Nearly everyone is aware by now that California has an amendment on the ballot that would make gay marriage illegal. But many may not be aware that Florida also has a similar ballot initiative pushed by the far-right. Amendment 2 would ban not only gay marriage, but civil unions as well. Amendment 2 reads as follows:
“Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”
Thankfully Florida amendments need 60% to pass, rather than the 50% that most states require. However a Mason-Dixon poll from August showed that this amendment had 57% support with 7% undecided. http://www.floridatoday.com/ap…
I don’t yet have a link but another poll done just this week showed the amendment had 55% support.
This is going to be very close. Florida doesn’t currently allow gay marriage or civil unions, but it is still important that we defeat Amendment 2. If we allow this measure to pass it will be much harder to get civil unions or gay marriage passed sometime in the future in Florida. If anyone would like to donate to this worthy cause go to the following link.
This has me so down and out. Polls are showing that Proposition 8, the amendment that would strike down gay marriage in California, is going to pass. I wish you all much luck in Florida, but we’re going to need it here too.
If you look at the history of amdendments and referendum, most of them that are not clearly at around 60% support (when 50% is needed) going into the election end up losing, as typically undecided people or those without strong feelings on the issue end up voting no.
That said, with such an emotional issue, that makes many on the right (although thankfully a shrinking number) just foam at the mouth, gay marriage/civil unions might be different. Let’s hope not.
To the people of Connecticut who now live under full marriage equality. The state Supreme Court ruled int he favor of marriage equality in the great state of Connecticut. Now there is full marriage equality in three states, and lets keep it legal in California.
http://noonprop8.com/home
Give if you can. Help if you can. Its going to be a tough race, and the many LGBT people of California will be forever greatful!