NC Voters Will Pass Anti-Gay Amendment
(Ann Rostow smiles in a picture snapped by Rex Wockner.)
One of my favorite lesbian thinkers and writers is Ann Rostow, who pens a regular must-read column for San Francisco's Bay Times. She brings a down-to-earth view to our community and leaders, that is balanced and fair.
Back in 2008, before we lost gay marriage through the closetry of the gay leaders running the Prop 8 campaign, Rostow took the leadership to task for omitted lesbian and gay couples from their TV ads. She also didn't buy-in to the few polls showing our side would win on Prop 8.
Rostow over the years has paid very close attention to the various gay ballot propositions across the country, and brought a much-needed and very welcome skeptical eye to unwarranted optimism of local leaders, and the generally closeted losing campaigns they organize.
This week she looks at the anti-gay proposition facing voters in North Carolina. I've excerpted passages and predict she'll be proved right, again, the day after this vote takes place:
Okay. Enough frivolity. Perhaps you recall that our latest antigay marriage ballot vote is coming up next Tuesday in North Carolina. So far, I’ve seen nothing but depressing polls that suggest we will once again lose and that the Cancer State will join the crowds of states with a ban on same-sex unions engraved in their constitutions.
Lately, however, I’ve read a few encouraging articles hinting that there might be some slim chance of an upset victory for our side. [...] Polls show that a majority of voters support civil unions or domestic partnerships, so in theory, if these voters recognize the broad threat implicit in the marriage measure, they’ll vote no.
But at the risk of throwing cold water on our feverish hopes, let me make two points. First, the fine citizens of North Carolina don’t, and won’t, recognize the nuanced implications of their “save traditional marriage!” votes. [...]
Second, before every antigay ballot vote, there are always last minute articles claiming that we still have a chance to win, but we never do. [...]
To give you an example, here’s a headline off the Washington Post blog that reads: “Gay Marriage Battle Down to Wire in North Carolina.”
Read further, and the item cites a Public Policy Polling survey, released on May 1, that shows Amendment One winning by 55-41. Sorry, folks. That doesn’t sound like a close race to me. We have an advantage in ready cash, so we may be able to outspend the other side in the final days. But unless my first grade math fails me, we’re down by 14 points.
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