Ho'omaika'i 'ana!
Hawaii will become the 16th US State (and 17th jurisdiction) to realize marriage equality. The Hawaiian House of Representatives just took its final vote on the legislation it has been working on for more than a week, passing it with votes to spare, 30-19. This despite attempts by oppenents bigots to stage a people's haters' filibuster which lasted for five days, and then offer up innumerable unfriendly amendments to the bill in the House, all doomed to failure. During the five days of testimony more than a thousand people - mostly opponents - spoke. To no avail.
The legislation, originally passed by the Hawaiian Senate two weeks ago, was amended by the House with additional "religious exemptions." Therefore it will go back to the Senate where easy passage is expected. The Governor will undoubtedly sign the legislation; he is the one who called the legislature into special session to pass it.
Hawaii's action is just one of a series of recent events which has put more nails in the US Supreme Court's DOMA coffin of the homophobes and the anti-marriage equality crowd:
- Marriage equality became law in New Jersey, as Governor Christie was forced, at long last, by the New Jersey Supreme Court, to give up his fight against it.
- Same-sex marriage legislation days ago passed the Illinois Legislature (and will be signed by the Governor on November 20th).
- the US Senate just passed ENDA, with nary a Republican speaking in opposition.
Now all the opposition has to do is see the coffin nails for what they are. That seems unlikely, of course. NOM and its ilk are nothing if not blind to history. So we will continue to see opposition rising, vampire-like, every now and again. But hey, daylight is plentiful - we don't even need Daylight Savings Time any more just switched to Daylight Savings Time after all - and garlic still grows bountifully.
What's next? We await a decision by the New Mexico Supreme Court on whether same-sex marriage in New Mexico is to be. It's hard to see in light of all that has happened the New Mexico Supremes not coming down on the side of marriage equality.
Once that decision is reached progress towards full equality in the United States will seem to slow; cases will work their way through the courts, and referenda, such as in Oregon, Ohio and Arkansas, will be seeking signatures. But without some unexpected development there won't be any new states joining the "Marriage Equality 16" until at least November, 2014, when Oregon is likely to pass by ballot initiative a consitutional amendment legalizing same-sex marriage.
Meanwhile, almost across the Pond, 76% of the Irish support same-sex marriage. A referendum on the issue is planned for 2015. I politely inquire of the Irish: "Why bother? Just declare it so."
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States and jurisdictions with or about to have marriage equality, approximately east to west:
Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, California, Washington, Hawaii.