A press release from the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights indicates that the Pennsylvania General Assembly has recessed for the summer without passing the anti-gay marriage amendment. Differing versions of the legislation passed in each chamber -- the House including civil unions in the ban, the Senate excluding them. Because they could not pass concurring legislation in both chambers, the measure fails and our opponents will have to start over again from scratch if they want to revisit the issue.
From The Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights ...
?We are pleased that the Pennsylvania legislature chose to not advance legislation which would have written discrimination into the state constitution. The Value All Families Coalition appreciates the efforts and leadership of many legislators, both Republicans and Democrats, who understood that this legislation was unnecessary, divisive and dangerous,? said Stacey Sobel, Executive Director of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights.
Larry Frankel, Legislative Director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, said, ?Over the last six months, Pennsylvania?s legislators learned a great deal about this state?s non-traditional families. The bill?s failure is due in large part to our lawmakers? better understanding of how this amendment could have adversely impacted thousands of Pennsylvanians.?
According to Marriage Equality USA, 17 states have amendment their constitution to ban gay marriage (AK, AR, GA, KY, LA, MI, MO, MS, MT, NB, ND, NV, OH, OK, OR, TX, UT ). Five more states have the issue on the ballot for this year (AL, AZ, CA, TN, WI).
On the bright side, Massachusetts has legalized marriage, Connecticut and Vermont have civil unions and California, Hawaii, New Jersey and Maine offer some sort of domestic partnerships.
So what's next for the PA issue? It could be reintroduced at a later date which would mean it might be on the ballot for 2010. The thing to do now is to pay attention to what your state rep and senator are doing. Stay connected and continue to make them aware of the fact that they have progressive constituents who do not support bigotry and hatred. Watch their votes on immigration which will be the next big target of repressed Republican wrath. And get involved --- take a few extra steps to support candidates who actually reflect your values, not just those who aren't so bad.
Avoiding a vote is not at all the same thing as promoting and respecting diverse families. Don't let them spin you --- there is a world of difference between Rep. Dan Frankel who stood up to bigotry and Senator Jay Costa who stood behind a political maneuver. I'd rather choke on my own vomit than thank someone for not being too much of a bigot. This little article about Rep Tony DeLuca is a classic example of the slippery slope Western PA Democrats seem to be heading down.
And I'm sure our troll will post more anonymous little hissy slaps at me for failing to blindly adhere to the guidance and reasoning of self-styled gay leaders who have our best interests at heart ....wouldn't want the lesbians, bis and trannies to start thinking on their own now would we?
