December 1, 2009
States allowing civil unions/same-sex-marriage/domestic partnerships
DC Council voted 11-2 in favor of same-sex marriage legislation: the “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009″. It will need a second vote before Mayor Adrian Fenty can sign it into law, which he has promised he will do.
The two dissenters were Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) and Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7).
The African American community has much different views on this issue.
The Washington Archdiocese, which has threatened to stop providing services in DC through its Catholic Charities group should the bill pass as it’s currently written. Don’t know if it contains a religious conscience clause.
*Perhaps Mr Barry will hear Mr Bond’s words.
JULIAN BOND, Chairman, NAACP, speaking in NJ (12-7-09):
Like race, our sexuality isn’t a preference. It’s immutable, unchangeable and the Constitution protects us all from discrimination.
Black people, of all people, should not oppose equality, and that is what gay marriage represents. It does not matter the rationale: religious, cultural, pseudo-scientific – no people of good will should oppose marriage equality. And they should not think that civil unions are a substitute. At best, civil unions are separate but equal, and we all know, separate is never equal.
