There is no denying that recent events in the state of New York are historic. Despite its clearly stated intention to convince America that "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" does not apply to LGBTQI folk who are moved to marry another person, the GOP was unable to stop the will of the majority in the Empire State, plain and simple. This is an example of representative democracy at its finest, and clearly a huge victory in the struggle for gay rights. The fact that same-sex marriage is now the law of the land in New York, by a vote of the people's elected representatives rather than by court-order, is absolutely something to savor. Having the very state where the Twin Towers stood join the correct side of history is something that I am sure the spirit of Mark Bingham appreciates. Yaknow, Mark Bingham, the gay man who died rushing the cockpit of Flight 93, thereby possibly saving the lives of all those federal GOP folks who continually piss on gay rights? The man who died on hallowed ground in the home state of Rick "Frothy Mixture" Santorum? Yeah, you know who - and what - I'm talkin' 'bout.
But wait just a damn minute. WHY ARE WE CELEBRATING A VOTE TO GRANT CIVIL RIGHTS TO HUMAN BEINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE? Why are we celebrating this as a great leap forward when nearly 265 MILLION OF THE 300 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY STILL LIVE IN JURISDICTIONS WHERE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS PROHIBITED?
A friend of mine on Facebook told me just to chill out. She used words like "oh for pete's sake, Philip, can't you just sit back and enjoy one day of success?" Another friend reminded me that a victory like this in New York is a pebble which begins the landslide that will eventually result in true marriage-equality for all genders in all territories of the US of A. These are completely understandable points... and yet... so far the only people I've heard telling me things like this are people who, by the very nature of their sexual orientation, have marital rights that I do not have in California and 43 other states. Hello? Get the point yet? Shall I spell it out for you? First word: H-E-T-E-R-O-S-E-X-U-A-L. Second word: P-R-I-V-I-L-E-G-E. You want me to be happy for my queer siblings in the Empire State, and I absolutely am. But you also ask me to celebrate New Yorkers' new-found freedom when I still live as a second-class citizen?
To that I say, without reservation, NO. Until we are ALL FREE, none of us are free. Until a gay Mormon in Provo has the same rights as a gay woman in Boston, Manchester, or Montpelier, then NO. Until the rights I had for 6 months in 2008 until the passage of Proposition 8 are restored, then NO. Until gays in Alaska have the same rights that gays in New York just "won" then NO. Until gay people in Guam or American Samoa have the same rights as gay people in Iowa, then NO.
NO NO NO. I WILL NOT CELEBRATE DIFFERENTIAL JUSTICE BECAUSE JUSTICE-DELAYED IS JUSTICE-DENIED. Of what value is a "day of success" when only ONE-EIGHTH of America's population has marriage equality? Until the federal government repeals the Defense Of Marriage Act, then NO. Until the federal government demands that the other 44 states honor the Full Faith And Credit Clause as it applies to same-sex marriages in the 6 states and DC, then NO. Until this country expands the definition of "with liberty and justice for all" to mean FOR ALL, then NO. NO CELEBRATION. Until there is true marriage equality, from sea to shining sea, this war is not over.
And it is a war, folks. Do not fool yourselves. I warned you in 2008 that the Religious Right was planning a proposition to codify marriage discrimination in California. People told me I was being an alarmist and that there was no way it would happen, particularly after the May 2008 court ruling. I WARNED YOU AT THAT TIME. Look what happened.
And folks have told me that I need to back off from my alarmist rhetoric and stop stirring up the culture wars because the GOP will not remain unified in its opposition to same-sex marriage. Really? Check out the position on same-sex marriage of every single candidate seeking the GOP nomination for president in 2012. I AM STILL WARNING YOU.
And if you still don't believe my warnings, then consider this: the GOP is only eight states away from having enough states in-line to enact the Federal Marriage Amendment, which will invalidate all state laws allowing same-sex marriage at once. ARE YOU LISTENING NOW? Do not tell me to chill out and shut up. I will not shut up until the day that my country has true, complete, marriage equality. As in, from sea to shining sea.
NOW, damnit. NOW.
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