Support for same-sex marriage continues to grow coast to coast
According to a new poll, numbers are beginning to look good for this coming November vote on marriage equality.
On March 1, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) signed the law legalizing same-sex marriage, making Maryland the eighth state to recognize marriage equality. In June, opponents of the law gathered enough signatures to put the issue before voters.
The new statewide poll conducted by Hart Research Associates found 54 percent of Marylanders say they would vote for the law that allows gay and lesbian couples to marry. Forty percent would vote against it. This means a 14 point spread between support and opposition.
When they surveyed voters in March, 51 percent said they would vote for the law, and 43 percent said they would vote against it.
In Washington state, a recent SurveyUSA poll found support for marriage equality at 50% over 43% opposed.
And in Maine, a mid-June poll found support for gay marriage trumping opposition 55-36%.
Read more at the Huffington Post
Poll: Marriage equality supported by 65% of Democrats
With the Democratic Party officially adding a platform plank supporting gay marriage, a new poll by the Pew Research Center shows why such a move makes sense.
According to the new poll, 65% of Democrats now support same-sex marriage. This is an increase of 15 points from 50% in 2008.
The poll also shows Independents now support marriage equality to the tune of 51%, versus 40% who oppose equal rights for gays and lesbians. That’s a seven point move up in support from 2008’s 44%.
Just 24% of Republicans now favor allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally, which is only slightly higher than the percentage of Republicans who supported gay marriage in 2008 (19%).
The Pew poll used 2,973 live telephone interviews with American adults conducted June 28th to July 9th. It has a sampling error of 2.1 percent.
US Supreme Court receives appeal on the overturn of Prop 8
The US Supreme Court today received an appeal on the overturn of Prop 8. Chris Geidner reports:
Supporters of California’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex couples from marrying, Proposition 8, have asked the Supreme Court to hear the ongoing challenge to the law in order to reverse an appeals court decision from earlier this year that struck down the amendment as unconstitutional.
Specifically, they ask the court in a filing today to decide “Whether the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits the State of California from defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.”
Arguing that “[u]nique recognition of a unique relationship in no way disapproves or dishonors other relationships that the State has chosen to recognize differently,” the Proposition 8 proponents ask the court to take the case to correct the “manifest errors” of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and “to return to the People themselves this important and sensitive issue.”
AFER has 30 days to respond to the filing.
The Supreme Court is currently on summer recess and will not announce which cases it will review until this falls.
(h/t JoeMyGod)
Democratic Party platform includes marriage equality
The Washington Blade is reporting that the Democratic Party has drafted language that includes full marriage equality in the party platform.
Retiring gay Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who sits on the committee, told the Washington Blade on Monday that the 15-member panel unanimously backed the inclusion of a marriage equality plank after a national hearing over the weekend in Minneapolis, in which several witnesses testified in favor of such language.
“I was part of a unanimous decision to include it,” Frank said. “There was a unanimous decision in the drafting committee to include it in the platform, which I supported, but everybody was for it.”
Sources say the language includes not only full marriage equality but rejects DOMA and supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
Maine: Harlan Gardner & family support marriage equality
From Mainers United for Marriage: Harlan Gardner of Machias, joined by four generations of his family, talks about what marriage means to him and why it matters to the gay and lesbian people in his life.
“This isn’t about politics, this is about family.”
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and wife give $2.5 million to defend marriage equality
Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon.com in Seattle nearly two decades ago, will make a $2.5 million dollar donation to Washington United for Marriage, which is fighting to pass Referendum 74, a ballot initiative that would legalize a state proposal to allow same-sex marriage.
The New York Times reports that the donation came about after a former Amazon employee who is a lesbian mom of four directly emailed Bezos.
In the e-mail, Ms. Cast described in detail the pain she endured as a young adult and the difficulties she faced publicly acknowledging her sexuality. At the end, she pointedly asked him to donate between $100,000 and $200,000 to the referendum cause. “Jeff, I suspect you support marriage equality,” she wrote. “I beg you not to sit on the sidelines and hope the vote goes our way. Help us make it so.” She hit “send” and waited. Two days later, on Tuesday, she received a reply while in a car with her family. Recalling that moment, she said she had to read it out loud twice to make sure she had read it right. “Jen,” the e-mail said, “this is right for so many reasons. We’re in for $2.5 million. Jeff & MacKenzie.”
Washington United for Marriage says it has raised more than $5 million for Referendum 74 on the November ballot. Last month Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates each donated $100,000 to the campaign supporting the law.
Referendum 74 seeks to overturn the law signed in February by Gov. Chris Gregoire. The law was supposed to take effect June 7 but has been put on hold.
A yes vote upholds the law and a no vote overturns it.
British Prime Minister David Cameron on marriage equality
CNN reports that British Prime Minister David Cameron held a special dinner for LGBT activists at his official residence, and made remarks that reaffirmed his much-publicized support for marriage equality — just one day before meeting with Mitt Romney.
“I think marriage is a great institution – I think it helps people to commit, it helps people to say that they’re going to care and love for another person,” Cameron said at the dinner. “It helps people to put aside their selfish interests and think of the union that they’re forming. It’s something I feel passionately about and I think if it’s good enough for straight people like me, it’s good enough for everybody and that’s why we should have gay marriage and we will legislate for it.”
Cameron has also argued that conservative ideology inherently supports marriage equality, saying last October, “Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. So I don’t support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I’m a Conservative.”
I’m wondering if Mitt Romney will now question if Cameron is a true conservative…?
Via Towleroad
Scotland poised to introduce same-sex marriage
Scotland could become the first part of the UK to introduce gay marriage after the SNP government announced plans to make the change.
Ministers confirmed they would bring forward a bill on the issue, indicating the earliest ceremonies could take place by the start of 2015.
Political leaders, equality organisations and some faith groups welcomed introducing same-sex marriage.
Same-sex couples in Scotland currently have the option to enter into civil partnerships and the Holyrood government has insisted no part of the religious community would be forced to hold same-sex weddings in churches.
The Scottish government said it would work with UK ministers to amend equality laws to protect celebrants from legal or disciplinary action if they refuse to take part or speak out against same-sex ceremonies.
Scotland’s deputy first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said: “We are committed to a Scotland that is fair and equal and that is why we intend to proceed with plans to allow same-sex marriage and religious ceremonies for civil partnerships – we believe that this is the right thing to do.
More at BBC.uk.co
Campaign ad: Zach Wahls on President Obama and marriage equality
Regular readers of The Randy Report know how much I admire this amazing young man. So thoughtful and well-spoken on what he feels and how he communicates to the world.
No hate or anger in this ad at all. Just a clear, fair-minded message from a guy who really represents middle America.
This is what makes the future of America look bright.