Friday Dance Party: Maine's Question One

Was there any doubt? Not from this tired, cynical soul. Though this time, the good guys, that is, the pro-gay marriage folks, actually outspent the conservative, "Let's Preserve The Sanctity Of Marriage Because Heteros Have Treated The Institution With All That Dignity So Far" side...but really, as I've written before, we are not going to make headway as long as our GALs ("Gay Activist Leaders") cling stubbornly to that word: "marriage."
The voters in Maine have voted to repeal an ordinance enacted by their own legislature to allow gay marriage in the state. Why is anybody surprised at this? In each and every instance, when the question of legalizing same-sex marriage has been put to a popular vote, it has been defeated. Each and every time. EACH AND EVERY TIME. Why? Basic civil rights for any minority group should NEVER be left up to the whims of the majority; in such cases, Americans will prove, over and over again, that we are, at our core, selfish, bigoted, and resistant to the rights of any minority. If the black civil rights movement of the 1960s had been put to a popular vote, Barack Obama would still be drinking from a separate water fountain.

So, Maine voters proved my point and repealed the law giving equal rights to same-sex partners. You know what else happened on election day this week? "Referendum 71" passed in Washington State. It was nicknamed "Everything But Marriage," and it insured that same-sex couples would enjoy the exact same legal privileges and rights as married couples, in short: Equality. The only thing missing: the term "marriage." And the measure passed. Why won't those stubborn PALs back off the M Word, and concentrate on gaining full civil rights in all 50 states? We can start calling it "marriage" later.

So, for this politically charged Dance Party, here is a clip you should already have seen. Though it's never been posted here, it went viral last year after the infamous Prop 8 was passed in California. Composer Marc Shaiman (Hairspray) gathered an all-star cast and created this little mini-musical in response. Enjoy, then go out and hug a homosexual. We could use a bit of positive reinforcement; apparently, we're still not as good as you: