The Supreme Court didn't overturn the whole of the Defense of Marriage Act, focusing rather narrowly on the question before it: could federal benefits be denied to same-sex spouses. But states are still free to refuse to recognize marriages granted in the thirteen states and D.C. where there is marriage equality. That's where
the big fight now turns.
Now the two sides of the marriage wars are gearing up to resume the costly state-by-state battles that could, in the hopes of each, spread marriage equality to several more states in the next few years, or reveal a brick wall of values that cannot be breached. There is wide agreement from both sides on where the next battlefields will be.
Proponents of same-sex marriage were already energized by victories in six states over the last year, bringing the total number authorizing such unions to 12 states, before California, and the District of Columbia. They are hoping for legislative victories this fall or next spring in Illinois and possibly New Jersey and Hawaii.
Twenty-nine states—not including California—have constitutional amendments defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Some advocates expect that in the November 2014 elections, Oregon and perhaps Nevada or Ohio could become the first states to undo their amendments. At the same time, a court case in New Mexico could extend marriage rights. [...]
“These court decisions could be a real boon to our fund-raising,” said Frank Schubert, a conservative political consultant and vice president of the National Organization for Marriage. “People tend to react when the wolf is at the door.”
Energized by the desire to discriminate, NOM will definitely use these decisions to rake in as much money as possible. The good news is that all their hate-fueled money can't do anything to stop the fact that public opinion is rapidly changing, that the majority of people in America
aren't threatened by thought of every American sharing the same fundamental rights as every other American.
That doesn't mean, though, that we don't need to keep countering NOM and the other marriage bigots in every state, but particularly those where it's going to be on the ballot. Right now, the early effort is in Oregon where overturning the state's constitutional amendment—adopted by popular vote in 2004—will be on the 2014 ballot. Every dollar Oregon United for Marriage raises now will be a dollar spent to buttress against the very big money NOM will pour into the state.
Please contribute now to Oregon United for Marriage to help organize for 2014.