Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Coming out for gays

How can the Democratic Party, a champion of civil rights, go limp on gay equality? Wait a minute!

Wisconsin senator Russ Feingold expressed his unequivocal support for marriage equality in early April after being asked about it at one of the Democrat’s regular listening sessions in his home state. Back in Washington on April 4, he released a statement arguing that the government should offer gay couples the same marriage rights as straight couples, but that churches and other religious institutions shouldn’t be required to marry gays. A constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions is on the Wisconsin ballot this year, providing Feingold with a good opportunity to clarify his position. Feingold isn’t the first U.S. senator to come out for full marriage equality—he joins Republican Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Democrats Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon—but he is the first major contender for president to do so.
Coming out! Watch it. A hot plate of spine!

Meanwhile, the AmTaliban issues a fatwah. (h/t Pam Spaulding)