Out in Indiana

Republicans on Wednesday threw the first political salvos after the collapse of the gay marriage amendment.

House Minority Leader Brian Bosma called a news conference to denounce Democratic leaders in the House -- particularly Speaker Pat Bauer -- for orchestrating the defeat of the joint resolution.

“When a measure is overwhelmingly supported by the public and a few leaders thwart it from moving forward, that may catch the public’s attention,” Bosma said about possible political fallout in the 2008 House elections.

The proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman tied 5-5 in the Democratic-led House Rules Committee Tuesday night.

Five of the six Democratic members voted against the measure based on the ambiguity surrounding the second section of the proposed amendment. That language says, “this Constitution or any other Indiana law may not be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents of marriage be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.” (source)

“When a measure is overwhelmingly supported by the public”....

Slavery was overwhelmingly supported by the public. Why wasn’t that placed on the ballot for a public vote?

Preventing women from being able to vote was overwhelmingly supported by the public. Why wasn’t that placed on the ballot for a public vote?

Keeping the Civil Rights Act of 1964 from being enacted was overwhelmingly supported by the public. Why wasn’t that placed on the ballot for a public vote?

Keeping interracial couples from being able to marry was overwhelmingly supported by the public. Why wasn’t that placed on the ballot for a public vote?

Why does the gay community deserve the special treatment under the law of selectively, as a group, having our civil rights voted on? Or should I say, voted away?