What will be the long-term effects of Proposition 2?
Hard to say, but in an important way, Prop 2 has succeeded to help undermine
heterosexual marriage in an unexpected way.
"Marriage" can no longer be considered -- in Texas -- a fundamental right.
Rights are those recognized (not given) for all citizens, which relegates
"marriage" to that of a state-granted privilege not much different than driving
or hunting.
What a pity that something driven by anti-gay animus would have this effect
in the end.
I won't call it "hate" -- blind prejudice perhaps (whether willful or through
ignorance) -- but "hate" simply plays into the hands of the bigots.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
You cannot call something a "fundamental right" and then deny it to certain
segments of the population. It didn't work for 3/5's slaves and it won't work
for gays and lesbians now.
So I ask, what did this odious measure actually accomplish?
Will gay and lesbian people cease to exist? Will they stop forming lasting &
loving relationships? Stop being part of the larger community?
No.
What continues will be the long -- and unfortunately slow -- process of
reminding the people who voted for this (or sat back and allowed it) of their basic humanity.
In the mean time, here are some predictions I'm making -- what are yours?
Predictions:
- Among the first uses of the amendment:
- Families contesting wills that name a decedent's second or
common-law spouse as a beneficiary
- Ugly custody battles among divorced people seeking to nullify a
second or common-law marriage
- Texas Department of Family & Protective Services will be pressured to remove
gays and lesbians from foster parenting rolls and ban adoption by gay and
lesbian families.
- Texas Department of Education will be sued to remove references to
gay families in school texts
- Governor Perry will endorse these and more in his upcoming campaign.
- Local public libraries will be ordered to remove books that contain
references to gay and lesbian families.