Wednesday, November 08, 2006
The World Turns Upside-Down: Arizona PUTS ON its Rainbow Shades
by Ken Houghton
In 1987, the state, under later-convicted and impeached Governor Evan Mecham, explicitlyrefused to honor rescinded the state's celebration of a Federal holiday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.. This produced one of the great Public Enemy songs of all time, and enough ill will that even the NFL paid attention, moving the 1993 Super Bowl from Tempe to Pasadena.
Suffice to say, the state does not have a history of inspiring confidence.
Yesterday, they apparently became the first state to recognize that "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State" includes marriage licenses issued by the State of Massachusetts (and, one expects and hopes [worth reading in full], other states) to people of the same gender.
That's right: ARIZONA became the first state to reject a voter referendum to ban gay marriage.
Don't get me wrong; they voted self-interest:
but the voters of Arizona, unlike several other states (sorry, Tom), noticed that their interest was at stake.
When history is written, yesterday's Arizona vote will be viewed as a vote of, for, and by the people. May it be the beginning.
The 1978 World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) was held in Phoenix, AZ. Guest of Honor (GoH) was Harlan Ellison, who refused to stay in the hotel because, iirc, the state refused to support the Equal Rights Amendment. (Again iirc, Patrick and/or Teresa worked the convention in some significant capacity.*)
In 1987, the state, under later-convicted and impeached Governor Evan Mecham, explicitly
Suffice to say, the state does not have a history of inspiring confidence.
Yesterday, they apparently became the first state to recognize that "Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State" includes marriage licenses issued by the State of Massachusetts (and, one expects and hopes [worth reading in full], other states) to people of the same gender.
That's right: ARIZONA became the first state to reject a voter referendum to ban gay marriage.
Don't get me wrong; they voted self-interest:
The amendments have been broadly worded to invalidate not only same-sex marriage, but also domestic partnerships. Opponents of the ban argue that the broad wording affects heterosexual couples as well as gay and lesbian couples; for instance, they warned voters that unmarried senior citizens living together could lose the right to visit each other in the hospital.
but the voters of Arizona, unlike several other states (sorry, Tom), noticed that their interest was at stake.
When history is written, yesterday's Arizona vote will be viewed as a vote of, for, and by the people. May it be the beginning.
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On the other hand, we also had stuff like this going on:
The alleged voter intimidation took place at a number of South Side precincts where anti-illegal immigrant crusader Russ Dove circulated an English-only petition, while a cameraman filmed the voters he approached and Roy Warden stood by with a firearm visible in a holster.
...
Dove, who made similar visits in the 2004 election, said he hoped his presence would prevent non-citizens from "voting in our election."
The alleged voter intimidation took place at a number of South Side precincts where anti-illegal immigrant crusader Russ Dove circulated an English-only petition, while a cameraman filmed the voters he approached and Roy Warden stood by with a firearm visible in a holster.
...
Dove, who made similar visits in the 2004 election, said he hoped his presence would prevent non-citizens from "voting in our election."
# posted by 
: Wed Nov 08, 11:11:00 AM
: Wed Nov 08, 11:11:00 AM
The AZ outcome certainly has a who'da thunk it character -- also that the VA ban passed with a smaller margin than WI.
The appeal to self-interest is arguably cannier than the appeal in WI to fairness. Even the Wisconsin State Journal's editorial board could see through the hallucinogens that led them to endorse Dave Magnum well enough to note the collateral damage potential for the straight world.
Sensible courts would presumably be able to rule that the likes domestic partner benefits don't rise to the level of substantial equivalence to marriage. But who knows, really?
The appeal to self-interest is arguably cannier than the appeal in WI to fairness. Even the Wisconsin State Journal's editorial board could see through the hallucinogens that led them to endorse Dave Magnum well enough to note the collateral damage potential for the straight world.
Sensible courts would presumably be able to rule that the likes domestic partner benefits don't rise to the level of substantial equivalence to marriage. But who knows, really?
"The 1978 World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) was held in Phoenix, AZ. Guest of Honor (GoH) was Harlan Ellison, who refused to stay in the hotel because, iirc, the state refused to support the Equal Rights Amendment. (Again iirc, Patrick and/or Teresa worked the convention in some significant capacity.*)"
Patrick was Head of Programming. I was Assistant to the Head of Programming, Managing Editor of Publications, and committee chauffeur, and was in charge of the Fan Room and the newsletter. (It was my first worldcon.)
I was also the person who wrote the article for the last progress report in which I tactfully explained that camping out in August in Central Arizona is not a great idea, however well-intentioned Harlan may have been when he'd publicly proposed that everyone should bring their own food, camp out instead of taking hotel rooms, and in general refuse to support the economy of a state that had voted against the ERA.
He undoubtedly meant well.
TNH
Patrick was Head of Programming. I was Assistant to the Head of Programming, Managing Editor of Publications, and committee chauffeur, and was in charge of the Fan Room and the newsletter. (It was my first worldcon.)
I was also the person who wrote the article for the last progress report in which I tactfully explained that camping out in August in Central Arizona is not a great idea, however well-intentioned Harlan may have been when he'd publicly proposed that everyone should bring their own food, camp out instead of taking hotel rooms, and in general refuse to support the economy of a state that had voted against the ERA.
He undoubtedly meant well.
TNH
# posted by : Wed Nov 08, 11:53:00 AM
: Wed Nov 08, 11:53:00 AM
And I wound up as Director of Operations, and retroactively named Vice-Chair of the con by formal vote of the Board of Directors.
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