Doug PollardNo We Can't
November 6th 2008 02:37
Yes, he can, but no, we can't, as anti-gay measures pass in several states.
Barack Obama’s win, which symbolises a great victory over race prejudice, has inadvertently strengthened prejudice and discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Obama brought unprecedented numbers of black voters to the polls, many of them from the black churches, which are notably conservative on gay issues. He brought out the Hispanic vote, with its strong Catholic bias, too.
But he failed to support gay marriage, and his support for gay rights during the campaign can best be described as lukewarm.
As a result, the California same-sex marriage ban won 52 percent of the vote. A ban also passed in Florida and Arizona.
Arkansas passed a ban on unmarried couples from adopting or fostering, which was targeted at gay men and lesbians.
There was one ray of light, as voters in Connecticut, the third state, after Massachusetts and California, to allow marriage between people of the same sex, rejected a plan to hold a constitutional convention.
Opponents of same-sex marriage had expressed hope that a convention could lead to a ballot initiative to ban the practice, which the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled legal last month.
Obama did at least mention the word gay in his victory speech, as he claimed the Presidency on behalf of all Americans, not just those who voted for him.
But a gesture is not enough. H will have his work cut out to remove this discrimination and prejudice that three more states have now enshrined in their constitutions. We will be watching closely.
| 32 |
| Vote |
Shared on
Comments (2)
Add Comments
Read More
