What a week to be taking time away from blogging. I’m breaking my self-imposed absence, however, to pop in and say, “Go, Maine!” Governor John E. Baldacci today signed marriage equality into law.
In the governor’s news release, he said, “In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions. I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.”
The game isn’t over yet, however. As Ellen Andersen reminds us over at Bilerico, opponents of equality still have the opportunity to try and gather enough signatures to force a suspension of the law until a referendum can be held.
Next door in New Hampshire, however, the House also just voted in favor of a marriage equality bill, following the Senate’s approval. The bill now goes to the Granite State’s governor.
Will he be influenced by his neighbor’s move to equality? That remains an open question, as does whether California’s Supreme Court justices care at all about the groundswell of equality happening out east. That decision should happen any moment now. . . .
Where is the tipping point, I wonder, when enough states pass marriage equality laws that not to have some form of consistent federal and state-to-state recognition becomes an administrative nightmare?
One thing is certain: Forty years after the Stonewall riots began the LGBT-rights movement, we have ourselves another milestone year.
Your question of the tipping point is the exact question I asked of a friend yesterday. I think I used the term critical mass but I truly wonder what is the # of states and # of couples that will simply make it impossible for the federal government to manage denying the rights any longer. At some point there will have to be some consistency.
“gulls or buoys”? GROAN.
Re. the federal tipping point: How was this handled in the days of miscegenation laws?
“Gulls and Buoys” — I love it! (Did I mention that your passover joke was a hit too?)
Gavin (I live here, so I can call him that) had it right — it’s coming. whether you like it or not, it’s coming. Just not as quickly as we’d like, of course, but young’uns like my niece really don’t even understand why there’s a problem with gay marriage.
I am going to ignore the gulls and buoys thing — this kind of serial, unrepentant punning only thrives on encouragement. But I do have to say, I want to trot out that Afikomen/ Kofi Annan joke every spring from here on out.
Hey, Shakespeare made puns. Not that I aspire to that sort of greatness–but if he felt they were an acceptable form of literary device, they’re good enough for me.
Oh, good question. My background in history generally stops around 1500, however, so I’ll leave this for someone else to answer. Anyone?