Vermont's legislature battling the Governor to update civil unions to civil marriage is: GOOD FOR THE GAYS
The state that gave us our first New York-born Jewish Democratic-Socialist Senator is looking to also grab the title of the first state to pass gay marriage into law without a court's say so. Massachusetts and Connecticut have gay marriage (and California did until prop 8) but all had court rulings as their impetus for change. Of course Vermont was the first state to even consider anything close to marriage for gay couples when it passed its civil unions legislation in 2000. It's a sign of how fast gay marriage is gaining traction in our national discourse, that only nine years later, what was once considered landmark legislation is looking more like a stop-gap measure toward full equality rather than a great leap for real social justice
As for the chances of gay marriage passing in Vermont, it looks like a legislative override of a Gubernatorial veto will be a squeaker of a vote (though here's a solid argument that the override is within one vote of passing), Gov. Douglas's assertion that the gay marriage debate is "diverting attention from our most pressing issues" and that his veto was "an easy decision to make from the get-go" will surely help galvanize those who want full marriage equality. In fact it already has, according this AP report:
Douglas spokeswoman Dennise Casey said before Douglas' announcement [that he would veto a bill legalizing gay marriage], the letters and e-mails on gay marriage were running about 70 percent against the bill to legalize it... Since the announcement, supporters of same-sex marriage have been outnumbering opponents, with 60 percent of the letters and e-mails received speaking in favor it and 40 percent against.
The Iowa State Supreme Court joining Supreme Courts in Massachusetts, California, and Connecticut in ruling gays cannot be denied the right to marry is: SOOOO GOOD FOR THE GAYS
Iowa is about to get a whole lot hipper. Pushing aside it's hick heartland neighbors, Iowa will be hanging out with the cool kids from the Northeastern elite states. Within a month same sex couples will be able to marry and it'll be a long time before anyone can do anything about it. To reverse the court's decision, opponent of gay marriage will need to get a constitutional amendment approved that would redefine marriage as between a man and a woman. However Iowa's law requires any amendment to the constitution to pass in two consecutive general assemblies of the legislature (of two years duration each) PLUS a simple majority vote on a statewide ballot. The AP reported yesterday that:
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Democrat, said state lawmakers were unlikely to consider gay marriage legislation in this legislative session, which is expected to end within weeks. Gronstal also said he's "not inclined" to propose a constitutional amendment during next year's session. Without a vote by the Legislature this year or next, the soonest gay marriage could be repealed would be 2014.In five years time it's extremely doubtful that a state with a history of being on the vanguard of social change will vote for an amendment banning gay marriage. Moreover the populations of self-considered liberal states such as New York and California may feel that if a heartland mid-western state can offer gay marriage why can't they, and push for action on the issue.
Don't ask Don't Tell "being kicked down the road" by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and President Obama is: BAD FOR THE GAYS
The Sunday before last, Defense Secretary Robert Gates revealed that plans to overturn Don't Ask Don't Tell are pretty much off the table. "...The president and I feel like we've got a lot on our plates right now and let's push that one down the road a little bit." Adding, "that dialogue, though, has really not progressed very far at this point in the administration."
This news is all the more shocking coming on the heels of several very promising developments that seemed to indicate real momentum in overturning DADT. Several months ago Obama spokesperson Robert Gibbs expressed unambiguous support on the president's behalf for overturning the ban. Then in March, the White House released a statement saying the president had begun to meet with advisers to determine how to lift DADT, a statement that while vague was a direct response to Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-California) introducing a bill into congress that would lift the ban. Also adding to the feeling that DADT's demise was imminent was the formation three weeks ago of Knights Out, a GLBT alumni association for West Point grads. Adding insult to injury, Gates made his comments on Fox News Sunday. Apparently our Defense Secretary doesn't have the cojones to make such an announcement on say Rachel Maddow's show.
The release of the trailer for Sasha Baron Cohen's new movie following gay Euro fashionista Bruno through a Borat-esque trip across America is: BAD FOR THE GAYS.
First of all, let's recognize that the "real" people Bruno interacts with in this movie get their worst fears and prejudices of homosexuality confirmed. And then let's recognize that not everyone seeing this movie is going to be in on the joke, and that this audience segment will not be disposed to look favorably on the gays after watching this prancing, shallow, dildo waving creature that Cohen is enacting. Also, I fail to see how Bruno's character shows the homophobia inherent in our society. A gay character who acts like an asshole to unsuspecting people until these get pissed off and react really just shows how people in a society react to an asshole. In many ways this is just another version of "Jackass," except "Jackass" is gayer (and hotter) then "Bruno" could ever hope to be.
That said I can't wait to see "Bruno".
WQI Score
GOOD: 2
MIXED:0
BAD: 2
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