Jun 10 2012

Approve Referendum 74

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Washington State passed a marriage equality bill…so of course the conservatives have immediately made an appeal to grassroots bigotry, and are running a ballot initiative to roll back progress. Supporters of equality are asking you to sign a pledge and also, of course, to vote for what is right in November.

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1

Dick the Damned

10 June 2012 at 11:42 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

My British post code didn’t cut the mustard, but an old Canadian one did. So it looks as if only North Americans can sign the pledge, (unless people ~~cheat~~ get creative, of course).
2

Audley Z Darkheart (liar and scoundrel)

10 June 2012 at 11:53 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

This is why direct democracy sucks, people.

If anyone is looking for a valid US zip to use, 12345 is totally a real place (Schenectady, NY).
3

Yoritomo

10 June 2012 at 12:06 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The way I understand it, this pledge is something of a “get out the vote” measure. When people sign the pledge they become more committed to actually go vote for that referendum. I don’t think inflating the number of pledged people by signing when not eligible to vote in Washington would serve any purpose. Feel free to prove me wrong.
4

Moggie

10 June 2012 at 12:08 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I can be found at 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613.
5

StevoR

10 June 2012 at 12:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Congratulations Washinton State.

Homophobes take a long hard look at those who still support slavery and oppose interracial marraiges. That’s you in another few decades.

(As one of the FTB “Sunday funnies” – Greg Laden or Chris Rodda I think pointed out a week or two ago.)
6

StevoR

10 June 2012 at 12:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

D’oh! Make that congratulations Washington State sorry.

Drunk and tired as always.
7

abb3w

10 June 2012 at 12:25 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

@2, Audley Z Darkheart (liar and scoundrel):

If anyone is looking for a valid US zip to use, 12345 is totally a real place (Schenectady, NY).

…but is an entirely NON-RESIDENTIAL zip code; it only includes the Schenectady GE plant. 23456, however, is a perfectly valid residential zip code covering parts of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Amusingly, my sister and her husband used to work at the former, about the time my parents first retired to the latter.
8

abb3w

10 June 2012 at 12:34 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’ll also note, it looks like there’s going to be 2012 popular ballot measures in WA, ME, DE, and MN — all states tending more democratic-over-republican than the national mean. (NC tends more R-over-D than US mean.) Given national polls now favor legalization, there looks to be good odds three and maybe all four will go in favor of legalization.

This seems unlikely to get conservatives to shut up about “thirty states in a row”, however.
9

MissEla

10 June 2012 at 1:38 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Signed. This issue is one I *can* do something about–I’m a native Washingtonian, and I live in Whatcom County. Hatred, bigotry, and discrimination: NOT IN MY STATE!

~Miss Ela~
10

anthonyrosa

10 June 2012 at 2:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I signed this a few days ago, if it’s the same one.

My home state is doing something good. But there are always people who hate, it seems, regardless of where you go. I’m proud of my state for doing this, but we have to stay vigilant, or those hateful people will find a way to tear the good down.
11

Rip Steakface

10 June 2012 at 2:40 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I can’t do much, since I’m not of voting age. All I can do is convince my parents to actually vote (they’re too cynical to vote, more often than not). Hopefully, they will.
12

chris

10 June 2012 at 2:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I am confused. Isn’t Referendum 74 the petition to not allow same sex marriage? Why should I approve it?
13

tomh

10 June 2012 at 3:56 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

@ #8
I know you meant MD, not DE.

On a related note, another federal court ruled DOMA unconstitutional, the fourth federal decision against DOMA. The score is 4-0 with more challenges coming up.

@ #12

In Washington, unlike some other states, the vote is on whether to uphold or reject the law that was passed that allows same sex marriage. A yes vote upholds the law, a no vote rejects it.
14

Ms. Daisy Cutter, Gynofascist in a Spiffy Hugo Boss Uniform

10 June 2012 at 4:01 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Signed, and sent link to a few friends in Seattle.
15

chris

10 June 2012 at 7:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thank you, tomh. I’ll be reading it much closer.
16

monzni

10 June 2012 at 8:03 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I couldn’t be more proud to vote for marriage equality this November. Finally, a choice that is NOT between the lesser of two evils, a choice where can I stand wholly on one side, supporting it 100%.

All the while I can’t escape feeling sick at the thought that it’s not only ok, but necessary, to VOTE on someone else’s basic human rights. That’s disgusting.
17

snoeman

10 June 2012 at 8:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Re: chris’ confusion @#12

Confusion as to the effect of the referendum is likely to be an issue for many people right up through the election. For example, recent stories on same sex marriage in the local rag, the Seattle Times, have had numerous comments where the commentator favored upholding the law extending marriage to same sex couples, but urged people to vote “No” [sic] on the referendum.

NOM is helping to bankroll R74 and the “Reject” campaign. It would hardly be surprising or out of character for that group to employ a strategy to increase voter confusion about the effect of an “Approve” vs. “Reject” vote, in the hopes of getting more “Reject” votes from people who do actually support same sex couples marrying.
18

ryankitko

10 June 2012 at 10:07 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

@12: Yes, approve is correct. Since the legislature passed the law but the referendum folks were busy gathering signatures to stop it, the legislation went on hold. So as of now, there is no legislation to repeal and the only natural vote the public can take is to either “approve” or “reject” the legislature’s action. If, however, the law had gone into effect and then a referendum was begun to actually repeal it, I believe the natural vote would be to vote “no” for no repeal and “yes” for the repeal.

So, as Dominic Holden wrote over at the Slog, “Repeat Till You’re Blue in Your Big Gay Face: “Approve Referendum 74″.
19

spamamander, hellmart survivor

10 June 2012 at 10:26 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thank you for clearing this up! I didn’t realize that the anti-equality asshats didn’t get the signatures for the anti-referendum… and didn’t know we still needed to approve a “pro” referendum to keep the current law in place. Civil rights should never be decided by popular vote, but maybe we can at least be an example by voting positively for the rights of same sex couples here in WA.
20

Setár, self-appointed Elf-Sheriff of the Pharyngula Star Chamber

10 June 2012 at 10:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I’m a native Washingtonian, and I live in Whatcom County. Hatred, bigotry, and discrimination: NOT IN MY STATE!

Been through Whatcom County before, and I noticed that every year someone likes to set up an antichoice “cemetery of the innocent” along one of the major highways leading to the border.

Probably trying to convince us vile Canadians who have no laws restricting abortion, or something…
21

ryankitko

10 June 2012 at 10:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Unfortunately, some may see voting “approve” as confusing and as an immediate loss. Wisdom of the day around the political water cooler is that citizens who aren’t engaged and don’t take the time to read a referendum are more likely to either not vote on that issue or to vote in the negative by default than to approve something they haven’t taken the time to understand. That’s why when the union-busting legislation came up for a vote here in Ohio by referendum, the “anti-SB5″ side (those against the Republican’s power move harming public employee unions) fought hard with the Secretary of State’s office to keep the language in the negative for their side – to reject the legislation, supporters of unions would naturally want to vote “no” on the issue.

So take from that what you will. The marriage equality folks will have to work hard in WA to overcome confusion and apathy that would otherwise lead to votes in the negative.
22

Rey Fox

10 June 2012 at 11:12 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

You better believe they’re going to muddy the waters of “yes” vs. “no” on pretty much every one of these initiatives.
23

mikel

10 June 2012 at 11:33 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

The one poll I’ve found gives ground for optimism. (See question 23; also, for fun, question 24)
24

aurophobia

11 June 2012 at 1:28 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Thank you for posting about this!
25

daveau

11 June 2012 at 11:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Moggie@4-

That is just perfect on several levels. Thanks for the laugh.
26

leonpeyre

11 June 2012 at 2:22 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Washington State passed a marriage equality bill…so of course the conservatives have immediately made an appeal to grassroots bigotry, and are running a ballot initiative to roll back progress.

Yeah, that’s what happened here in California too, unfortunately.
27

ivarhusa

11 June 2012 at 5:36 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

If we win and pass this referendum (I am a Washingtonian), it will be unprecedented. No state has ever made same-sex marriage legal by popular vote. There is a clear difference between poll results and voting results. This means we have to work harder.

Washington State is part of the national battleground, now, with large sums of money being spent to defeat same sex marriage here. We fight on!

We can make appeals on multiple levels. It is expensive to fight a losing battle in the courts, and same-sex marriage has prevailed in the courts, lately. Of course, we are headed for a Prop 8 Supreme Court showdown…
28

shadow

12 June 2012 at 4:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Signed — will vote in affirmative and spouse is voting in affirmative as well.

Now, if we could only get an initiative to tax churches…..