We could still have slavery in Alabama

There is a big fuss taking place over same sex marriage. Yesterday, the Washington State House approved a marriage equality measure that had already been approved by the Senate. The Governor of Washington has said she will sign the measure, making Washington the seventh state (plus DC) to allow marriage equality.

And of course earlier this week Prop 8 was overturned in California.

But in state after state the right for gay men and women to marry the person they love has been put to a vote of the people.

Think Progress has posted some maps that show what the country would like like if various issues of equality had been put to a vote.

In Alabama, slavery would still exist.

Photo Credit: Think Progress

In Alabama, women would still be unable to vote.

Photo Credit: Think Progress

In Alabama, segregation would still be a way of life.

Photo Credit: Think Progress

In Alabama, a black person could not marry a white person.

Photo Credit: Think Progress

We live in a country where our founding document says we have inalienable rights endowed by our Creator. It also says that the Government is here to secure those rights. No where does it say that the citizens should vote on whether a right is recognized or not.

Let me state again that it says "Government," which includes the judicial branch, is here to help secure those rights.  In the Prop 8 case, the judiciary is being derided for "overturning the will of 14 million voters." That is the job of the courts.

Voters should not have the right to deny rights to people. Referenda are coming up this year in Maine and Minnesota and North Carolina that affect people's right to marry. It seems awful presumptuous that someone could stand at the voting booth and mark a box that would deny a person's right. But people have done it all across this country.

Until the Federal Government (any of the three branches) establishes that same sex couples have the same right to relationships as opposite sex couples, using the same words and terminology, we will have an ever changing multicolored map similar to those above that represents a nation where some people are more equal than others.

And until then, second class citizenry is assured.