Interesting exit poll numbers on Proposition 8, which amends the California constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
These show that a staggering 70 percent of African-American voters voted for the proposition. Given the relatively small split by which the measure passed, it may not be unreasonable to suggest that enthusiasm for Obama and increased African-American voting had a direct impact on the result.
My prediction: at some point within the next ten years, another ballot measure, to repeal Prop 8, will be on the ballot, and will pass. This is definitely a generational issue.
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I heard that too... unbelievable. That's a potential crack in the Democratic coalition if I've ever seen one. The huge turnout for Obama, cost gays the right to marry in California. Fascinating.
I also think a strategic mistake was made when the last proposition went to the courts. Sure the court overturned the new law, but now the constitution itself will be changed. Getting that reversed will be a much tougher road to hoe.
Rather than going to the courts, trying to pass a law making gay marriage legal would have been the smarter move strategically. I don't know how easy it's going to be to reverse this.
By the way, I could make the same point about Roe V. Wade.
In my opinion, it would have been easier for the gay coalition to use the legislature and get everything that you normally get that is included when a man and a woman get married - benefits, tax breaks, etc. Then, once they have all that, I think they could effectively make the argument that they have everything that straight people have when they get married, so why not just let us get married?
It took african americans 100 years after they were freed form slavery to really get the right to vote during the 1960's and the civil rights legislation. And now we have a black president. Part of that is due to generational turnover. If we can say that the modern gay rights movement started in the late 1970's with Harvey Milk being elected to public office, I think it's safe to say that not enough generations have passed for people to accept that the word "marriage" means a union between a man and a woman. However, I think going forward, eventually that word will be redefined to mean a union between two people who love each other.
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