Deep thoughts

State Rep. Warren Chisum, the man behind the Double Secret Illegal Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment, has a question.

The sponsor of a proposal to lock a ban on same-sex marriages into the state constitution said Thursday that traditional marriage must be protected now or someone may try to legalize polygamy next.

"If you start down that road, where do you stop? Do you have multiple partners?" state Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, asked in a debate on Proposition 2, the gay marriage ban, one of nine constitutional amendments on the Nov. 8 ballot.

I believe John Cornyn has already answered that one for you, Warren, but thanks for playing anyway.

Let's be very clear on one thing: Gay marriage is already illegal in the state of Texas. The point of the Double Secret Illegal amendment is not to "protect" traditional marriages but to ensure that some day, when societal attitudes have changed (however long that may take), a small minority in the Texas Legislature will be able to block any initiatives to undo the currently existing law.

Chisum knows he's on the wrong side of history. He knows that he's eventually going to lose this fight, as all other opponents of civil rights have always done. He knows that as gay marriage gets accepted in more states and nothing bad happens societally or electorally to those who voted for it that more and more attitudes will begin to go against him. This is his chance to erect as high a barrier as he can, one that will withstand mere majority opposition, and he's taking it. That's what this is all about.

If you think that's wrong, these are the folks to talk to about it. They have coordinators everywhere in the state, so seek and ye shall find.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 16, 2005 to Election 2005 | TrackBack