I believe it is a self-evident truth that not allowing gays to marry is an even greater violation of the fundamental civil rights all citizens should enjoy than not allowing Blacks to vote.
(“Same-Sex Marriage Now Legal in New York,” The iPINIONS Journal, June 27, 2011)
Yesterday New Jersey became the 14th state to allow same-sex marriages. Such was the anticipation of this fundamental civil right being recognized, at long last, that gay couples were getting married just seconds after the law took effect.
Symbolically:
At 12:01 a.m., couples in a handful of communities wed. In Newark, Mayor Cory Booker, in one of his last acts before joining the U.S. Senate in coming weeks, led a ceremony for seven gay couples….
(Associated Press, October 21, 2013)
I trust my opening quote makes clear why I have nothing but pity for self-righteous people who believe their church should determine whether their state should legalize same-sex marriages (i.e., the constitutional separation of church and state be damned). And I don’t mind admitting that this pity is tinged with racial shame over the number of Blacks who are spewing the same religious dogma to deny gays their civil rights these days that Whites spewed to deny Blacks theirs for centuries.
In a similar vein, I have nothing but contempt for pandering politicians like NJ Governor Chris Christie who think nothing of subjecting the civil rights of gays to a popular vote. After all, it’s as plain as black and white that, if theirs were subjected to a popular vote, Blacks would still be struggling for their civil rights….
That said, even though I feel obliged to mark this occasion, I have already written far too many commentaries championing this “final” civil rights struggle to have much more to add.
Therefore, I shall suffice to wish gay residents of New Jersey all the best as they take full advantage of the myriad benefits of marriage. Never mind that, just like heterosexual marriages, 50 percent of theirs will probably end in divorce too.
Related commentaries:
Supreme Court on same-sex marriage…