"It's Raining Gay Married People"
By: Jan Aguilos
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Opinion
|
Of course they're talking about same-sex marriage-as if it was terrorism or the bubonic plague. These statements are made in two ads by the National Organization for Marriage, an advocacy group that was founded in 2007 to oppose same-sex marriage. These ads are part of an announced $1.5 million ad campaign in states such as New Jersey, which are fast becoming battlegrounds.
In early April alone, Iowa and Vermont became the third and fourth states to legalize same-sex marriage-somewhere, Jerry Falwell is spinning in his grave. Massachusetts and Connecticut are the two other states that have legalized gay marriage. For those, like me, who support same-sex marriage, these victories are refreshing in lieu of the passing of Proposition 8 in California in November, a ballot initiative which banned marriage equality in that state.
It's quite probable that New Jersey will join the states that allow same-sex marriage, considering that Governor Corzine has stated that he would sign a bill that legalizes same-sex marriage if one was to ever come out of the state Legislature. Though New Jersey has had civil unions for same-sex couples since 2007, gay rights groups like the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal still consider a civil union inferior to the legal status of marriage.
Even the Final Report of the New Jersey Civil Union Commission, released in December 10, 2008, states that civil unions encourage "unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their children." This report recommended that New Jersey trade in its recognition of civil unions for same-sex couples to the legalization of same-sex marriage.
What's particularly fascinating in Vermont's legalization of same-sex marriage is that it came from legislative means instead of a state Supreme Court ruling, which is what occurred in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa. This could possibly be a watershed moment in which elected officials gain enough political courage to publicly support marriage equality.
In March, Democratic U.S. Senator Charles Schumer of New York made some news by publicly supporting same-sex marriage. However, he is one of a very small number of national politicians who support same-sex marriage and not just civil unions or domestic partnerships. Even President Obama doesn't support same-sex marriage.
Be the first to comment on this story