I want to legally nag my husband. I want to legally call him for dinner. I want to legally carve pumpkins for Hallowe'en and turkey for Thanksgiving with him as my husband. Not as my partner, or civil spouse, or domestic shared household member. (I just made that one up, but c'mon, you know that name is coming soon!) And for the record, I want it called marriage. Screw this civil union crap, or the domestic partner registry. No, thank you, I will not accept separate, but equal. I will not accept some term designated just for the gays because "they have something special and unique, so their union should be called something different." (Yes, that is an actual quote picked up from some ignorant Deadspin.com commenter when Chris Kluwe wrote his letter to Emmett Burns.)
And right now I can't. Because instead of just granting us what should be a civil right (since marriage is a civil union granted and recognized by the government, it is therefore a civil right), we're letting the public VOTE ON IT...!! What?!?!?! Since when does popular vote grant civil rights?
Imagine if we let the states put slavery up to a vote. In some of those Southern states, slavery would still exist. Imagine if we put women's suffrage up to a popular vote. Or abortion. Or freedom of speech. Or the right to not self-incriminate. Or the right to search and seizure protection. Or the right to be considered a citizen of this country. Preposterous? Of course it isn't. Not to someone who has some of his civil rights hanging on a popular vote.
Washington happens to be one of the states putting marriage equality up for a popular vote. Thank God I live in a progressive state and the referendum will probably pass. And you can believe that come summer there will be a wedding in the Mitchell-Nelson household! (Or does Nelson-Mitchell sound better?) But, what happens when I move to a different state? What then? My marriage isn't recognized by that state, so I lose all those rights I gained? You had better believe it. Thanks, DOMA.
But then what happens if a certain presidential nominee gains control of the White House and declares marriage equality illegal along with abortion (his platform has made that abundantly clear. Oh, and he'll increase taxes on the middle class while lowering them for the upper class. And he'll probably send Americans to China to find jobs because that's how he makes so much money. That, and off-shore accounts.)? What happens then? The Nelson-Mitchell clan moves to Canada.
So, as a favour (practising for when I move to Canada) to me and my (hopefully, if the referendum passes) future husband: if you aren't planning to vote for liberty and justice for all, or for the equal treatment of all people, or for the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, then I ask you this one small favour:
Please, don't vote.
