Thank the FSM Democrats do not have to negotiate on this one. Or we'd be back to civil unions -- delayed until 2015 and only for those making $500,000 or more.
No, at midnight tonight, America falls off the marriage equality cliff. The last of the states that voted for marriage equality on November 6th, 2012 will take the leap, ignoring the chasm of hellfire and brimstone below predicted by NOM and their allies.
"It's been a long time coming," said Jim Scales, who made a Christmas present of his marriage license to William Tasker, his partner of 35 years. Scales, 68, and Tasker, 60, plan to be married at a ceremony at Baltimore City Hall by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake shortly after midnight.
Yes indeed, At 12:00 AM, January 1st, 2013 Maryland will become a marriage equality state, joining their partners-in-balloting Maine and Washington. Maryland will join a club that also consists of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, the District of Columbia and Iowa, becoming
numero decem.
It looks like Illinois is eager to join the club in 2013, what with the President giving its lawmakers a wink and a nudge. Delaware might be convinced, Minnesota is hedging, while Rhode Island could take the plunge as well, albeit with some kicking and screaming. Hawaii is a puzzle. New Jersey? Fuggedabouttit.
Perhaps we should not be so cavalier as to refer to tomorrow as another cliff. One is more than enough. Perhaps tipping point is the better phrase. Whatever. Marriage equality opponents got the snot beaten out of them on November 6th, and its hard to see how they recover. Whether they have to climb back up a cliff or undo an avalanche is simply a muddle of metaphor. The fact is they're screwed, and they know it. The only question is how long before they stop trying -- and crawl back into their hate-encrusted hole never to emerge again in polite company.
Old hatreds never fade away. The people holding them just die off. So it might take a while.