Smells Like Progress in Here

Although I intensely loathe national polling after a state enacts legislation legalizing same-sex marriage or civil unions, because who the fuck cares what some dipfuck in Bigotville thinks of same-sex marriage in another state, and even the asking tacitly suggests that their irrelevant opinion should matter, I was nonetheless pleased to see the results of the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll inquiring "whether [New York] state's law legalizing such unions is a positive or negative outcome."


Even a quarter of conservative Republicans and white evangelical protestants find the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York a "positive development."

Twenty years ago, I was just about to start my senior year of high school. Back then, if the topic of same-sex marriage even came up at all, I was always the only straight person of any political stripe to challenge the inevitable contention, "Gay marriage will undermine the sanctity of marriage." Now, it's just a punchline, in all but the places reeking insistently of dinosaur scat.

Quote of the Day

"Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me."—Texas Governor Rick Perry.

OBVIOUSLY. Because, in addition to being garbage governor of the great state of Texas, he is also a Semi-Professional, Full-Tilt, World-Class, Grade-A, Award-Winning, Multi-Multihyphenate Dipfuck of Epic Proportions.

To provide some superfun context for this quote, Perry was "clarifying" previous remarks about same-sex marriage being legalized in New York, which sounded like he might whooooooooops actually support it. Heavens to Mergatroyd!

Texas Gov. Rick Perry wants you to know he isn't fine with gay marriage.

In an interview with Family Research Council President Tony Perkins he hedged controversial comments made at a dinner in Aspen last week when he said, "Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. You know what? That's New York, and that's their business, and that's fine with me."

"I probably needed to add a few words after that 'it's fine with me,'" Perry admitted to Perkins Thursday.

And he repeated his commitment to the 10th amendment as well as his conviction that marriage should be between a man and a woman. "It's fine with me that a state is using their sovereign rights to decide an issue. Obviously gay marriage is not fine with me. My stance hasn't changed."

So, make no mistake, people: Rick Perry is STILL A BIGOT!

DOMA Hearing

As I mentioned yesterday, there is a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today on the Respect for Marriage Act, which seeks to repeal DOMA.

You can watch it live here.

Senator Al Franken was just doing a very good job of reminding me of the dearly departed Senator Paul Simon again.

Thank You, Mr. President

At today's press briefing, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters that President Obama is putting his support behind the Respect for Marriage Act, the bill introduced in the Senate by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), which would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the legislation which, among other things, prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage.

The president has "long called for a legislative appeal for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on families," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at Tuesday's briefing. He said the president "is proud" to support the Respect For Marriage Act, "which would take the Defense of Marriage Act off the books for once and for all."

I don't know what "supporting" the Respect for Marriage Act will mean, if anything, beyond sending Carney out there to say the president supports it, but even if it's just that, that's an important follow-up to the administration having announced in February that it would no longer defend the constitutionality of DOMA in court.

(As an aside, when I say—over and over—that I want Obama to publicly give a shit about the national reproductive rights battle being waged, and people say, "Well, what do you expect him to do?" the answer is that I expect THIS. I expect him to use his bully pulpit to clearly state what side he's on. And here is evidence that he does it, when it matters to him, either personally or politically.)

On Wednesday the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the new bill, which would repeal all three sections of DOMA -- which federally defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman -- including section 1, which is the name; section 2, which instructs states not to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states; and section 3, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing legally performed same-sex marriages.

Representatives from both pro- and anti-gay marriage groups will testify before the panel.

Of course they will, because a hearing on same-sex marriage wouldn't be complete without the American Family Values Children Christian Liberty Freedom Patriot Association Foundation Organization dragging a metric fuckton of dinosaur scat into the room to stink up the proceedings.

Go RFMA!

I New York

The lovely Ms. Anna, 3, holds a sign with her mom, Shaker Westsidebecca, during a rally Saturday in Syracuse to celebrate marriage equality in New York State. At left in adorbz polka-dot dress is Ms. Anna's other mom, Eastsidekate. Photograph by Lauren Long for The Post-Standard. Posted with the family's permission.

So, Friday night, the New York State legislature voted to legalize same-sex marriage in New York. This has already been much-discussed in the Open Threads, but I wanted to offer a dedicated thread for the decision, too.

There was much rejoicing at Shakes Manor Friday night, not only because we are fervent supporters of marriage equality generally, but because we have New York peeps, including family, who are personally positively effected by this decision.

On a personal level, I blubbed my face off.

On a political level, well, I blubbed my face off. But I also observed: "The fact is, in New York tonight, there are Republicans to the left of Obama on marriage equality." This is something that did not escape the notice of the New York Times editors, either. Their editorial "Gay Marriage: Where's Mr. Obama?" is really very good.

Fundamental equality, however, is hardly the equivalent of a liquor law that can vary on opposite sides of a state line. Why is Mr. Obama so reluctant to say the words that could lend strength to a national effort now backed by a majority of Americans?

The US is ready for marriage equality. This is the time.

Congratulations, New York.