It's mostly just a gleam in the Arizona Secretary of State's database, but a new group called Arizona Advocates for Marriage Equality has formed to pursue same-sex marriage in that red state. The founder, Tanner Pritts, 22, tells us the idea is to get a referendum on the ballot in 2014:
We cherish and value every facet of love and are discouraged by the fact that Arizona government is turning their backs on not just same-sex couples, but love itself. My team and I are working around the clock to spread the message about equality. We have contacted local newspapers and news stations, colleges and universities such as Arizona State and University of Arizona, and even LGBT organizations such as Sedona Pride and Phoenix Pride. I have recently conducted interviews with reporters from the Associated Press and Capitol Media Services. We understand that we face an uphill battle in the fight for equality here in Arizona, but you will not find any other individuals who are more dedicated and passionate about this issue than me and my team.
Pritts might have the numbers on his side. In May, Public Policy Polling found that 77 percent of Arizonans support either marriage or civil unions, including 63 percent of Republicans and 79 percent of Hispanics.
After Maine, Maryland and Washington passed ballot measures for marriage equality this month, activists have said they're looking at Delaware, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon and Hawaii. Those are all blue states. So far as I know, Arizona Advocates for Marriage Equality would be the first new effort in a red state. They'll need a quarter-million signatures.
You could say Tanner Pritts is a blue dot in a red sea, but not the reddest. Arizona is sending five Democrats to Congress, out of a nine-member delegation, and in 2006, the state narrowly defeated an anti-gay amendment. The state later banned same-sex marriage with an amendment in 2010.
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Speaking of Twinkies. You know there is just something that just keeps going through my mind that I do want to know about. First NBC and MSNBC have increased in their ratings, but it was attributable to the very fact that they needed the way to do it. As I see it, many of us people who come here have definitely majorly contributed to changing NBC and MSNBC for the better. And I want to know what is in it for us people here who have really contributed majorly to the improvement of NBC and MSNBC, especially financially. Your terms and conditions in my frame of mind suck so if you could explain how it can really benefit us contributing people here who have stimulated and made comments to put NBC and MSNBC to change in the right direction? It would be appreciated if you didn’t use the typical business bull crap and pony out something substantial. How much do you really value the people who come here and really in ways have benefited MSNBC?
Again with the Twinkies. And now I'm hungry... :D
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
Against stupidity, the gods themselves strive in vain.
There's your compensation for scribbling inanities on the sidewalk, Deb; you got more scribblings from us.
Dang it... I meant to report the orignal post as inflammatory, no value, and advertising but I accidentally did it to Pretzelogic's reply instead. Sorry dude. :-P There doesn't seem to be any way to undo those votes...
ShrikexOR, I did that once to someone I really liked and felt terrible about it! I know how you feel!. I meant it for the person on the comment above her.
There is no way to undo it.
Shrike - no problem. I've done that before too. All one can do is say "woops" and maybe post an apology (as you did) - accepted! (And, as I post this, it looks like the original comment we were snarking about has been "collapsed" anyway.)
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-)
Well, I wish them luck. Remember, social entropy is not just a California ideal!
Good luck with your efforts.
Props to AZ for their efforts on this front! And 5 Dems out of a 9-seat delegation? Disgusting to me to think that's a 2x better ratio than the 5 Dems out of our 18-seat delegation in this ostensibly "blue" Commonwealth of Pennsyltucky!
Gerrymandering?! What gerrymandering? Bleah.
The trouble with ignorance is that it picks up confidence as it goes along.
- Arnold H. Glasow
;-(
Arizona has, by citizen initiative, a non-partisan redistricting commission. Quite a bit of drama a while back when our illustrious Governor Jan Brewer tried to take control of it, and there was a (failed) proposition on the ballot this year to give the elected branches more control of the Commission.
But Red State or not, AZ still has a nonpartisan commission, with built-in safeguards. And now, with extra judicial and electoral ratification!
It ain't perfect, but other States -- especially those with mechanisms for citizen initiative -- could do worse.
Thanks, Laura. I'll be sending them money and seeing if I can help in other ways.
And of course, ideally voting for the initiative in a couple of years.
So what are they going to do if Obamacare turn out to be really popular and it turns their red state into a blue state? It will be too late to back peddle then.