Arizona Republicans Force Another Anti-marriage Vote

by Joel Wendland

The Human Rights Campaign reports that Arizona's November ballot will feature an anti-marriage equality initiative.

The initiative was passed in the Republican controlled state senate by the barest margin, and would put in place a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. "Arizona voters rejected a similar measure in 2006," writes HRC, "making Arizona the only state where voters have defeated a marriage amendment at the polls. Arizona statutory law already prohibits marriage by same-sex couples.

"It is sad and it is disappointing that the Arizona legislature used the final moments of its session to send a divisive, discriminatory measure back to voters this fall," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

State Rep. Kyrsten Sinema of Phoenix said: "Arizonans have far more important issues to deal with than adding a redundant ban on marriage by same-sex couples to the state constitution. This referendum is a distraction from real priorities like education, health care, and the economy."

These events raise a couple of questions: Because Arizonans have already voted against this issue, why do Republicans want to waste more tax payer money on an issue meant to be divisive? Is this such a high priority for them?

But more fundamentally, why do Republican opponents of marriage equality care so deeply about excluding queer couples from accessing the social benefits afforded to heterosexual couples? Surely it cannot be that they believe that with 50% divorce rates among straight couples that they are somehow saving marriage.

What does my private relationship with another person have to do with another private relationship? Not much.

When it comes right down to it, the issue is one of fundamental fairness for all couples, on one hand. And on the other, irrational hatred and fear of gay and lesbian men and women.

Arizonans already stood up for fairness in 2006. Let's hope they can do it again. And let's hope the Republicans can find better uses for taxpayer dollars than imposing their personal morality on the rest of us.

Democrats Score Well on LGBT Civil Rights Survey

Democratic presidential candidates have earned high marks for supporting LGBT equality.

This according to a report released last week by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, examining the positions of the presidential candidates on LGBT issues.

The report looked at the voting records and campaign statements of both Republican and Democratic candidates on issues such as a transgender inclusive anti-discrimination laws, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, lifting the anti-gay military ban, transgender inclusive hate crimes laws, civil unions, domestic partnerships, marriage equality, adoption, and the Federal Marriage Amendment.

The clearest result of the study is that while Democratic candidates have a mixed record on equality for LGBT people, they have shown a willingness to accept the expansion of civil rights.

All of the Democratic presidential candidates scored well across the board in the study, but only Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH) earned a perfect score for his stand on the issues.

The only issue where most candidates parted ways with the civil rights organization was on the question of same-sex marriage. Most candidates oppose same-sex marriage, preferring civil unions or domestic partnerships as a substitute.

On the other hand, Republican candidates appear to be overwhelmingly driven by divisive politics, homophobia, and anti-gay sentiment.

Nearly unanimously, Republican candidates find job discrimination based on sexual orientation acceptable. Most appear to view the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity as protected categories in anti-hate crimes laws along side race and religion as "special rights." Just about all of the Republican candidates have opposed new funding to promote HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs.

Read the full story tomorrow on PoliticalAffairs.net

--Joel Wendland