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You are here: Home / Justice / LGBTQ Rights / Gay Rights are Human Rights / Congratulations, Maryland

Congratulations, Maryland

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Amid cheers and camera flashes from a crush of onlookers, Gov. Martin O’Malley signed into law Thursday his bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland — legislation that raises his national profile and, advocates say, gives momentum to those pushing similar measures in three states.

“The way forward is always found through greater respect for the equal rights of all,” said O’Malley, giving brief remarks before signing the legislation. “If there is a thread that unites all of our work here together, it is the thread of human dignity. … Let’s sign the bill.”

Slowly but surely, we are putting this issue to rest.

Reader Interactions

58Comments

  1. 1.

    MikeJ

    And in California, polls now show that people favour marriage equality by 25 points.

  3. 3.

    MikeBoyScout

    Newly liberated Washingtonians congratulate the people of Maryland on this historic achievement!

  6. 6.

    Michael Demmons

    I think we will soon start seeing the repeal initiatives go our way consistently, too. And when that starts happening, it will be the true beginning of the end of this issue.

  7. 7.

    Warren Terra

    What’s the status in New Hampster, where the Republican supermajority is counting noses to see if they can pass Marriage Rediscrimination over the veto of governor Lynch?

  9. 9.

    Some Guy

    YAAAAY! I have two friends waiting to marry up here in Maine. We have an item for November to re-legalize gay marriage. I can’t wait for their ceremony.

  11. 11.

    Marlene

    I know this does not belong in this thread but I seldom
    comment in any thread but if anyone is offended by what
    Rush limbaugh said about Susan Fluke please sign the
    DCCC petition:

  12. 12.

    Suffern ACE

    @Billy Beane: Yeah. Outrage over the family guy in Canada. That’s worth discussing. A here I thought all your bitching meant you thought there were important stories to cover that we were missing.

  14. 14.

    cathyx

    Yet another reason I love George Clooney, not that I need one, on same sex marriage:

    “It’s always been this albatross that stood out to me as the final leg of the civil rights movement,” [Clooney] told Voss. “Well before Prop. 8, I’ve made the point that every time we’ve stood against equality, we’ve been on the wrong side of history. It’s the same kind of argument they made when they didn’t want blacks to serve in the military, or when they didn’t want blacks to marry whites. One day the marriage equality fight will look as archaic as George Wallace standing on the University of Alabama steps keeping James Hood from attending college because he was black. People will be embarrassed to have been on the wrong side.”

  17. 17.

    JordanRules

    @WaterGirl: Yup. Also known as Fred of ‘You People’ fame.

    He’s a big part of why Dems can’t have nice things. Wrong enemies, no focus etc. And yes, I still believe Cole must’ve shunned the guy when they were younger or something.

  18. 18.

    honus

    I’m sitting here trying to imagine Joe Manchin making O’Malley’s speech and crying for my native state.

  20. 20.

    WaterGirl

    @JordanRules: It’s kind of like you can smell it – just reading a few words gives it away.

    He certainly does have a hate on. When are all these haters gonna realize how unattractive that is?

  21. 21.

    Marc

    And now the bad news… the MD marriage equality bill doesn’t take effect until 2013, and opponents will get a chance to force a referendum to kill it in the November election. Between that and the presidential election, we’ll have a lot of work to do this fall.

    Still, incredibly proud of my state and Gov. O’Malley today.

  22. 22.

    Jimbo316

    Governor O’Malley also had led and wrote the songs for his own Celtic rock band, O’Malley’s March. He marches to a very different tune than former Gov. “Dork” Ehrlich (R – 1%).

  24. 24.

    Chris

    I moved across the line into DC seven years ago, but my heart will always belong to Maryland. Well done, folks! Well done! Proud of ya!

  25. 25.

    Chris

    @cathyx:

    People will be embarrassed to have been on the wrong side.

    And just like civil rights, every homophobe of ex-homophobe out there will be claiming that they were for it all along.

  27. 27.

    Insomniac

    @John M. Burt: Perfect. Thank you.

    All hail Maryland! Well done!

    Not quite done here yet though. Still need to make sure it doesn’t get overturned in November. Push on!

  28. 28.

    gbear

    Amid cheers and camera flashes from a crush of onlookers, Gov. Martin O’Malley signed into law Thursday his bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland

    I bet Chris Christie didn’t get to feel the same reaction when he vetoed NJ’s bill. I hope vetoing that bill made him made him feel like a real pud inside.

  29. 29.

    Marc

    @efgoldman:

    Well, yeah, but its a good year, and a good state,to have the vote. MD is oh, so very Blue, in a presidential year, with one of the great political organizations of my lifetime on the march.

    Maryland will be vying with Hawaii and Vermont to see who can show Barack the most love in the presidential election, but Virginia is right across the river and that’s where I’ll be volunteering.

    The marriage referendum will be tougher. That’s going to be a real fight, thanks to those black ministers (not all) who oppose marriage equality. But a narrow majority in the state supports equality, and if we can turn them out we’ll win.

    I foresee some long weekends of canvassing and phonebanking, one day in VA, one in MD…

  34. 34.

    Chris

    @MikeJ:

    I think you mean, just like civil rights, they’ll be trying to overturn it 50 years from now.

    Yes. AND simultaneously claiming that they were for it all along. Who’s the MLK of gay rights? Whoever it is, expect them to be claiming his/her legacy to defend war, economic exploitation, and discrimination.

  37. 37.

    geg6

    I can never be cynical about these things. Good on my southern neighbor. And can I just say how awesome I think Martin O’Malley is? I have a friend and co-worker at another campus who worked for him when he was mayor. He said he was a very exciting guy to work with. A former student’s parents, who are active in New Jersey Democratic politics say the same about Corey Booker. If these guys are in any way indicative of who we have on the bench, we would seem to be in much better shape than the GOPers seem to be.

  38. 38.

    beergoggles

    @Chris: Umm I don’t think there is one. There’s a few regional heroes like Milk, Kameny, etc. But there’s no one that stands out for some asshole to assassinate and ground it. It’s also the nature of the movement – the lack of a sense of history to it because it’s the hets that keep popping out gays and unless the next generation of gays make a conscious effort to educate themselves, they have no connection with the past of their kind.

  39. 39.

    geg6

    Okay, I’m in moderation and cannot for the life of me figure out why. I do not see any of the usual bad words.

    FTWP.

  40. 40.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    I’ve got a real problem about these state referendum laws. It gives the majority mob too damn much power to discriminate on basic rights issues. And precisely why the founders gave us a representative democracy. If the rabble doesn’t like their reps voting for gay marriage, then vote them out next election, or organize a recall. Putting up second guessing of the legislative process to a popular election is like wiping your ass before you take a shit. We don’t have them in NM, thank goodness. We do have toilets, most of us.

  42. 42.

    General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero)

    @efgoldman:

    It would be all kinds of cool, if fellow gooper Ted Olson gave the oral arguments in favor of gay marriage, if and when that 9th court of appeals makes it the Supremes/

  43. 43.

    Bubblegum Tate

    Unemployment is down, the Dow is up, another state has officially embraced marriage equality, and both the Blunt Amendment and Andrew Breitbart are dead. It’s been a very good week for America.

  44. 44.

    BruceFromOhio

    “If there is a thread that unites all of our work here together, it is the thread of human dignity …

    TATTOO THIS ON EVERY REPUBLICAN FROM VIRGINIA, PRETTY PLEASE?

    KTHXBAI

  45. 45.

    shortstop

    Does the Prop 8 ruling have applicability here and in Washington? If a right has been won legislatively, but not yet put in place pending voter referendum (as opposed to in CA, where people were getting married prior to Prop 8), does that constitute a revoked right per the narrowly drawn lines of that ruling? Anyone? Bueller?

    Heard today that NJ voters support marriage equality by a 20-point margin. Christie, the coward, wouldn’t sign the bill because he knew his own party would forever hold it against him. The referendum, which is an obscene way to approach people’s civil rights, will pass, he will be on the wrong side of history and his children will be ashamed of him.

  46. 46.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Bubblegum Tate:

    Andrew Breitbart used the Internet relentlessly to ignite political scandal and expose what he saw as media bias, even if he sometimes had to edit the facts lie like a rug to do it.

    “edit the facts”. So that’s what the Murdoch Street Journal is calling it today.

    Next time I get caught losing my paycheck playing the ponies at Thistledown, I’ll be sure to “edit the facts” to demonstrate my support of the local horse racing association.

  48. 48.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @geg6:

    I tested it, and I am too.

    Apparently we are precluded from actually using the name of the mayor of Newark. Which is going to be a real pain as he becomes an even more prominent politician.

  50. 50.

    TooManyJens

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Apparently we are precluded from actually using the name of the mayor of Newark.

    What.

    Cory Booker.

    (testing)

    ETA: Well, that is just crazypants.

    Seriously, is there any reason not to just get rid of the fucking keyword filter? Is Akismet not up to the spam-killing job?

  53. 53.

    Weezie Jefferson

    And I love love love love love our governor!!! I might even go see his crappy Irish folk band next time they play in Baltimore.

  56. 56.

    Yutsano

    @TooManyJens: Not arguing that point. But life is gonna suck if Bookher starts moving to higher office. Maybe after Lautenberger retires he could take over there.

  57. 57.

    liberal

    @General Stuck (Bravo Nope Zero):

    It gives the majority mob too damn much power to discriminate on basic rights issues. And precisely why the founders gave us a representative democracy.

    Jesus Christ, if you look at the example of California, the human rights stuff is just the tip of the iceberg. The entire thing is screwed up.

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