Bad News - Good News

Arizona Proposition 102 defining marriage as between a man and a woman (92%)
For: 1,009,693 - 57%
Against: 777,359 - 43%

Arkansas: Ban Gay Adoption (90%)
For: 549,074 – 57%
Against: 418,648 - 43%

California Proposition 8 to ban gay marriage (84%):
For: 4,605,065 - 51.8%
Against: 4,293,068 - 48.2%

Florida Amendment 2 more strongly banning gay marriage (99%)
For: 4,657,031 – 62%
Against: 2,848,490 - 38%

It would have been nice to win on these props, but in the long run, it's not going to matter much. We're not going away, and the demographics of the support are in our favor. Younger people are far more supportive - and as morbid as it sounds, the bigotry will quite literally die in the natural course of time.

I always go back to Loving vs. Virginia, the 1968 Supreme Court decision that struck down laws nationwide, that banned inter-racial marriage.

The good news is that President Obama has pledged to eliminate the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act". The majority of benefits of marriage that we are denied are federal. Once DOMA is gone, gay people can simply plan a nice P-Town marriage and voila - 1200 federal rights. It doesn't matter what any other state thinks about it.

In the longer term, Obama will be able to pick several Supreme Court justices (hopefully including Scalia's replacement). Once the court is stacked in our favor, a case can be brought before the court, framed exactly as Loving, and BAM - every state in the union has gay marriage rammed down their throats.

Consider these props in a historical context. Imagine a ballot initiative in Alabama, circa 1950, defining marriage as between one man of the same race, and one woman of the same race. Think it would have passed?

It would have passed in every state.. and that's the point.

.........

Some good news..

California Proposition 4 for parental notification on abortions (84%)
For: 4,061,123 - 47.2%
Against: 4,535,947 - 52.8%

Colorado Proposition 48 to define a zygote as a person
For: 494,058 – 27%
Against: 1,353,078 – 73%

Michigan Proposition 1 to approve medical marijuana (92%)
For: 2,704,166 (63%)
Against: 1,607,324 (37%)

South Dakota Initiated Measure 11 to ban abortion (99%)
For: 160,697 - 45%
Against: 196,847 - 55%

Washington Initiative 1000 on assisted suicide (48%)
For: 826,229 - 58%
Against: 588,321 - 42%