Here it comes. The trolls are coming out of the closet to lament how the General Assembly, in this coming 2009 session, will not have no time to pass a law giving equal marriage rights to all Vermonters.
The chorus is chiming in and the preemptive song is that the General Assembly will be legislating 24/7 and Eight.Days.A.Week to get a handle on all the policy problems — social, fiscal, legal, economic, regulatory,environmental, health care, educational etc. ad nauseam that are gripping our State. Last I heard it was the Republicans and conservatives who tanked the economy – the same people who are so concerned (at the mention of marriage equality) that only the economy should have our attention.
But does that mean that justice necessarily goes on the back burner?
Here is the deal folks: One sentence of Vermont law needs to be changed. One syllable (“All those in favor . . . “AYE”) needs to be uttered on the floor of the House and Senate; AND the Governor needs to take just one measly second to sign his James Douglas Hancock to the legislation. Then it's done. It's a big deal, it's important, it's a huge step, but it doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. The work is already done, we know the problem, we have the solution. Let's get it done.
Say it with me —
One Sentence * One Syllable * One Second
One Sentence in Title 15 of the Vermont Code to fix. Just one. One Syllable to utter. Just one. One Second to put pen to paper. Just one. That is all it will take to end marital inequality in Vermont.
One Sentence * One Syllable * One Second
(there' more, about how little it takes, on the flip)
Kudos to Senator John Campbell (D-Windsor) who already announced that marriage equality was back in the hopper for 2009. This is a policy and justice issue that we should expect all Democrats to support this session.
When this equality for Vermonters issue comes to the State House, we will hear “there is no time.” That will be the opposition argument because their true opposition, which is “we hate, we fear,” is an argument most conservatives are smart enough – at least in public – not to admit in civil company.
The issue, however, is not what problems are more pressing or more important or more time consuming. The fact is, we have more problems than the General Assembly can possibly fix – a huge frustration to all of us. No, the issue is what are the problems that the General Assembly CAN FIX? Marital equality for same gender couples is one that they can fix.
One Sentence
One Syllable
One Second
There is one sentence in the Vermont code that needs to be changed. ONE SENTENCE. It reads:
Marriage is the legally recognized union of one man and one woman. 15 V.S.A. § 8.
Change that one sentence to:
“Marriage is the legally recognized union of two people.”
Then add a sentence to clarify the language used in Title 15 related to marriage by inserting something to the effect of:
“Gender-specific terms relating to the marital relationship or familial relationships, including without limitation “spouse,” “family,” “marriage,” “dependent,” “bride,” “groom,” “husband,” “wife,” shall be construed to be gender-neutral for all purposes throughout the law, whether in the context of statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law, or any other source of civil law.”
Bingo. With that we're done. Check your watch because it's not even lunchtime yet.
With one sentence & one syllable out of the way, our General Assembly still has the entire afternoon, and the rest of the week, to work on grown-up Democratic solutions to the Vermont-specific problems arising from this latest GOP recession.
The job for our Democratic leaders in the House & Senate is certainly to pass a marriage rights bill to protect the rights of same gender couples equally. Just as critically, however, their job is to prevent
— the Proposition H8 brigade
— the Bigots
— the Up.From.Under.the.Rocks.&.Taking.the.Lord's.Name.In.Vain.Lunatics
— the Concern Troll Republicans and assorted conservative fear slaves
from turning passage of the marriage equality bill into a circus of wingnuttery, and a festival of hate and fear. Passing a marriage equality bill at this historical juncture is only the “showing up for work” part. The politically effective and reasonable part of this package is to pass it swiftly and efficiently and, yes, muscle it down the opposition's throat if that's what is necessary. Do not let this become a long and drawn out process because the opposition wants it to be long and drawn out.
The fact is we have complicated important work to do. That is in fact our argument, not the Governor's. “There is important work ahead of us and a serious economic crises, there is no time to waste as we pass a same gender marital rights law. Let's pass it without delay and move on.” On the question or marriage rights, we have the solution to the problem of inequality right in front of us. We already know and respect the obligation to see justice occur. There is no need for those of us on the right side of history to complicate things further by delaying Vermont's progress. Just do it.
One Sentence
One Syllable
One Second
Vermont is barely a nano-click or two ahead of civil society on the marriage equality front, assuming the General Assembly passes equality legislation in 2009. In the not too distant future, Vermont's role helping to secure civil society's minimum rights, responsibilities and protections for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters will be a dusty footnote. It is well past time that we un-hitch heterosexuals from their lonely burden of upholding the institution of marriage. Arbitrary monopolies and State enforced exclusions do not strengthen any institutions and marriage has proven to be no exception. Lesbian, gay and heterosexual Vermonters need each other's support, and we will all benefit from socially reinforced, culturally enabled and legally empowered marriages and families that the law protects and that the State extends to all Vermonters.
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