The Boston Globe has an article that will make Maggie Gallagher and her fellow self-enriching hate merchants see red. It looks at the possibility that the forces of hate and bigotry led by the National Organization for Marriage ("NOM") may well lose the anti-gay ballot initiatives in Washington State and Maine. It would break a streak of bigotry not seen since the states of the South enacted Jim Crow laws after the end of Reconstruction following the Civil War. A time period that saw the rise of the KKK and similar white supremacy organizations many of which like NOM and its Christianist allies used the Bible to justify their vicious hate and bigotry. One can only hope that the analysis proves accurate an that NOM and its fellow bigots go down to abject defeat. Here are some article highlights:
OLYMPIA, Wash.—Opponents of gay marriage have an unblemished track record in U.S. elections, chalking up 32 victories in 32 public votes.
They've won in blue states and red ones, among the most heavily religious areas and among the least-churched. North Carolina punctuated the winning streak just last month by comfortably approving a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex unions.
Gay marriage supporters are optimistic that they can end their losing ways this year, with four states voting on the issue in November. They're particularly encouraged by the prospects in Washington and Maine.
Here are five reasons why same-sex marriage proponents have a decent shot at success in 2012:
WASHINGTON: Officials certified a gay marriage referendum on Tuesday, meaning Washingtonians will decide the issue this fall. Voters upheld an "everything but marriage" law in a similar referendum vote three years ago, approving it by a 53-47 margin. . . . . Lawmakers comfortably approved gay marriage earlier this year as political leaders such as Gov. Chris Gregoire talked about how their views on the issue had changed. However gay marriage opponents are not conceding anything yet.
REPUBLICANS: Six Republican lawmakers in Washington voted in favor of the gay marriage legislation, and a leading GOP candidate for attorney general also declared his support. Republican Rep. Maureen Walsh, who represents conservative territory in eastern Washington anchored by Walla Walla, said she believes opinions on the issue are changing even there. "My district is far more receptive to it than they've ever been in the past," she said.
POLLS: A recent poll conducted by consulting firm Strategies 360 found that 54 percent of likely Washington voters think it should be legal for same-sex couples to get married, though the survey didn't specifically ask them how they'll vote on Referendum 74. Public support nationally has also been increasing steadily, . . . .
MAINE: Maine voters rejected gay marriage three years ago by a 53-47 margin, and activists have been working over the past two years to change voter opinions. They believe there are positive trends, especially since several of the states that have legal same-sex marriage are New England neighbors -- New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut. The Legislature in New Hampshire, now controlled by Republicans, considered repealing that state's gay marriage law this year but ultimately rejected that effort.
OBAMA: President Barack Obama's recent declaration of support for gay marriage was celebrated as a key endorsement among gay rights groups. He remains comparatively popular in Washington, with 53 percent approving of his work and 43 percent disapproving, according to the Strategies 360 poll. . . . . David Farmer, who is leading efforts to legalize gay marriage in Maine, said Obama's statement galvanized supporters and also echoed the views of people on the fence. "The way he talked about his evolution is very similar to what we see people talking about when we go to door-to-door," Farmer said.
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