Arizona stands alone
Permit me a moment, in a hubbub of American election analysis, to draw your attention to the voters of Arizona, who stood against the tide, and rejected a ballot proposition to ban same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, it looks like the other seven states where this proposal was on the ballot have opted for the politics of exclusion - most notably in Tennessee, with 80% support for this measure.
I was hoping for something better out of Wisconsin, Colorado, or Virginia. But it's not to be, as a majority of American states have now passed this sort of measure.
Thank-you, Arizonans!
Labels: Arizona, gay, marriage, United States
Recommend this Post
posted by Matt @ 6:01 am
3 comments
3 Comments:
I am glad you pointed this out, because I missed it. Very interesting - I'm somewhat surprised.
Not so surprising when you take into account the fact that the proposed amendment would negate and deny legal standing etc. to co-habiting heterosexuals. This was going to punch a lot of seniors 'shacked up' together.
That's what wasn't sold to the other states. Any amendment that recognizes nothing /but/ so called 'traditional' marriage affects more than the desperate gay pairs out there. Sneaky of the evangelicals, targeting everyone 'sinning' like that while frantically waving hands and yelling "look, a gay condor!"
It's just more of the old "when they came for me, there was no one left to speak" chipping away at rights.
I was excited about this at first too, but after reading this analysis in Slate, I tend to agree with niles. Arizona voters probably rejected the amendment because the opponents of the amendment cleverly focused on the overly broad wording and negative effects for straight, common-law couples rather than civil rights for gay couples. If a more tightly-worded amendment were put forth, I suspect it would pass. Unfortunately.
Post a Comment
<< Home