Laws for symbolic purposes

I had a good afternoon and evening at the Detroit Institute of Art yesterday. I didn't get into the Rembrandt exhibit (sold out), but I have a ticket for next week. The Detroit Revealed exhibit has some marvelous photos. I especially liked the one looking down the hall of an abandoned factory in the Ford Rouge Plant.

The highlight of the day was an evening showing of Being Elmo, the story of Kevin Clash who has the job of manipulating Elmo on Sesame Street. My inner child had a delightful time. Look for it eventually on DVD.

Yes, it has been a week since I've had something to write about and then a free evening to do the writing. Much of what I write today will only be brief descriptions with links to full articles.

Here's a nice and brief suggestion for all of our lawmakers.



The Supreme Court declared sodomy (sex between two men) laws illegal back in 2003. Kansas GOP still won't repeal their law. Even if they can't enforce it, they want its symbolic value.



The New Hampshire legislature (under GOP control) was supposed to vote to repeal gay marriage this past week, even though the Gov. (Dem) promised a veto. But, surprise, the year's legislative agenda was released and gay issues were not listed.



Over 71% of college freshmen think marriage equality (not just recognition of gay relationships) is a good idea. That's up 6 points in just a couple years.



A council member of Baltimore County introduced a bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Ruth Jacobs, president of Maryland Citizens for a Responsible Government, pulled out the claim that the bill would open up women to being raped in public bathrooms from men who dress as women. She even claimed it has happened in nearby Montgomery County, which already has such an antidiscrimination law.

The police chief of Montgomery County went through his records and sent a letter to the Baltimore County Council. Those rapes? Never happened.

A commenter notes it is hard to combat people so willing to lie. Refutations don't fit easily into soundbites. For this reason our best offense might be the courts where the process can root out dishonesty.



I wrote that NJ Gov. Chris Christie said that perhaps the 1964 civil rights laws should have been put to a popular vote. Well, he apologized. Sort of. As one commenter put it he discovered some people were offended so he knew he needed to say something, not that he believed he did something wrong. Put it another way, he apologized for miscommunicating, not for the sentiments behind the words.



Ari Ezra Waldman, a lawyer, says the phrase marriage equality is just fine for our fight in the public arena. But in the realm of law, he says we should be demanding a bit more: marriage recognition.



Terrence Heath notes the size of some of the gifts that some of the 1% are donating to campaign Super PACs. The size of donations has gone up a 1,000 times since the Supremes permitted unlimited spending in the Citizens United case. And you can be sure the 1% want something in return for gifts that large.

Heath says that Citizens United has indeed united people. It has united the 1% behind the candidate of the 1%. It has also united the 99% into finding a way to overturn that ruling.