Oregon to Have Civil Unions

from the Bend Bulliten and other sources

Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski said he would sign a civil union bill if it arrived on his desk.

I knew I could trust Oregon's lawmakers not to let me down.  We're even getting support from our Republicans.

"Ballot Measure 36 may or may not have put discrimination in the Constitution, that's a debatable issue... What civil unions without question do is give the same rights to domestic partners as traditionally sanctioned marriage."
--Sen. Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo

Senator Westlund is drafting that bill as I write this, despite having voted for Meaure 36 the Oregon Anti Gay Marriage amendment. 

"If something needs to be done to make sure we are not discriminating against people, then we need to look at it"
--Rep. Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver.

Sure, neither of those quotes are emphatically gay friendly but a Republican is drafting the bill with some party support, we have a large Democratic majority in the senate and a governor who is ready to sign it into law.

This bill is happening.

It's not "marriage" but I don't care. It is exactly identical to it.  When civil unions come to be no one is going to give a rat's about the semantics of it.  It will afford us all the same rights.

I'm sure the amendment will be on the books for a little while but this dissolves any of it's merit.  After years of civil unions someone will eventually propose a bill to take the anti-gay language out of the constitution and it will be labeled a "housekeeping initiative"  I look forward to that day.

Thank you Oregon.  One bullshit initiative down, one to go.  Time for the supreme court to strike down 37.