Hawaiian Civil Unions A No Go
Bad news for Hawaiian homos – lawmakers failed to vote on the state’s proposed civil unions bill, thus tossing it to the dust bin of history. More than a 100 people gathered to discuss the controversial law and yammered on for five hours before pols called an end to the meeting. CBS reports:
Representatives offered little explanation to the public, but it was a sign that the bill lacked enough support to become law.Civil unions had been suggested as a way for the state to sidestep a controversy over gay marriage, but they proved to be nearly as contentious.
Per usual, the religious right came out against the proposal, while the gays bemoaned injustice. Sounds like we’ll be hearing more of that. Ain’t that grand?
It is difficult to express my deep sadness that this state, priding itself in the tolerance that others lack, has again decided to side with intolerence. I remember the initial fight. I testified before the committee meetings. I remember the hope I had that the state congress would do the right thing and was sincerely interested in the hardships we in the gay community suffer when one of our partners died. I was delusional to think that justice and fairness would take precedent over the money of the Catholic and Mormon hierarchy. Now, so many years later, we are scorned again. Our pain is riduculed again. Our equality is denied again.
Shame