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Greg in the Afternoon: The gay marriage edition
I firmly believe same-sex marriage will be legal in every state in the U.S. someday. I just hope I don’t have to live to be 105 for it to happen in my lifetime.
But it will take longer than it should because of people like Vermont Governor Jim Douglas (a Republican) who announced today that he will veto the marriage bill currently making its way through his state’s legislature. This despite a 26-4 victory in the state senate. California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger twice had the same opportunity and twice vetoed it. After a landmark state supreme court decision granting marriage rights, we had Prop. 8 and you know the rest of the shameful story. As in California, the bill in Vermont could still become law despite a veto but it would require a two-thirds vote in each chamber. It now moves to The House for debate.
He told reporters he believes the legislature should be focusing on economic issues:”Because I believe that by removing any uncertainty from my decision we can move more quickly beyond this debate, I am announcing I intend to veto this legislation when it reaches my desk.” (Here is an AUDIO link to his press conference)
I know it is asking an awful lot, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if these governors would just do the right thing? Instead, opposing full equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians when they had the opportunity to do so will forever be part of their legacy.
Shameful.
********** I’ll post more about this event as soon as I know exactly who will be on the panel. This is what I know today: The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center is hosting “Town Hall on Prop. 8, the Fight for the Freedom to Marry” on Wednesday, April 1. It is the first of a series of Town Hall discussions where members and allies of the LGBT community can join in on an open dialogue. Leaders from several community organizations will discuss the legal challenges seeking to overturn Prop. 8 and efforts happening across the state in support of the freedom to marry.
The event,will take place from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the center’s The Village at Ed Gould Plaza (1125 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, 90038. (One block east of Highland just north of Santa Monica Blvd.)
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
David Badash says:
Greg, I couldn’t agree more. The voters in Vermont WANT gay marriage, by a 52% to 39% margin. The House & Senate want gay marriage. Even business leaders in Vermont want gay marriage. So, who is left that doesn’t? What reason could the governor have to veto the bill? Well, he has stated he believes only in traditional marriage. So, his personal beliefs get to decide what the people of his state get to do.
Hope he’s not against fly fishing, ’cause that would be outlawed in Vermont then, too.
It’s time people in Progressive states looked at their Conservative governors and do the right thing: Vote them out of office. New Hampshire and Rhode Island are about to be in the same boat too.