Democracy fails again
May. 9th, 2012 10:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoNorth Carolina demonstrates why it is inappropriate to let the majority decide on the civil rights of any minority, and why "activist" courts are needed to protect the rights of unpopular groups. Fortunately, this will not stand for more than a year or two the way things are sliding in the US.
Obama's declaration that he now supports the rights of gays to marry, however, is more irritating. He has mumbled, dodged, and refused to address this issue for years. Does he think that saying this, and following up by supporting the rights of states to decide for themselves, that he is winning any real support? As usual, he is just proving himself spineless. He has made no real effort to get rid of DOMA. The keystone of this whole issue rests on that law, which was never constitutional and has been struck down repeatedly in lower courts. Without DOMA, federal case law requires all states to recognize a marriage solemnized by any state. So NC would still be forced to recognize a gay marriage made in Massachusetts or Washington. Their silly constitutional effort would be overridden by federal law.
Romney, of course, is worse. He would try to twist his executive authorities to enforce conservative church attitudes on everyone. He has said as much. Never mind the fact that his own church treated women as property, allowed polygamous marriage, and denied the humanity of blacks for its first century and more.
Obama's declaration that he now supports the rights of gays to marry, however, is more irritating. He has mumbled, dodged, and refused to address this issue for years. Does he think that saying this, and following up by supporting the rights of states to decide for themselves, that he is winning any real support? As usual, he is just proving himself spineless. He has made no real effort to get rid of DOMA. The keystone of this whole issue rests on that law, which was never constitutional and has been struck down repeatedly in lower courts. Without DOMA, federal case law requires all states to recognize a marriage solemnized by any state. So NC would still be forced to recognize a gay marriage made in Massachusetts or Washington. Their silly constitutional effort would be overridden by federal law.
Romney, of course, is worse. He would try to twist his executive authorities to enforce conservative church attitudes on everyone. He has said as much. Never mind the fact that his own church treated women as property, allowed polygamous marriage, and denied the humanity of blacks for its first century and more.
