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by Rex Wockner -
SGN Contributing Writer Vermont legalizes same-sex marriage Vermont's Legislature overrode Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage April 7. The Senate vote to override was 23-5 and the House vote was 100-49, the exact number of House votes needed. The law takes effect September 1. "The struggle for equal rights is never easy," said Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin. "I was proud to be president of the Senate nine years ago when Vermont created civil unions [and] I have never felt more proud of Vermont as we become the first state in the country to enact marriage equality not as the result of a court order, but because it is the right thing to do." Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, called the override "a significant turning point in the struggle for the equal treatment of our relationships." "Vermont is once again making history," Carey said. "Nine years ago it did so when it became the first state to grant legal recognition of same-sex relationships through its civil unions law; today, it became the first state ... to pass and enact a marriage equality measure. "The enactment of this bill affirms that only marriage can provide the protections, dignity and respect that the institution bestows. This vote also recognizes that civil unions simply fall short in ensuring same-sex couples are treated equally under the law." Same-sex marriage also is legal in Connecticut, Iowa [starting April 27] and Massachusetts, as well as in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain and Sweden [starting May 1]. California's Legislature has twice passed bills legalizing same-sex marriage but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed them. Later, the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage, with a ruling that took effect in June 2008. Approximately 18,000 same-sex couples got married prior to November 4, 2008, when voters passed Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage. The constitutionality of Prop 8 and the status of the 18,000 marriages are now before the state Supreme Court, with a ruling required by June 3. Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and lead lawyer for the Gay side in the California case, called the Vermont override "yet another indication that Proposition 8 is out of step with our nation's movement toward equality." "If the California Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8, California will be an outlier in the ongoing history of equality that is now exemplified by Vermont, Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts, as well as many nations around the world," Minter said. Iowa weddings begin April 27 Gay couples can begin applying for marriage licenses in Iowa on April 27. Some weddings likely will take place that day among couples who spend $5 to obtain a waiver of the three-day waiting period between applying for a license and receiving it. Demands by anti-Gay activists and lawmakers that the Legislature begin the lengthy process of attempting to amend the state constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage have gone nowhere, with the leadership of both the House and the Senate vocally opposed to the idea. In addition, Gov. Chet Culver expressed disapproval of the idea April 7, writing: "The Supreme Court of Iowa, in a unanimous decision, has clearly stated that the Constitution of our state, which guarantees equal protection of the law to all Iowans, requires the State of Iowa to recognize the civil marriage contract of two people of the same gender. The Court also concluded that the denial of this right constitutes discrimination. Therefore, after careful consideration and a thorough reading of the Court's decision, I am reluctant to support amending the Iowa Constitution to add a provision that our Supreme Court has said is unlawful and discriminatory. As Governor, I must respect the authority of the Iowa Supreme Court, and have a duty to uphold the Constitution of the State of Iowa. I also fully respect the right of all Iowans to live under the full protection of Iowa's Constitution." Gay couples also can marry in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Starting September 1, same-sex marriage also will be legal in Vermont, where the Legislature on April 7 overrode the governor's veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage could become legal again in California no later than June 3, the deadline for the state Supreme Court's decision on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment passed by voters last November that re-banned same-sex marriage in the state. None of the states that have legalized same-sex marriage has a residency requirement for marriage. Nat'l Org. for Marriage hits HRC with copyright complaint Furious online sparring over the National Organization for Marriage's new TV ad against same-sex marriage led to a copyright complaint by NOM against the Human Rights Campaign. The spooky ad, "Gathering Storm," used actors to portray various Americans who supposedly are profoundly alarmed at the notion of Gays marrying each other. To view the ad: tinyurl.com/br8ym4. HRC somehow got its hands on the audition tapes for the ad and uploaded them to YouTube. NOM apparently was not amused and, according to HRC Deputy Communications Director Trevor Thomas, "filed a copyright violation notice with YouTube" on April 9. YouTube then deleted the videos, but not before MSNBC's Rachel Maddow snagged them and broadcast them on her show. NOM later got that clip from Maddow's show banned from YouTube as well, YouTube reported. On April 10, Wired.com said "internet rebels are reportedly saving the videos with keepvid.com, and then uploading them back to YouTube when they're pulled." Meanwhile, on April 10, Maddow broadcast another segment tweaking NOM, which is calling its new campaign against same-sex marriage "2M4M," which stands for "2 Million for Marriage." NOM perhaps was unaware of the longstanding use of "M4M" in the Gay online-cruising world. Said Maddow: "Have you ever read personals ads? Have you ever just browsed through Craigslist? Ever, I don't know, Googled 'M4M'? For the anti-Gay-marriage group? If you don't know what the abbreviation M4M stands for, I do not want to spoil your Googling fun, but here's a hint: The related search that Google suggests is for the website Manhunt. You know, maybe these folks should just join up with the teabaggers." See tinyurl.com/djfwy9. Maddow broadcast segments on April 9 and 10 about a new anti-tax movement called "teabagging" - founded, Maddow assumes, by people who didn't know about the term's sexual meaning (placing one's testicles in another's mouth). The April 9 Maddow clip, which became an online sensation, is at tinyurl.com/ddmj2k. New GOP Gay group forms A new national Republican Gay group has been formed by people who think the Log Cabin Republicans group has become too liberal. Among the founders of GOPROUD is former LCR Political Director Christopher Barron, who told Politico.com, "Log Cabin ... has simply moved way too far to the left and is basically indistinguishable from any other Gay left organization." "If your main issue is hate crimes or [ENDA] or marriage, you're probably not a Republican," Barron said. With assistance from Bill Kelley |
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| picture top: Christopher Barron bottom: NOM ad |
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