The Battle over Gay Marriage

Vermonters opposed to same-sex marriage are preparing for a fight this year at the Statehouse.

In an e-mail to supporters this week, Craig Bensen of the group Take it to the People warned that this may be the year that the Vermont Legislature passes a "genderless marriage bill." His group supports putting the gay marriage question on a statewide ballot.

Here's what he says:

The "genderless" marriage movement in VT (and the USA) needs a "win", any "win", that lets them claim forward motion in the face of widespread national defeats. They need it this year (2009) in VT because 2010 is an election year and the Democrats in the VT House will not want to play with fire too close to an election. Many remember the scars of the 2000 Civil Unions battle. The wise among them remember that Election 2000 resulted in the greatest reversal of legislative power in modern times. 

Bensen urges his supporters to begin writing letters opposing the bill to lawmakers. The anti-gay groups mostly sat out out the commission hearings on same-sex marriage last year, but it's clear they won't be silent this year.

-Dan Barlow

Comments

[Jace Sheppard]

"The anti-gay groups mostly sat out out the commission hearings on same-sex marriage last year.."

Why were they silent, I wonder? Did they assume we'd sit back and not fight for our rights?

If they get to vote on my marriage rights, I want to vote on theirs.

[Joe Nusbaum]

This posting is rife with inaccuracies. "Widespread national defeats... [civil unions] resulting in the greatest legislative reversal of legislative power... anti-gay groups sat out on the commission hearings..." these are all false accounts repeated by a small group remaining opponents who have no remaining credibility to rationally discuss the bill on its own merits.

[Joe Nusbaum]

This posting is rife with inaccuracies. "Widespread national defeats... [civil unions] resulting in the greatest legislative reversal of legislative power... anti-gay groups sat out on the commission hearings..." these are all false accounts repeated by a small group remaining opponents who have no remaining credibility to rationally discuss the bill on its own merits.