sprite writes
broodings from the burrow

March 21, 2005


civil connecticut
posted by soe 11:10 pm

I love my home state. Poised to become the first state to proactively enact a civil unions law, the Connecticut legislature’s Appropriations Committee will vote tomorrow on whether to send to the state senate floor a law giving marriage benefits (if not marriage itself) to its gay citizens.

The state senate could vote on the bill as early as April 6; members of the state house have said they will introduce the bill if it passes the senate. Governor Jodi Rell has not indicated whether she will sign the bill, but has claimed she is against discrimination.

Connecticut is one of only 7 states (including DC) without a Defense of Marriage Act.

A poll conducted by UConn in late 2004 showed civil union support was strong throughout the state with 74% of Connecticut voters backing some form of legislation legalizing the unions. And a plurality of Connecticut voters even narrowly approve of the idea of extending marriage benefits to gay couples.

Many in the last election decried the concept of activist judges — particularly those judges who promoted the shocking concept that law shouldn’t discriminate against certain segments of the population. They are angry with state courts in Vermont and in Massachusetts who informed their state legislatures to revise their state laws (or who just struck down discriminatory laws themselves — which they are legally obligated to do).

I attended several preliminary hearings on this issue when I still lived in Connecticut and was always amazed by how threatened social conservatives were by the idea of broadening a definition to include love in an institution dedicated to enshrining the sentiment. They tossed around the term “slippery slope” and foretold that allowing same-sex couples to marry would bring about the demise of modern society.

Well if that’s what going to happen, I am proud to hail from the state that is about to launch the death knell.

All hail Connecticut, champion of equality before the law and before love.

Category: gay rights,politics. There is/are 2 Comments.



I love the cool fonts that you use on the main page of your blog. How did you do that?

Comment by aprilanne 03.22.05 @ 9:35 pm

Thanks! I wish I could take credit for the design (and fonts) on the site but it’s all coordinated through the template for my blog.

Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. 🙁

Comment by soe 03.23.05 @ 1:10 am