The New Middle: Gay Rights Okayed by Mormans

In a somewhat surprising move, the Morman church threw its heavy political weight behind an employment and housing anti-discrimination law in Salt Lake City, Utah, as this AP article describes.

Why would they do that? Guilt over their role in Prop 8? The desire to improve their image as not being anti-gay? It appears so. But whatever their motive, they are helping to solidify a growing middle ground for the gay rights movement. Even as states continue to affirm discrimination against gays in marriage, support is growing for equal rights in other areas.





















Apparently, they were able to support this measure because it included exceptions to "allow churches to maintain, without penalty, religious principles and religion-based codes of conduct or rules."

"The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," Michael Otterson, the director of public affairs for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said. Otterson said the endorsement is not a shift in the church's position on gay rights and stressed it "remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman."

And in another AP article, Otterson was quoted as saying:

Supporting "basic civil values," Otterson said, does not compromise the church's religious belief that homosexuality is a sin and that same-sex marriage poses a threat to traditional marriage.

There are going to be gay advocates who don't think we've gone nearly far enough, and people very conservative who think we've gone too far," Otterson said. "The vast majority of people are between those polar extremes and we think that's going to resonate with people on the basis of fair-mindedness.

The message, of course, is twisted and inconsistent -- gay "sinners" deserve equal rights and should not be discriminated against... except for in areas where it offends Morman sensibilities and except when it comes to the 1300+ civil state and Federal rights that come with marriage.

But we'll take their support for equal rights in some areas for the progress that it is. Eventually they, and the rest of the public, will see that equal means equal in every area. With hope, that realization will come in latter days ... in the not-so-distant future.

New Ground Zero: New Jersey

Some groups in New Jersey, like Garden State Equality, and this attorney website, are encouraging departing Governor Corzine to sign a same-sex marriage bill (as he said he would) before he leaves office in January. The newly elected Governor Christie would veto such legislation.

New Jersey residents (that is, gay residents) are allowed civil unions, but, as stated so eloquently in the 2008 California Supreme Court ruling, this implies second class citizenship.

As the Attorney.org article states:

When thinking of same-sex marriage, consider this — in the past few decades, seemingly unapproachable issues such as women’s or minority rights have become synonymous with “human rights” — isn’t it time that gay rights is included in that circle?

Indeed it is. I applaud Attorney.org's affirmation of human rights for all citizens.

And Now, Sadly, There are 31

Maine, too, has joined 30 other states where the idea that some of our tax-paying, U.S. citizens should be able to marry is just not acceptable enough to the majority of voters. This is the case comes despite the hope that earlier polls, a legislative (not Court-ruled) vote and fact that the vote took place in Maine -- in the most supportive, equality-minded part of the country.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/128048.html

Sadly, the "winners" report that they have protected the institution of marriage, again characterizing gay couples as attacking or destroying the institution. The reality is, Maine voted to leave some couples without the protection of marriage.

Interestingly, fear-based arguments that traditional marriage will be destroyed by this change are still ruling the day. Among them, from Stand For Marriage Maine:

1) Gay marriage will be pushed on Maine students -- the ad featured on their site. Of course, there is no requirement for this whatsoever, so it's more fear-mongering. This same technique helped drive the nail in the coffin of marriage equality in California with Prop 8.

2) Yes on 1 campaign on its website says, “

Maine’s long-standing statute defines marriage as being the union of one man and one woman joined in traditional monogamous marriage and an institution of inestimable value to society. Current law says that Maine has a compelling interest to nurture and promote the unique institution of traditional monogamous marriage in the support of harmonious families and the physical and mental health of children and that the State has the compelling interest in promoting the moral values inherent in traditional monogamous marriage.”

Of course, there is no logic or evidence to support the argument that adding another group to the conservative institution of marriage will in any way weaken the institution, nor that excluding one group will destroy it. Check earlier postings with links to several professional associations who have done real, scientific research to refute these fear (not fact) based arguments. And a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA shows that gay and straight couples are quite similar.

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=98527

If marriage is good for straights, it should be good for gays too. The burden of proof needs to shift to those who make these un-founded claims and insinuate that children will be at risk if raised by two loving parents, regardless of their gender. In time, history will reveal the truth. For now, people are not ready for it.

Unfortunately, it will take a lot of time (and persuasive, truth-based arguments) to unravel the mess that fear has created. And it will take a lot of patience and love...