Purple Hearts

The China Post Reports:

Massachusetts lawmakers threw out a proposed constitutional amendment that would have let voters decide whether to ban gay marriage in the only state that allows it.

The vote Thursday [June 14, 2007] — which came amid heavy pressure to kill the measure from Gov. Deval Patrick and legislative leaders — was a devastating blow to efforts to reverse a historic 2003 court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.

This is great news for my friends who are married and wish not to have that right rescinded. I would hope that even if the issue had come to a popular vote, the court ruling would not have been overturned. But maybe I’m just living in a liberal Valley bubble.

It’s also great news for the Massachusetts Constitution, which will live another day untainted by such an intrusion of presumed morality as some opponents of gay marriage seek. Article I states:

All men (sic) are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.

That’s the spirit.

Now the Government should be able to turn its energies toward the legitimate governmental business of improving teachers and schools; building bridges and other infrastructures, protecting the environment; and working to make the Mass dot gov website more usable and accessible.

Posted on Saturday, June 16th, 2007 .