I’ll admit it. I have a stack of mail on my desk that gets bigger, not smaller. When it becomes an eyesore, I toss it into a box and pretend I’ll take a look at it later.
The gay rights crisis – and yes, it is a crisis – right now in this country is kind of like the stack of mail on my desk. It gets bigger, and bigger, we say we’re going to do something about it, but then we toss it into a box and turn our attention to something else.
Enough.
There are those who have done their part. Now it’s time for us to stop trying to annihilate each other and go after the bad guys. I won’t stop pointing out flaws and poor decisions and failed policies – nor should you. But let’s start putting pressure on the people who aren’t doing their jobs.
Let’s start with every member of the U.S. House of Representatives who has not signed on to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. As David Mixner points out,
“…New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler’s “Respect for Marriage Act’ which, if enacted, will repeal the loathsome Defense Of Marriage Act. There is simply no reason why every Democrat is not on that list and also some of our Republicans allies.”
“Ironically, missing from this list are such obvious ones as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer , openly gay Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, DCCC Chairperson Chris Van Hollen and other key Democrats.”
Check out his list. Call your Congressman. Tell them why DOMA needs to be repealed.
I have to ask: Can you even be a Democrat if you don’t support repeal of DOMA? I also have to ask: Can you be a Libertarian if you don’t support repeal of DOMA? Seriously. Government deciding who can get married? What century is this?
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Both Maryland Senators responded to my emails by claiming that repealing DOMA would "infringe on states' rights to define marriage". As if that's not what DOMA does!
Perhaps Maryland's Senators could benefit from a little education on what that Constitution they swore to uphold says? As EqualMeasure posted below, they need to pay attention to Aritle IV, Section 1, otherwise known as the Full Faith and Credit Clause which says that all states must give full faith and credit to the records and acts of the other states.
You might also remind them that the words they are using now are the EXACT same words that were used by their counterparts back in the 60s prior to the Loving v Virginia decision with regards to interracial marriage.
Regardless of all that, it still does not excuse the Federal government from refusing to recognize marriages legally performed in ANY state that has chosen – through whatever means – marriages that are legal. Refusing to acknowledge us and grant us those 1,138+ rights and responsibilities just because someone, somewhere *might* be offended by it is just not good enough.
I think it'd also be worth mentioning the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution (Article IV, Sec 1). After all, with the way Repubs hate the idea of anything ever altering or reinterpreting the founding documents, it's strange that they would be able to support a federal law that directly overrides the US Constitution. It's not even an amendment.
If you want to get down and dirty, you might want to remind them that to ignore the repeal of DOMA is to ignore the oath of office they took when they became congresspeople, Republican or Democrat.
I agree-it's overdue for all dems and fair thinking republicans to get behind this bill. If not now, when?
Susan Berland
http://www.susan-berland.com
I agree-it's overdue for all dems and fair thinking republicans to get behind this bill. If not now, when?
Susan Berland
http://www.susan-berland.com
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