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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Matter of Opinion

The drum beats a little quicker

In California today, the first same-sex marriages were to take place since the state Supreme Court held that limiting marriage to man-woman combinations was unconstitutional. In San Francisco, a long-lasting lesbian couple, now in their 80s reportedly were to be first.
All this activity is said to be a kick off for a political battle to reverse the court ruling by amending the constitution, via the ballot.
In Oregon, meanwhile, the Associated Press reported today that social and religious conservatives who oppose two gay rights measures approved by the Legislature last year, have given up on their attempt to put a repeal on the ballot. They're running out of time to collect the necessary signatures. (The measures in question provided for domestic partnerships and banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.)
It remains to be seen if Oregon uninterest in reversing the lawmakers' work foretells an uphill fight for those who want to undo the California Supreme Court ruling.
But it's possible that the more people see examples of same-sex relationships, the more their phobias cool and the sooner our culture can mature another notch.



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