The Maryland Senate is holding its final debate today on SB116, a bill to bring marriage equality to the state. Debate has taken place for most of the morning, and will resume at 5:30 PM (don't these people want to go home?). A vote may or may not be taken today.
Yesterday, a prelimary vote was held to advance the bill, and it succeeded 25-22. Here is the roll of shame, the eleven Democrats who voted against the bill and are expected to do so again when the final vote is taken:
Left to Right, Top to Bottom (contact info via the link)
- Sen. John Astle, Anne Arundel County Democrat
- Sen. Joanne Benson, Prince George's County Democrat
- Sen. Ulysses Currie, Prince George's County Democrat
- Sen. James DeGrange, Anne Arundel County Democrat
- Sen. Roy Dyson, Southern Maryland Democrat
- Sen. James Mathias, Eastern Shore Democrat
- Sen. Thomas Middleton, Charles County Democrat
- Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller, Prince George's and Calvert counties Democrat
- Sen. C. Anthony Muse, Prince George's County Democrat
- Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters, Prince George's County Democrat
- Sen. Norman Stone, Baltimore County Democrat
Why are any Maryland Democrats voting against a bill which the vast majority of Democrats (65%) and more than half of Independents (52%) in Maryland support? (Gonzales poll, January 2011) Perhaps this is it:
A cultural rift fueled by religious conviction has been firmly cemented between Maryland's Washington-area suburbs -- or at least among its lawmakers -- as the state moves toward legalizing gay marriage. Many Prince George's County senators said they will vote against same-sex matrimony Thursday despite unanimous support for the measure from their political brethren in Montgomery County.
"I have some dear friends from Prince George's County who I vote with 99 percent of the time," said state Sen. Karen Montgomery, D-Silver Spring/Burtonsville/Olney. "This is that 1 percent where we differ and it's solely because of religion. There are more fundamental churches over there -- a strong population of people who aren't exposed to gay people except in a negative way."
Yes, fundamentalist churches, whose main message these days seems not be that Jesus Christ's abiding legacy was
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them
but rather (obtained via Wikileaks from the Gallagher translation)
I sayeth, do not let gay people have what is rightfully yours, and persecute them to the ends of the Earth, for they art abominations, and thou must smite them.
So what can be done about it? Anything?
In my opinion the most important, the most symbolic and practical, the most catalyzing thing that would take these bigots down as they continue to spout their hate weekly from pulpits and daily as talking heads would be for the President of the United States to come out and say
I have evolved. I am no longer grappling with this issue. With respect to the fundamental right of a person to marry whom they love, God is not in the mix. This is an issue of fundamental fairness and freedom, religious differences of opinion on this matter are not relevant.
Of course it wouldn't stop them; of course they would continue to spout. But fewer and fewer people would pay them heed. And it would mean that a strong population of people who aren't exposed to gay people except in a negative way would get to have a different perspective.
And no longer would politicians such as those Maryland Senators be able to say things like
My position ... is consistent with that of the President...
as Carly Fiorina did in her failed attempt at a Senate seat.
There has already been much written about how the President's and the Attorney General's decision yesterday to stop defending DOMA is powerful symbolism and a strong signal to the Judicial branch, one that they are not likely to ignore.
Imagine just how powerful a signal a Presidential statement against bigotry and in full support of marriage equality would be to people of the United States.
Mr. President, now, more than ever, It's Time To Come Out.
As I wrote in that diary published last August:
The world has changed Mr. President. Civil unions are so 2008. They no longer, if they ever did, represent equality and they never will again. It's the dawn of a new decade, where nothing short of full equality will do.
So, Barack Obama, 'Come Out'.
Come out in support of equality.
Come out in support of the 14th amendment, for equal protection under the law.
Come out in favor of the pursuit of happiness.
Come out so that those who look to you can no longer say their President believes in "separate but equal".
Come out, and the tipping point will quickly be reached: no longer will religious zealots be able to say that the majority of Americans do not support marriage equality.
And really...
Come out because it's the right thing to do.
Updated by jpmassar at Thu Feb 24, 2011, 05:05:19 PM
Update: Clarknt67 has more on the bully pulpit in a new diary
Updated by jpmassar at Thu Feb 24, 2011, 05:51:49 PM
Update Maryland Senate is restarting debate. One tweet source: http://twitter.com/...