Blue note

Which will prove to be the bigger problem for Multnomah County’s nascent nuptials industry? The riled-up religious right that threatens a campaign to rewrite the state constitution to outlaw same-sex marriages? Or the East County residents [and many others] who are hopping mad, having been hoodwinked by the county commission’s “clandestine” maneuverings to legalize gay marriage?

Both are a concern, of course. The condemnation of the religious conservatives is to be expected. Supporters of gay marriage are well-advised to wonder if this week’s events will serve to awaken a sleeping giant. Jack Bogdanski worries about as much in his comments section:

[One] blue note is how the timing of forcing the issue feeds into the Bush agenda. I wish Lisa and Diane had woken up to their profound constitutional responsibilities around, say, Nov. 10.

But it’s the process that may be more problematic, as Worldwide Pablo worriedly predicted yesterday. It may turn out that the closed-door process employed by County Chair Diane Linn and Co. is what will most threaten the future gay marriage in Multnomah County, if only because of the lack of transparency. The backroom approach appears to be irritating folks of all stripes, including those who might normally support the broadening of Oregon’s marriage laws. Open meetings laws still matter. A process of community input still matters. A legislative process that includes every commissioner still matters.

Oh, the result is right, and WWP sincerely hopes it will be upheld. But WWP thinks gay marriage may be done in more by the action of its friends, than its foes.

[Update: WWP sees b!X and he posted on the same subject at the same moment. Check him out.]

Comments

[brett]

> I wish Lisa and Diane had woken up to their profound constitutional responsibilities around, say, Nov. 10.

Boy, talk about politicizing the issue. I think they were right to go ahead and do this without assessing the effect it would have on Bush. This whole exercise is supposed to be about civil rights, not politics. [I know this isn't you, WWP.] Another example of Bush-hatred trumping reason.

On a more positive note, I'm psyched to be attending a wedding tomorrow night between a friend and her wife..

[Worldwide Pablo]

>[I know this isn't you, WWP.]

It's the "cranky" side coming out. Yes, this whole matter IS about civil rights, and WWP endorses the idea that same-sex marriage should be settled as a matter of civil rights. But due process is an important part of that, though.

[The One True b!X]

Frankly, I think either process course would have been entirely legitimate. They made a choice to pick this one, and yes I'm sure it was because they wanted to make a big slash with it. But I still think this process issue is a fuss over nothing. Most -- most, not all -- of the process criticism is coming from people who oppose same-sex marriage and find it a good tactical move to focus on it.

Supporters of same-sex marriage who join the anti-process echo chamber are only feeding the problem.

[The One True b!X]

D'oh. Big "splash" not big "slash."

Paging Dr. Freud?

[Worldwide Pablo]

:-)

WWP does fix obvious typos, b!X, and he would've fixed that in time. But your own correction is too much of a tickler, so it must stand as is!