I think we're spiraling into a wave of marriage equality. First, the trial in California, D.C. legalized Same-sex marriage Then Iceland Then Argentina Then D.C. ruled to uphold same-sex marriage. Does it seem like there has been a lot in the news on gay marriage? I think we're finally winning. Very slowly, but none the less, winning.
D.C. should be on there twice, because it became legal in March 2010. And Argentina legalized it literally within the last few hours. And yes, we're winning! You have no idea how happy I am!
Well, in America, in the last two years 2 new places have legalized gay marriage. One being the capital, one being a Midwestern Republican state, Iowa, back in 2009. The Prop.8 trial just ended and we are still waiting for results (unless I just didn't know about them.) A Massachusetts judge ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional. And D.C. stopped any efforts in re-banning gay marriage. With the DOMA issue now, if it gets knocked down, things will definitely speed up.
I love that states are doing it, but I would really love to see it at a federal level, because in Oklahoma, the government would just as soon go and fling themselves off a bridge before letting that go through the state legislature.
I do think things are speeding up a bit. Worldwide, I think Argentina will be the start of progress in Latin America. Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil could all come along soon, and maybe Mexico (at the very least, I know several Mexican states are considering it) or some other Central American/Northern South American countries. Any western European countries that don't have full equality right now would make sense as well. In the US the entire Northeast and West Coast, plus some Midwestern states (Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan) and mountain west states (New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado) would seem to be places where we have the best chances. I would be surprised if Maine, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and California don't have equality within the next three or four years. We are not a Republican state. We are far, far more similar politically and culturally to our neighboring blue states Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois than our red neighbors like Missouri or Nebraska. Democrats currently dominate state politics, and we have voted for the Democrat in five of the last six presidential elections (Bush won here in 04 by only 10,000 votes, less than 1% of votes cast). Sorry for the rant
I wouldn't say "spiraling" but there is progress. I have no doubt in my mind that we can only go forward (in the big picture) for gay rights.
According to statistics there are a few percentage points more republicans than democrats. That makes it Republican by majority.
? What statistics? Per the Iowa Secretary of State, there are 699,972 registered Democrats and 644,838 registered Republicans in Iowa as of July 1, 2010 (there are also 749,441 registered no party voters). That's 55,134 more Democrats than Republicans. http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/VRStatsArchive/2010/CoJuly10.pdf
