[Marxism] Same Sex Marriage Gains Threatened in California

[Adam Richmond <adambrichmond@xxxxxxxxx>]

Here's an article I wrote for the most recent issue of Socialist Appeal, the 
magazine of the Workers International League.

http://www.socialistappeal.org/content/view/611/73/

 

Same Sex Marriage Gains Threatened in California 
      

Written by Adam Richmond  


Sunday, 14 September 2008

 

 

In June 2008, the
first legal marriages between same sex couples were performed in accordance
with a California Supreme Court ruling a month earlier. These ceremonies were
held in jubilant triumph and celebration, marking a forward advance in civil
rights. This victory came after decades of struggle, agitation, elections,
demonstrations, speak-outs and lawsuits. Advocacy for legal recognition of same
sex relationships, has, for several decades, been a goal of LGBT (lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender) rights organizations.

 

This victory, however, is quite fragile and under attack. In
November 2008, Proposition 8, which aims to repeal same sex marriage, will be
on the ballot in California.
The success of Prop. 8 would be a set back for everyone who fights for equal
rights for all.

 

Prop. 8 is an attack orchestrated by phony “Protect
Marriage” organizations. This attack on this new social advance serves as a
distraction from the devastating effects that the recession and the long
occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are having in the U.S. These
backward political groups instead try to focus people’s attention on the
“destruction” gays and lesbians are supposedly foisting on society. Most
working people are under tremendous pressure.

 

The cost of living goes up faster than our wages and many of
us are in debt, with sky high credit card interest rates. Some are looking for
work and those of us who have jobs fear having our hours cut or being laid-off
altogether. Big Business politicians must therefore try their best to distract
workers from these fundamental problems. 
Gays, lesbians, the transgendered and bisexuals are convenient and
longtime scapegoats.

 

As socialists we are against all forms of discrimination and
are against marriage discrimination. We believe in the old labor slogan, “An
injury to one is an injury to all.” Not surprisingly, on this, as on so many
other issues, both the Democratic and Republican Parties are united: both
strongly oppose legalizing same sex marriages. The two parties of capitalism
differ only in how to most effectively deny gay people their rights at the
lowest political cost to themselves.

 

The Democrats have adroitly and skillfully opposed or
stalled every major demand of the gay and lesbian movement for decades.  One 
only has to recall their long opposition
to domestic partnership, civil unions before marriage, or the “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” law Clinton
enacted (after promising to end the gay exclusion), a law that has led to more
LGBT evictions from the Armed Services than before its enactment. Needless to
say, the reactionary Defense of Marriage Act was signed into law by President
Clinton in 1996, a low point of gay scapegoating.

 

Obama is no exception to this type of politics.  While calling himself the 
candidate of
“change,” this is what he wrote, responding to a questionnaire from the Human
Rights Campaign, a gay rights lobby, “However, I do not support gay marriage.
Marriage has religious and social connotations, and I consider marriage to be 
between
a man and a woman.” So much for sí se puede!

 

Catering to the same religious prejudices as the
Republicans, the Democrats are completely unprepared to extend the social and
basic democratic right of civil marriage to same sex couples. Civil marriage is
a historic advance over the church having exclusive control over who may and
who may not be married.

 

Socialists oppose special privileges based on religious
prejudices. Civil marriage should be a right for all regardless of gender. The
bosses fear and dread social equality. They and their political agents try to
use the politics of scapegoating and division as a way to stop the working
class from uniting to fight for a better life, which means challenging their
system.  When that doesn’t work, they
argue for limited, “reasonable” partial reforms to divert the logic of the
struggle for equality.

 

The labor movement and the working class in general have
nothing to gain from restoring marriage discrimination.  It is in the interests 
of the labor movement
to join the LGBT community at the forefront of the fight against marriage
discrimination. The fight in California
against Proposition 8 will present an opportunity to fight backward prejudices.
We urge a resounding “no” vote to defeat this reactionary legislation.

 




      
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