Saturday, December 12, 2009

Washington, D.C. as the Silver Lining for Marriage Equality Activists - BY MICHAEL A. JONES

This Tuesday will mark the second vote that Washington, D.C.'s City Council is scheduled to take on the issue of marriage equality. Two weeks ago, the D.C. City Council voted 11-2 to allow the seat of the U.S. federal government to recognize same-sex marriages. The vote on Tuesday is scheduled to follow the same trajectory, 11-2. Rinse, wash, repeat.

But same-sex marriage in D.C. is not quite a slam dunk yet. As Mario or Luigi might ad-lib, despite the fact that we've won a few rounds, our princess is in another castle. What happens next after D.C.'s City Council votes on Tuesday?

Well, first and foremost the mayor, Adrian Fenty, has to sign it. He has said he will. *Phew*

Then we have to make sure that the U.S. Congress doesn't get its knickers in a tether over same-sex marriage. They shouldn't. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has previously said that the Congress has more important fish to fry than wading into the waters of whether two people who love each other should have the right to get married in D.C.

After that, opponents of same-sex marriage might pull some legal tricks to try and delay the move. But if marriage equality activists can fend that off, which seems likely, D.C. will close out 2009 (or start 2010, depending on your perspective) as a silver lining for marriage equality activists who saw two serious recent setbacks in Maine and New York.

U.S. News and World Report writer Dan Gilgoff has a piece up that calls D.C. a victory for advocates of marriage equality activists. Yes, there's some religious opposition in the District, mostly fueled by a Bishop whose followers live outside of the city. But an 11-2 vote is pretty dramatic, and a mayor willing to follow the courage of his convictions is even more impressive…Read complete article - BY MICHAEL A. JONES

photo The Queen's Pen

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