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What a week for marriage equality! Join the Discussion.
Today the Vermont made history, becoming the first state in the nation to enact marriage equality by a vote of the legislature.
On Friday, Iowa’s Supreme Court ended the exclusion of same-sex couples from the freedom to marry, bringing marriage equality to America’s heartland.
So that makes four states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont that have enacted marriage equality.
And just today, Washington DC’s Council voted to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the district.
It’s time to celebrate. And it’s time to get Oregon on the path to marriage equality!
Here’s what we know already: Oregon voters passed ballot measure 36 in 2004, which wrote marriage discrimination into our state constitution. This means our state legislature can’t fix this for us, like Vermont lawmakers did.
Immediately after Measure 36 passed, Basic Rights Oregon filed a legal challenge to the measure, the Martinez v. Oregon case. In December 2008, the Oregon Supreme Court sidestepped this challenge, and let Measure 36 stay on the books – effectively ending our options on the legal front.
All signs indicate that the only way to win marriage equality in Oregon is to run a proactive ballot measure to remove Measure 36 from our constitution.
Our movement has never done this kind of thing before. What would it be like? What do you think it would be like to work on this campaign?
Should we move forward as soon as possible, even if it means risking losing? Or should we lay a solid foundation to make sure we can win?
You decide.
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April 7th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Time to get an independent polling organization to conduct some focus groups throughout the state. We don’t want to repeat the mistakes made in California. My personal feeling is that we need to wait a little bit longer to ensure that a solid majority of active voters is onboard for repeal of Measure 36.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:46 am
We have waited this long for equality, so why not make sure we have a solid foundation to win in the state of Oregon. My question is: How long do you think it will take to build that solid foundation? I see from past actions we are well on our way!
April 7th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
In addition to polling, I think we need to understand the
current condition of our organized opposition. Have they been
weakened by recent events, such as recent victories and the
prop 8 backlash? Are they giving up on marriage battles or
are they more determined than ever? The longer we wait, the better
our chance of winning. At the same time, it may be helpful to
seize the current momentum across the country. I’m also concerned
about Oregon (and our RDPs) being left behind when DOMA is reversed.
We also need to learn the lessons of prop 8 and make sure that we
are properly equipped for the battle. It won’t come easy, we need to
come prepared with strong supporting partners and plan to handicap
the opposition.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
I read with a tear in my eye the comments of the man who heard the vote with his partner of 25 years and said “We might as well get married now”. Very similar to the joy that 4 couples including us had back in February of 2008 when we rode the elevator from the comissioner’s office to the lobby of the Multnomah County offices to get our Domestic Partnerships registered and a reporter for our local paper noted that over 100 years of relationships were in that elevator.
As Iowa led the way for Barack Obama, may it be so that it leads the way for Marriage Equality in all the remaining 47 states.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I think it is best to make sure their is a solid foundation. I don’t want to see what happened in California repeated here.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
I trust that BRO has a solid foundation and the energy to win a hard-fought campaign for marriage equality. Now is the time, perhaps moreso than ever, to stand up and make our voices heard! We should move forward as rapidly as possible to challenge the anti-equality movement. Given the recent victories we have had in Iowa, Vermont, DC and the backlash from Prop. 8 in CA, it is clear that now is the time. What are we waiting for? We have the vision and the ability to move now. I say let’s go!
April 7th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
The talented and brainy Nate Silver over at FiveThirtyEight actually crunched some numbers on this
very issue and determined that if a vote was held today, we would likely overturn the ban. Check it out:
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/04/will-iowans-uphold-gay-marriage.html
I think this issue has gained a lot of momentum and that not only have national gay marriage attitudes
changed, so has much of Oregon’s electorate. I hope we attempt to get this on the ballot for 2010.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
It appears that the state legislative process is creating results in other states. What do our allies in the Oregon legislature suggest? It should be obvious that there will be many groups, both in state and out of state, who will be ready and willing to work against our cause. If waiting to build a strong foundation is possible, it might result in a better outcome considering that the state courts will most likely be involved as well. It’s time for our friends in the state political arena to step up to the plate and facilitate a path to success.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
BRO outlined and embarked on a strategy that extends out a few years. The intention was to work on fairness issues, broadening the base of support for our core issue (marriage equality), and deepening that base of support through successful outcomes in the legislature. The first of this, well on its way to passage is the Oregon Safe Schools Act (HB 2599). The strategy is sound. The results (50 to 9 affirmative vote in the House), are there. Let’s continue on with that strategy.
We will win the overturn of Measure 36 and the establishment of same-sex marriage by getting the wider community to join us. This comes by working on what benefits us all. A few years out, we will have the benefit of several years’ history of registered domestic partners, dispelling the “sky is falling” attitude of many. Our allies will see that in addition to working hard on our own issues, we work on issues that benefit all Oregonians as with HB 2599.
Measure 8 in California is now an uphill battle. Having voted to restrict marriage, the broad electorate who did not really know us, will need to be brought around to undo what they did last November. We would not want to fail in overturning Measure 36 because we did not understand who might oppose us or we did not have allies to carry the effort through with us.
Let’s take the time, plan and implement our strategy, and hinge from the successes in Iow, Vermont and the progressive states paving the way full marriage equality.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
While I am incredibly encouraged by these steps forward this week elsewhere in the country, I feel that it’s crucial for us to be as smart as possible about catching up to Iowa (lord knows I never thought I’d be saying that). For starters, I wouldn’t be surprised if the California supreme court deliberates a touch more rapidly over repealing Prop 8 and we hear something definitive in the next couple of weeks, and either decision on their part will galvanize either the bigots or us queers, and we should definitely use that emotion as a springboard for our efforts. Ultimately, we need to communicate that our fight isn’t just about Oregonians, but that it is about us making a clear choice as a state to be on the side of freedom and personal liberty rather than ideology, bueracracy and repression. But no matter what, it’s going to be a lot more difficult for the religious conservatives outside of the Willamette valley to say that we city liberals are destroying traditional family values when Iowa, one of the most rural, small-town, church-on-sunday states in the country would let us get married.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I relish the idea of running a positive campaign for once, rather than being on the defensive. I can wait a while, but hope we can ride this current wave…
April 7th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I imagine most folks in this discussion know more than I do about details. But what I do know is that for me, a straight person with more and more gay, lesbian and transgender friends, this issue is becoming closer and closer to my heart. I performed a Buddhist wedding ceremony for two women a couple month ago. Prop 8 and various similar things going on right now are making me sick at heart, and if we moved to overturn Measure 36 RIGHT NOW I would thrilled and would help. I think there are a lot of us right now who have gone from “support in theory” to real, passionate, heartfelt support that is tied up with our own sense of integrity.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
An article in the Daily Kos cites the same numbers Jesse Thiessen
kindly pointed out but adds a little more info at the end about prop 8
exit polls. You might need to scroll down to get to the article titled
“Changing Norms on Gay Marriage”
http://www.dailykos.com/
or maybe this:
http://www.dailykos.com/user/kos/diary
“Interesting that 18-29 and those 65 and older are exact mirror
images of each other”.
I also think that time may be on our side.
Also read the lovely statement by Democratic Majority Leader
of the Iowa Senate. Beautiful.
Well done, Iowa and Vermont!
April 7th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I’d be honored and pleased to work on marriage equality and to push for
full inclusion in the constitution for everyone. The issue in the past
and the issue for me presently is the framework of the argument.
The more we permit others to choose the path of the conversation and the
argument, the less we are able to make a change. We need to reframe the
conversation, discuss the issues in terms everyone understands and take
the idea of ‘gay marriage’ to the dump where it belongs.
As long as we permit someone to create a ‘differing class’ of folk by
calling it ‘gay marriage’ rather than what it is .. “MARRIAGE for EVERYONE”,
then the more we lose the argument. It is time to start, offer up workshops
so people understand what the marriage laws include, and what any other
offering doesn’t.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Let’s move now on the momentum Prop 8 has provided us. We gain nothing by sitting by and letting other states pave the way. Let’s take a stand for what we really want, every year we attack measure 36 we show the state and the nation that we will not sit idly by while being denied the rights we deserve as citizens of America.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
This is such a fundamental issue that affects families so deeply.
I think we’ve got to move forward, but after making certain we’ve
got the strongest possible chance of winning and maintaining those
basic rights. But let’s not wait too long – public outrage is fuel.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I bet old Jerry Fallwell is rolling in his grave. With the New Jersey rulling against eHarmony’s exclusion of LGBT Americans change is in the wind.
April 7th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
We can both move forward now and make sure we have a solid base to repeal Measure 36. If we focus our efforts on engaging and educating today’s young people, they will become the voters who can make history in a few years.
April 7th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/7/717468/-Changing-norms-on-gay-marriage
Please please please BRO, lead the way in repealing Measure 36 and do it now! The statistics, as the link above demonstrates, that Oregon will vote to overturn the ban today.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
In the wake of what’s happening I think it’s best if we get this underway as soon as possible, while people still feel the fury of prop 8 and have the hope from Iowa and Vermont.
April 7th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I think we need to lay the groundwork first – but a lot of that has already been done. It would totally suck to lay out a lot of resources and then lose. However, Vermont and Iowa show that times are changing, perhaps because of the visibility of Prop 8 but also younger voters, etc. If focus groups and polling indicate we have a good chance to win, let’s go for it now – especially if there are some other states working on it. If we get something high-profile going on here, right-wingers from around the world will inundate Oregon in propaganda dollars – better if we can spread them out.
April 8th, 2009 at 1:11 am
We’re talking about a civil right.
You don’t wait to be granted a civil right.
April 8th, 2009 at 4:38 am
I think a challenge is appropriate as soon as possible. Arguments against marriage equality can be used if we stay silent on this issue while we lay a foundation or if we lose. “If it’s so important why didn’t they challenge it sooner?”, and “voters have already had their voice heard on this issue.” respectively. We are laying the foundations everyday by living our lives. This issue has been aired and discussed substantially since the passing of measure 36.
It’s going to take resources to rewrite our consitution to get rid of this exception to exception to Equal Protection of the laws. Getting the message out there that our Constitution is discriminatory as written is important to ultimately win this issue. Discussing this in our personal lives and putting this into a public spotlight will get people talking and that’s what we want. Mostly because I think people’s minds are changing in favor of marriage equality.
So to sum it up, silence does not help the cause for marriage equality because it keeps the status quo. The status quo is unacceptable because the Oregon Constitution has discrimination written in it. At worst, a challenge and a loss will lay the foundation for a future repeal. It’s going to happen. Get the ball rolling in my opinion. Get people talking. Get our community organized. Get us working towards equality for all Oregonians.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:55 am
[...] Basic Rights Oregon, an incredibly effective state-wide organization (wow, what’s that like), jumped into the conversation with the idea of repealing Measure 36, the Constitutional Amendment preventing marriage equality in Oregon. I will never forget the day when Measure 36 went into effect. Shortly thereafter a friend of mine who lives in Oregon sent me a copy of the form that accompanied the refund of his marriage license fee. No one should have to read that. The question posed by BRO is, are we ready to turn the corner and begin the process of repealing these horrible measures. [...]
April 8th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Rather than throught the courty system, I would like to see Oregon use the legislative process to “win” basic rights & equality for me and thousands of others in our state. Don’t we have enough support in the House and Senate now in Oregon to be able to make this happen? As Eugene’s paper says this morning, “For a popularly elected legislature to make the decision in Vermont is much more democratic process, because the voters have to answer to the voters.” It also says, “Courts typically deal with arcane points of constitutional law, while legislatures debate some of the same principles, the process becomes much more personal.” I think now that so many northeastern states are on a roll… the time might be ripe for Oregon to move forward with confidence and strength. As keep blogging, “Don’t hate me because of who I love.” And I also try to show how ridiculous it is that marriage is defined only by body parts – one man + one woman. Essentially that is saying that only certain genitalia (pieces & parts) can only make a “sacred” marriage; one that needs to be protected and preserved??? Is this ridiculous or not? It’s exactly what it all boils down to… let’s re-define marriage to suit the 21st century, shall we?
April 8th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Please build a solid foundation before engaging the initiative process.
Living in rural Oregon, I am all to aware of the ‘Christian’
opposition to same gender couples.
April 8th, 2009 at 8:26 am
on a broader basis, we need to stop the religious activist groups from their ability to do what they did in Califonia. a challenge to their much enjoyed “tax exempt status” if they continue their wide political participation in lobbying activities, signature raising and attempting to affect state laws and constitutions (even outside their own states) is one way to stop their progress. another, may be some sort of individual state or federal (?) protection for states from religious
and political groups in one state from going into another state and lobbying, influencing voters, interfering with their legislative and constitutional voting and lawmaking (such as what Tennesses did to raise millions of dollars to lobby, raise signatures and influence voters in California to defeat the California marriage measure).
April 8th, 2009 at 8:29 am
Yes. Move on it now. It’s a matter of filing a ballot initiative to repeal M36, getting enough people to sign it, and raising enough money so that the marriage equality message isn’t drowned out. A year is ample time to put together an organization and craft a message. This isn’t 2004; there is a grassroots infrastructure in place that simply DID NOT EXIST five years ago. For example, you want to raise money? ActBlue.com creates an infrastructure for easy fundraising at a national level.
But if Nate Silver is right (a couple of people have linked to his analysis), this really isn’t so much a question of persuasion as getting out the vote. The argument for marriage equality is being made continuously throughout the nation. A few more people have their eyes opened every day, whether it’s from getting to know gay neighbors or co-workers, or from seeing gay characters portrayed in television or movies, or simply from exposure to a previously unfamiliar idea. More significantly, the group most strongly opposed to marriage equality — the oldest voters — are dying off every year, while the most supportive group — voters in their late teens and early twenties — are being registered. The generational shift moves the vote in favor of marriage equality a point or two every year.
Don’t wait until we’ve got a guaranteed win before striking a blow for marriage equality. Just go for it. Circulate the petition, spend the next twelve months putting together a campaign and mobilizing volunteers for a massive “get out the vote” effort.
And by the way, what are progressive activists in Oregon going to be doing in 2010? Working on the Governor’s race? Helping Wyden get re-elected? Trying to get an even higher Democratic majority in the Oregon legislature? My guess is that there won’t be a lot of competition for funding or campaign volunteers next year. It’s an optimum time to work with Oregon’s growing grass-roots progressive infrastructure. We want marriage equality in this state, November 2010 seems like a really good time to do it.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:03 am
I will support this and help with $ and time! Some of the other comments about laying more ground work are good though.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:02 am
I agree that we need to build a foundation, and that the work plan laid out by BRO for the next couple of years is much more likely to get us where we want to go than a sudden change in plans. As a former Californian, I think that recovering from the Prop 8 fiasco will indeed be an uphill battle. If we fail here to successfully overturn Measure 36, it may be decades before a next attempt can be made. Better to lay a solid foundation by building coalition now and put off immediate gratification for a couple of years than to have to wait out the fallout from another disastrous campaign. All things considered, I’m sure Nate Silver is a very nice person, and perhaps even a very competent statistician, but I wouldn’t pin all of Oregon’s hopes for marriage equality on a single statistician’s regression model.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:03 am
If you are against gay marriage then do not marry a gay person.
I think a vote on this would be nearly 100% in favor of it. The only opposing votes would be from those evil, twisted, sick, persons that would try to control the religion, sex, or ethnicity of who two other adults may marry.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I believe there is no better time then now! Waiting will only make it harder later to remove Measure 36. Marriage Equality for all has already rallied many folks I never dreamed would side with us. I and my partner were one of the initial folks to be married in San Francisco 2004 when Mayor Newsom made gay weddings a national issue. Until that day in 2004, I never dreamed I would get married or even comtemplated it but standing there in city hall with my partner of 14 years and our small child … uttering that short paragraph which i could barly say without crying …forever change my mind and outlook. As a now proud Oregonian – We can do it!
April 8th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Now. Do it now. I have no doubt BRO will screw it up either way, but let’s get it on the 2010 ballot and prove me wrong.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Build a solid foundation first. Through polling find out what strategies would really work. Work with faith based organizations and African American & Latino groups to build support or coalitions so that what happened in CA isn’t repeated here.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Now is the time to move. The oppositions lack of ability to gain enough signatures to put a referendum on the Family Fairness Law is a good indication that we have a much stronger base than we had in 2004.
And let’s hope that fair minded Oregonians will remember the gutless and heartless inaction taken by our state Supreme Court when they are making their bids for re-election.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Act now! Enough time has passed and its time to repeal measure 36.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:32 am
After reading all the comments above and following closely what’s going on around the country right now, especially all the good news in the northeast… I’m shocked to read the Register Guard’s article on April 10, headline reads: Gay Rights Backers Wait For 2012. Why?? How come?? That’s 3 years away???? What’s up with that? Almost all comments on this blog, encourage BRO to move forward now or very soon… the fact that it’s been postponed or put-off for another 3 years, shows me a big lack of confidence and resources, which I don’t get at all. We all send money, fill out surveys, voice our opinions and the message we get now is… “not now, wait patiently for three years, blah, blah, blah.” I’m very disappointed that BRO asks us the next move and then steps backwards instead. I’m also wondering if BRO is in close communication with gay/lesbian advocacy groups in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Iowa to pick their brains and learn from them… what they’ve obviously done right in all of this. I trust that BRO is learning from the best in this country and following their lead?
April 10th, 2009 at 8:49 am
One more thing from the article I read this morning. Conservative Tim Nashif, who led the 2004 campaign to pass Measure 36 “thinks BRO is pursuing a wise course in holding off.” He says, “He would bide his time. So, to me that is saying that BRO is taking this man’s advice (the man who helped to defeat us 5 years ago and now we’re going to wait another 3 years. It seems we are playing right into his and his fellow OPPRESSOR’S hands, aren’t we? Instead of taking positive advice from fellow gay/lesbian advocacy groups WHO HAVE WON THEIR BATTLES… BRO is heeding to Nashif’s suggestions and advice. This doesn’t make sense to me and I’d like to know why BRO is listening to and following along with one of our “enemies?” Just curious. Is anyone else wondering what’s up with this?
April 10th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I’m also inclined to say that we should move on the repeal of
measure 36 rather sooner than later although I’d perhaps wait
and see what the next developments in California, New Hampshire,
Maine and New Jersey are (give or take a few months in other
words), and in the meantime build further upon the foundation
that is there already. I would not wait until 2012.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Wait until 2012. I know everyone is anxious to run too fast, but if we lose in California, Colorado and in Oregon in 2010, this will just add to the right wing’s claim that “It is the will of the people to uphold traditional marriage”. It will be a blow to the gay rights movement if Marriage Equality measures were to fail in all 3 states. We need to focus our resources in California and Colorado in 2010. We will have a less stressed campaign in 2012 in Oregon and a 100% chance of winning. WE cannot take up too many goals at one time. We still need public opinion to change.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:41 am
As morbid as this sounds, we must acknowledge it. If you look at the senior citizen vote, they are the most homophobic, keep in mind they lived most of thier lives in racist society, too. We should wait four years because that will be a lot more old peole dying than if it were held in 2 years. And young people heavily favor equality, so in four years we will have a lot more young voters. Public opinion is more likely to change in four years than two. Oregons and Californians just voted against equality. They need more than 2 years to change a majority of minds!
Oregon Equality 2012! not 2010! We should focus in CA and CO, and the citizen veto in maine.
Don’t do too much of a heavy load.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
[...] Oregon: First, check out Karol Collymore’s excellent blog post over at Blue Oregon, “Gay Marriage: Oregon Should Be Next.” Collymore points to a question put out by Basic Rights Oregon: Should Oregon attempt a ballot measure to legalize same-sex marriage? In 2004, Oregon passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Now, as Basic Rights Oregon points out, the only way to make marriage equality a reality in Oregon is to have the people vote it into law. Are Oregon residents ready to support same-sex marriage at the polls? My inclination is to go for it in 2010, because like the Courage Campaign, I think that you put it on a ballot year after year until you win. But according to this AP article, Basic Rights Oregon is going to hold off until 2012 before moving forward with a ballot measure. Agree? Disagree? Let Basic Rights Oregon know over at their blog. [...]
April 12th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL!
April 13th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Judging the political winds is a difficult proposition There are many
many factors that say this is indeed the right time to take this on,
and there are a number of cautionary flags, as well. Many folks have
argued about “groundwork” needing to be laid, but really, the
foundation is definitely there… and no where better than in
Oregon.
We have BRO, a well established GLBT organization that is practiced at
getting into the initiative fray. We have the experience of 20 years
of initiative campaigns targeting us as citizens. We have the
regional and national polling which clearly indicates trends that are
in our favor. We know exactly what the righties will say (“Oh, the
CHILDREN!!) and know that Prop 8 opponents screwed up by not
addressing and debunking the *&^%’s arguments.
We also have a Democratic majority in both state houses, Dems in every
state executive office that support our equality rights, and we have a
Democratic Party Platform that reflects the same sentiment.
Oregon needs to be part of the cascade of GLBT reforms happening at
state levels. With that cascade will come national reform.
It’s easy to be worried about being ahead of schedule or concerned
about backlash; it’s easy to back off and be fearful. It’s easy to
NOT do the right thing.
But it is time to do it.
April 13th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Is everyone enjoying the roller coaster ride we’re being taken on?
BRO has asked for our opinions. The majority of those of us who have taken the time to give them are geared for a 2010 campaign. 5 years is long enough to wait. If we don’t have the base now, we never will.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I’m someone who’s down for the fight as much as anyone.
But I’m reading through the comments here and there’s clearly
folks on all sides of this. Some say we should take our time.
Others say go forward right away, no matter what the risks.
Here’s the facts: There’s no way to launch do this in 2010.
These campaigns take years to build. The truth is that
2012 is the EARLIEST possible date. And even that is a stretch.
Just look at Vermont! They passed their civil unions bill
in 2000. It took them eight years to move 200 legislators
to adopt marriage equality.
Oregon passed domestic partnerships in 2007. To win marriage,
we have to convince a MILLION voters to stand with us.
Many of them are people who voted against us in 2004. That
may take a couple years.
Plus, think about the impact of losing again at the ballot.
Those who think we should jump to the ballot next year
ought to go into a small town cafe and start talking about
the issue of marriage equality. Get a feel for what kind
of work we have ahead of us, and report back!
April 14th, 2009 at 11:45 am
And if we wait until 2012, we are giving conservatives another 2 years to build a stronger base.
April 17th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
All currently available polling indicates that public
support of same-sex marriage continues to grow, in
Oregon as well as in other states around the country.
I think that WE need to be the ones to continue to press
the issue and direct the public dialog rather than letting
those who stridently oppose same-sex marriage take our
momentum away.
If polling in Oregon shows that we can overturn Measure 36
in 2010, then we should attempt to do so…and continue
to do so until Measure 36 is overturned forever.
With all apologies to JT in PDX, Oregon’s legislature has
Democratic majorities for one simple reason…most of
the voters live in the urban (high-population) areas.
There may be opponents in small towns, but the numbers
don’t add up for a significant base opposing same-sex
marriage.
The battle isn’t on the political fringes, it’s a battle
for the middle…a battle we can, and must win.
May 6th, 2009 at 10:47 am
suburban mom of two says: if Portland, ME has gay marriage, Portland, OR should too! It’s a shame we didn’t beat them. Send me to the farmer’s market in Beaverton with a clipboard, and I’ll get people to sign it!
May 11th, 2009 at 2:19 am
You fight and fight and fight until you win. You don’t just stand on the sidelines and give your opponents time to rest and regroup. Yes, this is a different situation, but civil rights activists in the 60s didn’t wait for the political winds to change. They kept going and fighting until they won their rights. Even if we lose, we still need to get this on the ballot in 2010. And every other year after that until we’ve achieved marriage equality. If you believe in love and if you believe in America and what this country stands for then you must keep fighting.