“LET THE PEOPLE VOTE”

This has been the rallying cry for many social conservatives, outraged that courts might uphold minority rights on the issue of marriage. So what are they proposing this summer in the House? Because they apparently lack the votes to pass a Constitutional Amendment banning marriage rights (or any other legal protections) for gay couples, they are considering other options. According to
Amy Fagan, in the Washington Times yesterday, such options “include … a measure that would define marriage in the District of Columbia as being between a man and a woman.” How about the voters in the District of Columbia? The City Council has a majority that would support equal marriage rights for homosexuals. Voters probably agree. So why should Congressmen from other states dictate social policy for D.C.? As Bill Clinton might put it, because they can. Just please don’t tell me that the campaign to prevent gay couples from marrying has anything to do with genuine concern for democracy. In D.C., it’s the opposite. Why not let the people vote in DC on marriage rights? Because residents of the capital city are subjects not citizens.