Gays and lesbians are our friends, neighbors, doctors, colleagues, sisters and brothers. Does it sit well with you that because of their sexual orientation, a factor outside one’s control, that they should have less rights and protections in the eyes of the law?" Hoover asks. And then she drops the bomb shell. "By supporting [gay marriage] we have an opportunity to establish our historic credibility on civil rights issues once again.
A friend of mine forwarded this email to me this morning. It's time for us to act!
Scott Brown was one of the most vociferous opponents of same-sex marriage in the Massachusetts legislature when the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that the state had to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He referred to a family led by two women as "not normal." Now as a senate candidate in a state that has had five years of same-sex marriage, he says he doesn't want to change the law and calls himself "pro civil-union." He has barely mentioned same-sex marriage in his campaign. He wants us to forget about his anti-gay past without ever acknowledging he might have been on the wrong side of history.
Harold Ford is a former senator from Tennessee who is now considering a run for Senator of New York. Ford has recently come out in support of same-sex marriage (which reflects the polls taken of New Yorkers), yet while he was in the senate not too long ago, he voted for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage federally. This amendment might very well have also banned civil unions. Today Ford says he was always was in favor of fairness, but that he doesn't regret his vote in the senate. And the icing on the cake? Ann Coulter called him her "favorite Democrat."
I've been reading a lot today about the Prop 8 trial. Forgive me if I can't thank all the blogs that have helped me with this post. I've read them all as well as a transcript (or at least live reports on twitter) of the proceedings. It seems like the defendants of Prop 8 tried to use the day to prove that there is no discrimination against gay people in the US. I would think that would be rather tough, seeing that you are defending discrimination against gay people at the trial, but hey, logic was never on the Prop 8 supporters' side.
Although I voted for Mike Capuano in the special primary race for the senate seat vacated by Ted Kennedy, I just made a contribution to the Martha Coakly campaign. Because I have decided not to contribute to the Democratic Party or any branch of that party (you can look back at about a zillion of my posts to see why), I made my donation directly to the Coakley campaign. Here's why.
2. We are not just voting for one senator. We are voting for control of the senate. If Scott Brown, the Republican, wins, we are giving up that super majority for the foreseeable future. This would be a disaster for anything President Obama wants to accomplish. It would also be a major setback for any LGBT progress.
A new poll just out shows the race too close to call. This is frightening. Vote. Tell your friends to vote. Tell your pets to vote. Tell strangers on the street to vote. And give, if you can, to the Coakley campaign.
Unfortunately, history doesn't wait, even if our President wants to. On Monday one of the most important trials in history for LGBT people began. It will not wait. It will not go away. And if we lose this trial, it will, eventually, be a deep stain on the Obama presidency. That is, if the administration remains silent. Because if we lose, it will be years, perhaps decades, before we will be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States -- where this trial is eventually headed -- again.
1. Health Care: Right now, the vast majority of LGBT couples are denied health care through their spouses. And those who can get spousal benefits are taxed heavily -- unlike heterosexual couples -- by the federal government. For example, I am on my husband's health plan. But because the federal government doesn't recognize us, my health care is taxable income. This inequity was addressed in the House version of the Health Care Reform Bill but was cut out of the Senate version. Health care is an LGBT issue.
2. The Economy: The list of economic benefits denied same-sex couples is endless. No social security benefits should a spouse die. A heavy tax on what might be left to a spouse after the death of a partner. Over 1,000 financial benefits are denied to LGBT couples during the worst economic crisis since The Great Depression. The economy is an LGBT issue.
Geoff Kors (left), Executive Director of Equality California, released a statement urging the Justice Department to issue an amicus brief supporting the elimination of Prop 8:"The time has come for elected leaders to empower all Americans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Once again, we call on the Obama administration to join Equality California and others in urging the federal courts to strike down this grossly unjust law. In doing so, we will bring our nation one step closer to realizing its promise of equality for all. Our country’s bedrock principles of democracy and freedom are at stake."
"(Judge) Walker did not tip his hand through his questioning, but interjected often with musings that pointed in all directions. At one point, he asked Theodore Olson, one of the lead plaintiffs attorneys and former U.S. Solicitor General during the Bush administration, 'Why shouldn't the courts stand back and let this develop?'But the highlight of the trial seemed to be the testimony of the two couples who are bringing the case to federal court:
At another point, he flipped the question on Charles Cooper, the lead attorney for the Prop 8 campaign, who insisted judges should stay out of the fight and allow voters in states such as California decide on the definition of marriage. 'There are certainly lots of issues taken out of the body politic," the judge replied. 'Why isn't this one of them?"
Under questioning from Olson and David Boies, another high-profile attorney, the four plaintiffs described their difficult roads to "coming out" and their quest to marry their partners. 'There's something humiliating about everybody knowing you want to make that decision (to marry), and you don't get to,' Perry told the judge.
Tomorrow, Nancy Cott (left)will be the first expert witness in the trial. She is a Harvard University historian who will be testifying on behalf of the "Perry" (the plaintiffs favoring same-sex marriage).
The gay couples law blog has done a wonderful job of putting together the basics about the upcoming Prop 8 trial. I've used their post in creating my own "what you should know" list for the trial. Thanks also to Pam's House Blend, who also published the post by the gay couples law blog.
The Boston Globe is reporting that Democrat Martha Coakley (right) is leading Republican Scott Brown (left) by 15 points as we head into the final full week of the special election campaign to fill the Senate seat vacated after the death of Ted Kennedy. This is good news on a number of fronts. During the same-sex marriage battle in Massachusetts five years ago, Scott Brown was one of the most vocal and strident opponents of equality. Suffice it to say that if Scott Brown had his way, marriage would not be the law of the land in Massachusetts.
