We were all prepared to announce whether Maryland’s House of Delegates had passed or killed the state’s same-sex marriage bill — but instead they’ve sent it back to the Judiciary Committee, which barely squeaked it out to a full floor vote last week. A yes vote in the House — which would require 71 of 141 members — would have all but assured passage: Last month the State Senate passed the Civil Marriage Protection Act in a 25-21 vote, and Gov. Martin O’Malley has promised to sign it (and make Maryland the sixth state to have legal gay marriage). But for now, more waiting.
Jurlesia
Why was it sent back??
Francis
The bottom line is, legislators will not support us. They either are too weak to stand strong and are not true advocates for equality, or they put morality over legality. In Maryland, a majority of the people support it, but a couple of the major counties are against it, specifically Prince George, a predominantly black, religious area. They are the ones who drove the hate engine, along with NOM and all the other bigots.
We can not continue to rely on legislators to help us. They will not do it 8 times out of 10. We need to hold them accountable for their bigotry, and we need to look to the legal system to gain our equality.
Bill
Yes, very sad, once again the religious fanatical hypocrites meddling with civil rights. Unreal considering their civil rights struggles.
hephaestion
Trudy Allston caved in to church ladies. She says she’s for gay equality & justice yet she thinks she has to vote for injustice because her loudest voters are ignorant and think we’re all sick perverts. Thank you Trudy. Enjoy your spineless term in the House of Delegates while it lasts because you’ll never be re-elected now. A LEADER does what is right. NOT what ignorant people ask you to do.
Shannon1981
So frustrating! I wish the spineless legislators would just tell the bigots that they are bigots and be done with it. But, of course, they care more about another term in office than they do about us.
Jeffree
@Shannon1981: What’s also upsetting is the number of delegates who said they were going to vote for the bill and didn’t, or no showed.
Belated Happy Birthday by the way! keep on celebrating. You only get to turn 30 a few times đ
Shannon1981
@Jeffree: Yeah they all need to be publicly shamed. I don’t understand it. Why would they let the wing nuts scare them like that? This seemed like such a sure thing.
And thanks LOL. I was too drunk for words. I don’t think I’ll be drinking for at least another week. and I am never turning 40.
justiceontherocks
@Shannon1981: No need to turn forty. Stay on 30, that’s a great age.
@Jurlesia: It didn’t have the votes to pass. The churches, especially in the primarily black areas of PG county, outmuscled us this time.