued in San Francisco. The first couple to receive their marriage license were none other than Lesbian movement pioneers Del Martin, 83 & Phyllis Lyon, 79, founders of the legendary Daughters Of Bilitis in 1953, editors of The Ladder, one of the first same-sex literary and political magazines. The couple has, BTW, been together for 51 years.
On a personal note, I must admit due to my reluctance to have the state sanction anything of what I might view as my personal life, I had previously been rather lukewarm on this issue, much as I had been on the gays in the military issue. I guess it is my general "Don't tread On Me" attitude. Now I am completely galvanized. The opponents have become so mean-spirited in their arguments, and their claims of exclusivity have really raised my hackles, that I have now been writing to Congress and Council alike demanding the right to marry!
One could only hope that our Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, would have the guts to do what SF's Mayor Newsome has done. Fat chance! Our mayor is only concerned with kissing the asses of our war-mongering President and the RNC and getting ready to welcome the Republican Convention here.
[This message was edited by hatches on 02-16-04 at 01:12 PM.]
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