Hoist That Petard

I don't know if many of you are following the most recent tactic in the battle to legalize same-sex marriage taking place in Washington State. The Supreme Court there just handed down a decision saying it had the right to limit marriage only to those who could procreate. This has long been batted around by various right wing fuckheads, sorry, pundits as a legitimate idea, but to the best of my knowledge, this is the first time it's been the official, and sole reason given by a legal body.

In response, a group called WA State Defense of Marriage Association (WA-DOMA) has filed a petition with the state government stating that if after three years a marriage has failed to produce any children, then the marriage is annulled. The government has accepted the initiative, now the organization just has to get the necessary number of signatures to put it on the ballot. The organization plans to get two more initiatives before the voters as well; one would make it illegal to get a divorce or annulment of there are children resulting from the marriage, and the third would state that having a child would mean the parents were now married.

I can see all sorts of pitfalls to this sort of action. It's possible it will alienate potential allies, offending any fence-sitters who might feel personally attacked by it. It might upset gay activists who will want to know why a gay organization is spending time and money on an initiative it doesn't actually support, and won't want to see passed. I suppose it's possible it might even fall into the hands of the right wing Christian Taliban whack-jobs who would actually love to see this kind of legislature passed.

DON'T CARE! I LOVE this initiative. I think it's brilliant. I've always wondered why, when someone trotted out the 'procreation' bullshit no one asked, well, what about couples who are infertile? What about people who are paralyzed from the waist down? What about the couples who don't want children, never did? What about the women who are past child-bearing age? My Great Aunt Ardith got married at the age of 72. If these morons seriously believe their claims, then they should have no problem signing the petitions, hell, actively campaigning alongside their g/l/b/t brothers, sisters, and others to see this stuff passed. This ties in completely with their Old Testament nonsense about being fruitful and multiplying, because one thing we don't have enough of in this world is people. I hope WA-DOMA contacts the WA state chapters of Focus on the Family and its ilk first off.

Maybe this is rank justice. Maybe this is me succumbing to baser instincts, embracing a petty, punishing approach to a complex and difficult issue. I repeat, DON'T CARE DON'T CARE DON'T CARE! Too many nice, polite, well-meaning people are trying to sit this one out, wishing it would go away, because basically in their heart of hearts, they do believe that same-sex marriage is not as valuable or important as heterosexual marriage. Plus it's kind of icky. I am not a rabid activist on this issue, I'll be the first to admit, I'm not asking anyone to go out into the trenches, but it really rankles me the number of folks who just don't seem to GET it on this issue, and don't bother to try. This initiative will never ever pass, seeing as how none of the DOMA people working for it will vote for it if it even makes it to the ballot, but if it brings new attention to the hypocrisy of the homophobic right, and greater insight to the fence-sitters and 'polite people', then I'm all for it.