Providence Journal Endorses Full Marriage Equality!
 

Sunday, May 22, 2005

In the last year, more than 6,000 same-sex couples have married in

Massachusetts (among them former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds and Dean

Hara), and on Tuesday, on Boston Common, many celebrated the first

anniversary of the legalization of such unions. The political climate

was far different from that of a year ago.

Whereas in 2004 the legislature approved a proposed constitutional

amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage but legalizing same-sex

"domestic partnerships," this year the proposed amendment seems to

have little support.

In order for the 2004 proposed amendment to go on the 2006 ballot, its

exact wording must be re-approved, now by a new legislature. But this

legislature seems less likely to approve it, for several reasons:

-- In the 2004 election there was no political penalty for supporters

of same-sex marriage. Indeed, four legislators who opposed it were

replaced by supporters. And legislators who last year supported

same-sex marriage but -- with an eye to political survival -- approved

the domestic-partnership compromise today show more confidence

supporting outright marriage.

-- On the other side of the issue, same-sex-marriage foes who voted

for domestic partnerships only as the best they thought they could do

today look to an initiative petition in 2008 to ban both same-sex

marriage and domestic partnerships. So they won't support the

compromise that they voted for last year.

-- John Kerry has gone back where he came from -- Washington. Last

year, some Massachusetts Democrats who supported same-sex marriage

gave Mr. Kerry political cover by voting for the domestic-partnership

compromise -- lest same-sex marriage in his home state derail his

presidential campaign. In 2006, this will obviously not be the case.

-- Finally, there may be legislators who have had a change of heart --

who have come to see marriage as a right for all, not to be withheld

from any citizen.

That is our view. At any rate, it appears that same-sex marriage is

here to stay, at least in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.