Current mood:	hopeful
Entry tags:	peoples republic of massachusetts: equal

*Crossing fingers for Equality Marriage*

ETA: Massachusetts Legislature Preserves Equality Marriage; Same-Sex Marriage Ban Defeated

The constitutional convention for the People's Republic of Massachusetts is once more considering putting equality marriage up for a popular vote.

Do the right thing guys. Vote this down. Vote against putting civil rights up for popular vote.

More than 3 years ago, the People's Republic of Massachusetts began issuing licenses for equality marriage. To date, we are the only state where equality marriage is legal.

*looks out window*

And strangely enough, the People's Republic of Massachusetts is still here. No fire from the sky. No massive earthquakes tearing down our cities. No tsunamis from the sea to wipe out proof of our existence.

No lightening strikes.

So, I'm thinking the whole "human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria" threats were over-rated just a tad.

Right now, the vote could go either way by one or two votes (50 out of the 200 state reps have to approve the measure this round before it gets to the ballot). However, the leadership of all three branches of state government (Governor, State Legislature, and State Supreme Court) are firmly for equality marriage.

Even better, the opponents of equality marriage know that if the vote to put the issue before voters doesn't pass this time around, it'll never pass at all. Support for wiping out equality marriage has eroded very quickly in this state as more and more GLBT citizens openly get married, settle down, buy property, raise children, and subject themselves to all the same responsibilities that go with the whole marraige package.

Those people are our neighbors, friends, and family.

And no one wants to hurt their neighbors, friends, and family, do they?

To get an idea of the complicated political maneuvering going on in the People's Republic of Massachusetts over equality marriage right this very moment, check out this graphic from The Boston Globe:



Click to enlarge the image





For more information on the fight to preserve equality marriage in Massachusetts, visit the Boston Globe. (More articles on the issue can be found here). Blue Mass. Group and Bay Windows are liveblogging the convention as it happens.

You can also watch the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention live on the Web, if you're interested in keeping up-to-the-minute tabs on the debate.

If you are a resident of Massachusetts:

Call your state representative and urge him or her to vote in support of equality marriage and against the 2008 referendum question that, if passed, would ban equality marriage and relegate some of our fellow citizens to second-class citizenship.

This is about fairness.

This is about civil rights.

This is about humanity.

ETA: To read the case law and legal history of equality marriage in the People's Republic of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries has an online collection.

ETA2: The MassEquality Web site has interactive maps showing where the different legislators stand on the equality marriage issue. The Take Action page has the necessary contact information.

ETA3: Talk2Action spells out how the big 'Gaypocalypse' in Massachusetts has failed materialize. In fact, according to statistics, Massachusetts not only has the lowest divorce rate in the U.S., it also tends to have the healthiest marriages in the U.S.



Now Playing: