THERE’S A LITTLE WEASEL IN IT!
June 2, 2009
This morning I was walking in the fields and the woods
and I saw wheat, a-holding up its head, looking very big.
I go up and I take hold of it.
You believe it, there was no wheat there.
I said, “God what is a matter with this wheat?”
And, He says to me, “Sojourner, there is a little weasel in it.” *
The queer community seems all a-twitter over Dick Cheney’s voiced support of marriage equality. Is this hooray, hooray, or boo, boo? I have been surprised that I have yet to read on anyone saying it is the latter. For it is my contention that this is just The Dick being the dick.
In his remarks Cheney says this is an issue to be decided by the states. I could not disagree more and history is on my side. Whenever there has been an issue about equality – women, African Americans, interracial marriages, voting, etc.– the issues were ultimately decided by the federal government. Why? I would guess because that as a union of UNITED states we do not function well with a patchwork of rights available in certain states. Cheney apparently advocates that NIMBY scenario to marriage equality. It is okay if the gays can marry over there just as long as it is Not In My Back Yard. In Cheney’s warped world it is fine that marriage equality exists in New England and equally fine that it does not exist in Texas, Wyoming, Virginia or any of the other states practicing discrimination. This is just ludicrous.
While I agree that states may regulate marriage(waiting periods, charges, venues, etc.) it is the federal government that confers many of the benefits associated with marriage. Further, as in the case in New Jersey, when companies do not want to comply with state laws (civil unions, for example), it is federal law (ERISA) stand behind as they claim their hands arr tied. This is yet another reason why marriage equality is a federal issue.
By saying marriage equality is a states issue, Cheney gets to speak out of both sides of his mouth an d deliver his “Malcolm X” o r “by any means necessary shtick yet again. I am old enough to remember 2004 and the bleak reelection hopes of the Bush/Cheney ticket. What brought about the change in tide? In one word it was fear. It was fear of the boogeyman as we heard the duo speak over and over about national security and even saw them elevate the threat risk. It was just too risky to change leadership at this point was the message the spouted. At the same time Bush operative and no doubt Cheney buddy Karl Rove sought to have as many marriage referenda on the ballots as politicians. The electorate disliked the war in Iraq but they disliked the gays even more. And so, the evangelicals came out in droves to protect the sanctity of marriage and, oh, yea, Bush/Cheney would protect us from the gays. It was masterful and during the whole time never did we hear The Dick speaking up in support of marriage equality. He said nary a word, usually flew into a rage whenever his daughter was mentioned, and his lesbian daughter, Mary, was sent into exile during the fall campaign .
Now Cheney is in effect saying that it was okay that all o f those states added amendments to their constitutions banning marriage equality just as it is okay for those states who have embrace marriage equality. We are to cheer him for his support just as he expects us to cheer him for his tireless efforts that have kept us safe since 9/11. So, yea, The Dick is being the dick. What’s new? Not a darn thing.
Now, I hear talking about the Constitution – the rights of MAN
I come up and take hold of this Constitution.
It looks mighty big and I feel for my rights.
But, there ain’t none there and I said, “God what ails this Constitution?”
