Yay! Somebody gets it.
The D.C. Board of Elections decided today that a proposed district-wide vote on the D.C. City Council’s Marriage Equality Bill would not be allowed because such a vote would violate the District of Columbia Human Rights Law.
The D.C. Council officially agreed today to vote on the bill legalizing same-sex marriage on Dec. 1, clearing the way for the measure to head to Congress for its review around New Year's.
Source ~ Washington Post
This is what the proposed law provides:
Marriage is the legally recognized union of 2 people. Any person who otherwise meets the eligibility requirements . . . may marry any other eligible person regardless of gender. Each party to a marriage shall be designated 'bride,' 'groom'’ or 'spouse.'
Source ~ D.C. Council (.PDF)
I’m not opening the champagne yet, because there will no doubt be a court challenge, (and Congress) but:
A measure to let voters decide whether to ban same-sex marriages in D.C. cannot go on the ballot because it would violate a city human rights law, the Board of Elections and Ethics ruled Tuesday.
The D.C. City Council is expected to approve gay marriage next month, but opponents wanted voters to weigh in.
(snip)
Errol R. Arthur, chairman of the two-member board . . . said in a press release Tuesday that the "laws of the District of Columbia preclude us from allowing this initiative to move forward."
(snip)
A group called Stand4MarriageDC wanted a ballot measure that said "only marriage between a man and woman" should be "valid or recognized" in the city. The group's head is Bishop Harry Jackson, a Maryland church pastor who has been vocal in opposing the same-sex marriage law.
Cleta Mitchell, an attorney for the group, said members would appeal the ruling in D.C. Superior Court, likely within the week.
(snip)
Rick Rosendall, vice president for political affairs for the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, said he was pleased with the ruling, though he recognizes it will be appealed.
"I'm very happy today," he said. "We're very, very happy about it."
Source ~ AP
Here is what the D.C. Human Rights Law provides:
§ 1-2501. Intent of Council.
It is the intent of the Council of the District of Columbia, in enacting this chapter, to secure an end in the District of Columbia to discrimination for any reason other than that of individual merit, including, but not limited to, discrimination by reason of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, disability, source of income, and place of residence or business.
Source ~ D.C. Human Rights Law (My emphasis.)
Equality should never be . . . denied on a ballot. Absolutely!
"Equality should never be up for debate or denied on a ballot," said D.C. resident Michael Crawford, Co-chair of D.C. for Marriage. "We only want what every other American already has – the right to marry the person we love."
Source ~ 365GAY.com
Absolutely. I believe this; so did our Founding Fathers:
The American founders -- Anti-Federalists and Federalists alike -- considered rule by majority a troubling conundrum. In theory, majority rule was necessary for expressing the popular will and the basis for establishing the republic. The alternative -- consensus or rule by everyone's agreement -- cannot be imposed upon a free people. And minority rule is antithetical to democracy. But the founders worried that the majority could abuse its powers to oppress a minority just as easily as a king. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison both warn in their letters about the dangers of the tyranny of the legislature and of the executive. Madison, alluding to slavery, went further, writing, "It is of great importance in a republic, not only to guard the society against the oppression of its rulers, but to guard one part of the society against the injustice of the other part."
Source ~ Democracy Now
Yes: Denying adults the right to get married is an injustice. Plain and simple.
And, as a devout Christian who fully supports gay marriage, I was glad to read this, too:
Rev. Cedric Harmon, a D.C. resident and a representative of D.C. Clergy United for Marriage Equality, a group of nearly 200 Washington, D.C. faith leaders representing all eight wards of the District and a variety of religious faiths added the following statement in support of the BOEE’s decision:
"It is shameful when religious leaders fail to uphold the Christian teachings of our faith by trying to institutionalize a second-class citizenship on our neighbors. People of faith have worked for generations to achieve social justice for all people — regardless of race, creed, class, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. We serve our entire flock, and there is no justification under God that we should discriminate against any of God’s children."
Source ~ 365GAY.com
Shameful, indeed.
Good work, D.C. Board of Elections!
Please read this important comment on D.C. Law from burrow owl