Fix the same sex marriage situation

It's time to right some wrongs. From the AP via The Olympian:

Less than a year after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington's ban on same-sex marriage, the issue is being taken up again by the Legislature.

Two bills dealing with same-sex couples are scheduled to be announced at a news conference today: one to allow same-sex marriage, the other calling for domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples.

Supporters say the dual approach is necessary to extend benefits such as hospital visitation rights and end-of-life decisions to same-sex couples, while continuing to push for full marriage rights.

"Our goal is marriage equity, and we will work for that," said Rep. Joe McDermott, D-Seattle, one of the Legislature's five openly gay lawmakers who are working on the measures. "In the meantime, our effort is to provide immediate relief, immediate benefits, to same-sex couples."

The article has a quote near the end from a Bothell pastor, but for some reason it just didn't get my blood boiling or anything. Maybe it's how lovely everything looks in the sun and snow, or maybe it's because Joe Fuiten has seen his power diminished so dramatically. Granted, Fuiten and the rest of the far religious right are entitled to participate in the system, but they aren't entitled to keep denying people their civil rights.

Ed Murray, the Democratic state senator from Seattle, had a better quote:

"The rights of minorities should not be put on the ballot for majorities to decide," he said.

Honestly, the culture wars won't work very well for Republicans any more. They jumped that shark with the Schiavo business, "intelligent design" and the freakish behavior of fundamentalist pastors in Colorado.

Time moves on. Most people understand it's wrong to deny hospital visits and a host of other things simply because people are gay. Hopefully the Legislature will agree and fix this wrong.