gay marriage election wins

For the first time in U.S. history, after 32 state referendum loses, two states have voted to approve gay marriage by a voter majority: Maine and Maryland! This is huge. Minnesota voters rejected a state constitutional ammendment which would have outlawed gay marriage. Wisconsin elected the nation's first openly gay senator: Tammy Baldwin. And here in Washington we're still awaiting election counts on referendum 74, which would legalize gay marriage. The initial results are hopeful.

Public consensus continues to shift. Thank goodness. Thanks to demographics changes. And thanks to gay people having conversations with others.

It is good that public consensus change come about from the ground-level. To have a law imposed on a people unwillingly does no one any good. This is really a good way: one conversation, one community, one state, one locale at a time.

nearby bridge

The statistic that I heard yesterday that most impressed me was that of the people that voted for gay marriage in Washington, 12% of them have had a complete change of heart in just this last year. Something is happening.

The other experience that comes to mind was last month standing at the kitchen counter with three of my sisters. Two of them had not spoken to me for some time - feeling awkward about my newfound gay partnership. Yet when we brought up the marriage of my brother, they seemingly naturally turned to me and asked me about my intentions to marry my partner! I could not believe my ears. Progress has come with many tears, judgements, and years, but as sure as the water flows down a river, public consensus seems to be shifting in the favor of love. Thank you universe. Thank you people.

Here's an article in this morning's online paper that elucidates several excellent principles in the shift: how-gay-marriage-finally-won-at-the-polls. It educates me as to how to better approach others.