Shame on You North Carolina

Oh dear dear dear. Not again. Now now. Just when things seemed to be going so well. The Week reported last month that for the first time, those who support same sex marriage outnumber those who oppose it, and most importantly, those who strongly support it are as numerous as those who strongly oppose it (22% each). The very best news is that those who are under 30 overwhelmingly support it, so there are real glimmers of hope. Too bad that is not the same thing as doing the right thing. It is a simple matter of equal rights. Nothing less. You can thump your Bible all you want, and I will support your right to do so, but that has no place in a country that separates church and state. The Bible also advocates slavery, polygamy, and stoning your children when they disobey you--all of those have gone by the wayside. It is far past time for this one to be let go of too.

Sadly, the fight for equal rights is not behind us. The blue states are the ones where same sex marriage is legal and the maroon states are states are those that have a constitutional ban on it. North Carolina voters (60% of those voting) passed an amendment to their constitution banning same sex marriage, and became the 30th state to do so. They are not the leaders, but they strongly followed. On the other hand, the last time North Carolina amended it's constitution on a marriage issue was to ban inter-racial marriage. You can marry your cousin there, but not someone of the same gender. So that tells us something about the place. It is still a sad reminder of how we are prone to looking back rather than forward these days. As Amy Davidson noted in the New Yorker: "If there is a lesson in the North Carolina vote, it is that complacency on this issue is not a victimless stance." Happily, President Obama agrees, and has come out publically in favor of same sex marriege. Way to go, Mr. President.