Equal Rights: When will it be Virginia's Time?

Don't Hold Your Breath

"Virginia's time" will be a long, long time coming. Remember the history of civil rights in this state, how Virginia always had to be dragged kicking and screaming toward change.

Remember the aptly named "Loving v. Virginia" case, with its eternal blot upon Virginia's character for criminalizing interracial marriage.

Remember schools that were shut down so little white Virginians wouldn't have to study with non-white kids.

Remember that gay and lesbian Virginians were felons until the U.S. Supreme Court ended that in 2003 -- and remember that Virginia's law remains on the books even if it can't be enforced.

And remember Virginia's hateful marriage amendment, unrighteously jammed not just into the state constitution, but right in the middle of the Virginia Bill of Rights.

Yes, we need to work to elect Democrats with spine enough to stare down the Republican hate-mongers.

And -- given that, when it comes to gay and lesbian equality, all the Democrats in Virginia don't have among them enough vertebrae to make a spine -- we also need to make damned sure we elect Democrats as president, because the marriage ban in Virginia is likely to remain in full force until some future U.S. Supreme Court (sans Scalia, Thomas, Alito, and Roberts) strikes it down.  

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by: S1 @ Wed Apr 08, 2009 at 15:17:48 PM CDT

Not a profile in courage here

considering the district.  Also, what are the other 47th district candidates' position on this?

The real key here is not the people from the most liberal districts in the Commonwealth.  It is basically voters outside the 8th Congressional District that need to be convinced.  And unless a delegate can convince the constituents of another delegate to support equality, nothing will change in terms of vote break downs.  An election of another Democrat in the 47th does nothing to change the equation.  

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by: tx2vadem @ Wed Apr 08, 2009 at 16:55:53 PM CDT