| Show Experience may trump hysteria over gay marr marriage Featured Editorial i The Washington Post i When high court I of Massachusetts i ruled in 2003 that the commonwealths commonwealth's constitution gave same- same sex couples the right to marry detractors railed against activist judges who were imposing their I will on the people Only j the people through their elected representatives I should decide something so fundamental they said Thus began an effort to amend Mas Massachusetts Massachusetts' I li t a constitution by referendum to define marriage as a union between a man and anda a woman Four years and about sex same-sex marriages later heres here's what the people have said never mind To get the referendum on the 2008 ballot opponents of gay marriage needed only 50 of Massachusetts's legislators to vote for forthe forthe forthe the amendment during consecutive year two-year sessions The first vote at atthe atthe atthe the end of the last session in January garnered the support of 62 lawmakers But the second vote last month attracted only 45 Now the earliest the amendment could hit the ballot is 2012 By then the response from the people very well might be the big deal Opponents of sex same-sex unions felt democracy was under attack by the courts with judges dictating what people could and couldn't accept Meanwhile supporters argued that a athe the rights of a minority should not be put to a vote The ultimate defeat of the referendum was democracy catching up with the court Despite dire predictions the institution of marriage didn't crumble under the weight of homosexuals seeking the rights and responsibility that come with it The sky didn't fall fallin fallin fallin in Massachusetts Nor has hasit it buckled in the District of Columbia and the five states that offer civil unions or domestic partnerships to gay couples Washington states state's domestic partnership law goes into effect next month Oregon's domestic partnership law and New Hampshire's civil unions take effect in January 2008 Acceptance of gay marriage is by no means widespread Marriage is restricted to one man and one woman by constitutional amendment in 26 states and by state law in 19 others But the tide is slowly changing Opinion polls show growing acceptance of gay rights At a commemoration last month of the anniversary of Loving v v. Virginia the landmark Supreme Court case that struck down laws vs t J prohibiting interracial marriage Mildred Loving joined many civil rights organizations when she threw her support behind gay marriage I HI believe all Americans no matter their race no no matter their sex no matter their sexual orientation should have that same freedom to marry she said And Andas as hysteria gives way to real-life real experience more people will realize that the loving and committed relationships of ot homosexuals should be recognized |
