nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/

Once that is done you can lobby for your rights. We don’t need to wait to find out their position and advocate for ourselves. Lets be proactive!

They didn’t have the votes in Vermont to override the Governor’s veto at first, but they tried again anyway — and they won. What if they would have just folded their tents and said that it was a lost cause and went home? In that case, Vermont would not be the fourth truly free state in America.

We are now down to several apartheid states in the US and far too many despotic states where loving same-sex couples are forced into a pernicious classification as being legally estranged from one another — even when they live under the same roof and have been mutually supportive for decades.

But the tide is turning in our favor. As more states come on board, eventually the “good faith and credit” clause of the US Constitution will have to be invoked and DOMA (both federally and state adopted) will ultimately be challenged in federal court. And even if Congress repeals the federal DOMA (not likely), state DOMAs will still have to be challenged as well.

Sadly, all that the anti-marriage-equality state amendments and federal anti-gay legislation (like DOMA and DADT) are accomplishing is just to erode the US Constitution’s once unimpeachable Bill of Rights. They have made it appear as if this universal declaration of civil liberties is not worth the parchment it was hand written on. The Constitution was created to protect each and every one of us from the whims of the mob. Birthrights were established that were meant to be inalienable. That is not a reliable promise anymore.

Obviously, the US Constitution has had to be amended to allow the same rights of citizenship to be extended to racial minorities and to women who were intentionally excluded — but same-sex oriented citizens never were explicitly excluded as the aforementioned groups apparently were. The US Constitution is the only thing of value which the United States offered in the form of a civilizing contribution to human society, and even it is still subject to threats of evisceration then it does not conform to group prejudices and religion-based bigotry — i.e. the so-called Defense of Marriage Amendment.

Sure, seeking legislative relief is risky business — nevertheless, it is still a viable legal option open to us. But to imply that demanding legislative action “may stop our momentum” is like saying if I fall off a horse I’m trying to learn to ride, then it would be better if I just come back in a few weeks or months or years later and then maybe try again after the horse decides to be tamer. No, you actually lose the “momentum” when you give up trying. Never give up and never relent for a moment. You’re only defeated when you run out of hope, and the desire to take advantage of each and every opportunity that presents itself.

Yes, we must start to weed out all of the hypocrites who take our money and our votes. Likewise, we must actively campaign for the genuinely caring politicians who actually have earned our respect and our support.

I say go ahead with the vote — come what may. If we lose, then we throw those bums out who lied to us; if we win, then we reward our supporters. It is a simple proposition, because eventually we will win. History is on our side, and people in power are starting to think about their own contribution to this last great civil rights struggle in America. Will they be on the winning side of history or on the losing side? Believe me, they’re thinking about their legacy too.

Our rights are not (as Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Gates, implied — no doubt echoing Obama’s own repulsive apathy towards us) something that you can put off indefinitely, or as Gates actually said: “…let’s just kick that can down the road a while.”

Imagine, our equality is nothing more than just a rusty old tin can that needs to be kicked out of the way whenever possible. Uh huh, “change you can believe in” alright. So for all of you who insisted that we chose between the lesser of two evil, well you got your wish — more institutionalized evil for the sake of political expediency with loyalty only to its own ambition.

We have been told, even by some of our political “friends”, basically not to look to Washington for solutions to “our problems” anytime soon. So, be sure to remind them not to look to us on election day in 2010 and 2012 either. There are always third party alternatives. Only ten percent of congress in control of a liberal third party could swing things in our favor as both Democrats and Republicans vie to caucus with that third party for legislative advantage.

Other than that, it looks like we’re on our own, kids!

The state by state strategy is starting to look like the best approach so far. So now, more than ever, we must take advantage of the fact that the train has left the station — so, get on board or stand out of the way. There is no other choice, because sitting on your hands or turning back the clock is not an option anymore.

@ Bud Evans, 2009

Sometimes you have to play smart, even when the urge to move forward is so strong…