Sad news...and sadly we have democrats to blame...

[joeybee12]

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Democratic lawmakers in Maryland on Friday failed to gather enough votes to pass a bill to allow same-sex couples to marry and withdrew it from consideration after hours of emotional debate, effectively killing the bill’s chances for passage this year.
The speaker of Maryland’s house, Michael E. Busch, said that the bill, the Civil Marriage Protection Act, had fallen short of the 71 votes required for passage and that Democrats had decided to withdraw it, instead of allowing a vote that would fail.

“This is a distance run, not a sprint,” Mr. Busch said. “We’ll come back next year and take a strong look at it.”

For weeks, the bill’s passage was thought to be assured. Maryland’s House is overwhelmingly Democrat — 98 out of 141 members, more than enough to pass the bill over Republican opposition. But the closer it got to a final vote, the bumpier its path became, with a number of Democrats from districts with strong religious constituencies saying they would vote against it.

Two of its co-sponsors, Tiffany Alston of Prince George’s County and Melvin Stukes of Baltimore County, withdrew their support at the last minute, under pressure from their constituencies, which both have powerful religious communities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/12/us/12marriage.html?_r=1&hpw

Not all of them, but enough caved to pressure from christianists and other religious extremists.

[Kali]

1. assholes

fuck, we should be past this by now:banghead:

[LiberalEsto]

2. Shit!

I am a Marylander, and today I am deeply ashamed of my state's elected representatives for failing to pass this.

One of the main obstacles, from what I've read, is the opposition from African-American churches. I wonder if there is any way to build some bridges with them and try to win them over to our side. Maybe this is something the Unitarian-Universalist churches can work on.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Goddamn it, but this is WRONG.

The religious extremists need to be marginalized. Permanently.

Recommended.

:mad:

[bluestateguy]

4. Maryland might be one state where the voters would approve it

Get this to the voters next year, when all of the college kids and under 30 voters will back at the polls.

[gateley]

5. Politics always trumps. Fuck peoples' rights.

:grr:

I'm so sorry. :grouphug:

[MountainLaurel]

6. Damn sad to hear that

I had been hoping that Maryland would be for equal rights.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Obama and Kaine are delighted, their holy Sacrament is

safe for Newt Gingrich's use!

[bluestateguy]

8. Ironically, Obama's church, the United Church of Christ, favors gay marriage

nt

[RetiredTrotskyite]

9. The Article At Huffington Post...

The condescension is so thick it can be cut with a knife. I am so sick of people wanting to tell me if my marriage is "appropriate" or not.



ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The effort to legalize gay marriage in Maryland died for the year Friday after supporters said they could not find enough votes to pass the measure in the House.

House leaders avoided a final vote on the bill and returned it to the House Judiciary Committee after it became apparent they did not have the 71 votes needed for approval. The bill to make Maryland the sixth state to allow gay marriage had already passed the Senate, and the governor said he would have signed it.

House Speaker Michael Busch said they would try again next year.

"The vote would have been very close, make no mistake about it," said Busch, D-Anne Arundel.

Although Democrats have solid control over both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor's office, extending full marriage rights to same sex couples did not appear possible before this year.

The Senate narrowly approved the measure two weeks ago, voting 25-21 send the bill to the House after adding language to keep religious groups from being forced to serve gay weddings.

While Democrats hold an overwhelming 98 seats in the 141-seat House of Delegates, the pickup of six seats by Republicans in the last election helped erode support, said House Environmental Matters Chairwoman Maggie McIntosh, one of the chamber's seven openly gay members.

Story continues below


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110311/us-gay-marriage-maryland/

[Unvanguard]

10. ...

:cry:

And, also: fuck the cowardly or bigoted (or both) pieces of shit who couldn't bring themselves to vote for this. And all the people who campaigned against it--especially the people from out of state, who brought NOM's playbook with its associated lies--can go to hell.

[RetiredTrotskyite]

11. Wish They Had a "Fan" Option Like They Do At HuffPost...

I'd fan you in a minute. You are so right.