So much news was made yesterday. Better yet, so much of it was good and forward-leaning type news.
This blog has been a continual advocate of gay marriage, and step by step, this nation is moving forward. The past 10 years has seen a remarkable move towards reasonableness with the growing knowledge that equality and civil rights must be shared values for all Americans.
I am deeply impressed and appreciative for all those who worked for social progress in this election cycle, and voted to make a positive difference in the lives of their fellow countrymen.
This is a good day for America.
(I might add that in Washington State the ballot initiative is still being counted,)
Voters in Maryland and Maine on Tuesday approved measures to allow same-sex marriage, the first time gay marriage has been approved by statewide popular votes.
In all, voters in four states – Maine, Maryland, Washington and Minnesota – considered ballot measures Tuesday on the issue of same-sex marriage.
Minnesota voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent, NBC News projected Wednesday morning.
Tonight we’ve taken the talking point away that marriage equality cannot win at the ballot box,” said Fred Sainz, vice president of communications with the Human Rights Campaign, which invested millions of dollars in same-sex marriage initiatives.
Sainz gave some of the credit for the victory to President Barack Obama’s support for same-sex marriage.
The president said that his decision was informed by speaking with Americans including servicemen and women he met during the work to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
Sainz said he thought Americans have become more understanding of why gay and lesbian couples want to marry.
“The hearts and minds of the American public have changed,” he said. “For years now we’ve been having a long extended conversation and connecting with them about how marriage equality is about love, family and commitment, which are common human factors.”
Maine: This was the second time voters in Maine were faced with a decision over same-sex marriage. A bill allowing same-sex marriage was passed by the state legislature in 2006, but voters overturned it in 2009.
Maryland: In Maryland, voters were asked to uphold a law allowing same-sex marriage that the governor signed into law last March.
Minnesota: In Minnesota, voters were asked whether the state constitution should explicitly define marriage as between one man and one woman. Gay marriage is already banned under state law; writing the ban into to the constitution, proponents argued, would have protected the amendment from being overturned in the future.
Washington: In Washington state, the legislature approved same-sex marriage earlier this year, and the law was scheduled to take effect in June. But opponents of the law were able to get a referendum on the ballot asking voters if they want to uphold the law.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 