On January 14, 1963, Governor George Wallace, of Alabama, delivered his inaugural address, which contained the famous line "Ignorance and prejudice now, ignorance and prejudice tomorrow, ignorance and prejudice forever!" to resounding applause.
No, those were not his precise words. If he had said that, many people--including those who were for prejudice--would have thought it reflected poorly on him as a person and as a leader. Invoking images of slavery, what Governor Wallace actually said was "Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. . . . I say segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
It was as if the governor did not think of himself as also being the governor of the African-American citizens of the state, which was not far wrong, considering how his policies were aimed at preventing them from having the rights that their citizenship conferred on them. (To give the governor credit, he ultimately outlived his ignorance and prejudice. There was no way for him to undo the past harm he fought to institute "forever," but he lived to see that he was wrong and apologized.)
No, those were not his precise words. If he had said that, many people--including those who were for prejudice--would have thought it reflected poorly on him as a person and as a leader. Invoking images of slavery, what Governor Wallace actually said was "Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. . . . I say segregation today, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
It was as if the governor did not think of himself as also being the governor of the African-American citizens of the state, which was not far wrong, considering how his policies were aimed at preventing them from having the rights that their citizenship conferred on them. (To give the governor credit, he ultimately outlived his ignorance and prejudice. There was no way for him to undo the past harm he fought to institute "forever," but he lived to see that he was wrong and apologized.)
Yesterday New York Governor Paterson re-introduced a gay-marriage bill. My state senator--I live in Bronx County, New York
--called a press conference, announcing "It's a slap in the face" for the governor to have chosen now, of all times, to reintroduce this bill. Why a slap? As you probably know this is an important time for baseball in New York. The Mets opened their new stadium in Queens and played their first game, and on the very day that the Yankees played their first game in *their* new stadium, the governor announced the bill.
I don't assume that religion is anti civil rights any more than I accept State Senator Rubén Díaz Sr.'s leap of logic that Governor Paterson timed his action to insult baseball. Sen. Díaz, a Pentecostal minister, told reporters that "during the month of May, we will bring out thousands and thousands of Hispanic evangelical Christians in the city of New York to ask Governor Paterson to step aside."
The constitutionality of same-sex marriage in New York is in limbo. In 2005 State Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan ruled that same-sex marriage was allowable because it fell under the equal protection clause of the state's constitution. In a narrow decision, New York’s top court overruled her.
Eleven months ago Governor Paterson directed New York state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. There was a lawsuit, of course; however, the suit was dismissed in State Supreme Court in the Bronx, which found that Governor Paterson acted within his powers. Another slap? You bet! The State Supreme Court in the Bronx is within walking distance of Yankee Stadium!
Yesterday State Senator Rubén Díaz--or should I call him Reverend Rubén Díaz--met with close to 100 Hispanic ministers. "It's a challenge the governor is sending to every religious person in New York, and the time for us has come for us to accept the challenge," said Diaz.
I'd like to think that New York is not a theocracy. Whether the marriages that the bill would legalize would be a marriages in the eyes of God is not for me to speculate on, although I do know that God probably does not base His choices on the decisions of the New York State legislature as much as we New Yorkers might hope. And as for a being of infinite power, He could have done a little more to support the Yankees yesterday, who lost--the first official game played at their new stadium. But perhaps God is wiser than me about these things. Or perhaps he supports people who play for the other team.
Laws that support segregation, do not last forever. As Governor Paterson said, the marriage bill will give gay couples 1,324 rights that they are currently denied. That's what this bill does, it changes the law. The legislature can't make laws about religion or spirituality or decide who your soul mate is.
"As long as you need me, there will be no gay marriage," Sen. Díaz said.
Mr. Díaz, we no longer need you.
I don't assume that religion is anti civil rights any more than I accept State Senator Rubén Díaz Sr.'s leap of logic that Governor Paterson timed his action to insult baseball. Sen. Díaz, a Pentecostal minister, told reporters that "during the month of May, we will bring out thousands and thousands of Hispanic evangelical Christians in the city of New York to ask Governor Paterson to step aside."
The constitutionality of same-sex marriage in New York is in limbo. In 2005 State Supreme Court Justice Doris Ling-Cohan ruled that same-sex marriage was allowable because it fell under the equal protection clause of the state's constitution. In a narrow decision, New York’s top court overruled her.
Eleven months ago Governor Paterson directed New York state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions. There was a lawsuit, of course; however, the suit was dismissed in State Supreme Court in the Bronx, which found that Governor Paterson acted within his powers. Another slap? You bet! The State Supreme Court in the Bronx is within walking distance of Yankee Stadium!
Yesterday State Senator Rubén Díaz--or should I call him Reverend Rubén Díaz--met with close to 100 Hispanic ministers. "It's a challenge the governor is sending to every religious person in New York, and the time for us has come for us to accept the challenge," said Diaz.
I'd like to think that New York is not a theocracy. Whether the marriages that the bill would legalize would be a marriages in the eyes of God is not for me to speculate on, although I do know that God probably does not base His choices on the decisions of the New York State legislature as much as we New Yorkers might hope. And as for a being of infinite power, He could have done a little more to support the Yankees yesterday, who lost--the first official game played at their new stadium. But perhaps God is wiser than me about these things. Or perhaps he supports people who play for the other team.
Laws that support segregation, do not last forever. As Governor Paterson said, the marriage bill will give gay couples 1,324 rights that they are currently denied. That's what this bill does, it changes the law. The legislature can't make laws about religion or spirituality or decide who your soul mate is.
"As long as you need me, there will be no gay marriage," Sen. Díaz said.
Mr. Díaz, we no longer need you.
1 comment:
I think you guys in America just like to be confrontational and fight one another.
Here in UK we don't have same-sex marriage because the idea offends many. So we have "civil partnerships" - same thing, different name. I am sure there are those who don't like that either. But they keep quiet.
I suppose your tradition of confrontation and moral outrage that refuses to shrug and compromise goes back to the Pilgrim Fathers, who refused to keep a low profile and muddle through.
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