WaPo's Colby King: A Test for Tolerance (ppzd DC ban on equal marriage)

[Bertha Venation]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40034-2004Dec31.html

~snip~

If the group calling itself Citizens for Marriage gets its way, we D.C. voters in 2006, in addition to choosing a mayor and assorted council members, will also be greeted with an initiative on our ballots to ban same-sex marriage in the District. For that distinction of dubious merit, D.C. citizens can thank Ward 4 resident Lisa L. Greene, who took it upon herself in October to submit a same-sex marriage ban proposal to the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics in the hopes that the board would give her a green light to obtain petitions with the necessary 19,000 signatures to secure a place on the ballot for her measure.

~snip~

Greene, to no one's surprise, is reportedly being assisted with her initiative by the American Center for Law and Justice, which is the legal arm of that lover of souls, Pat Robertson. Greene argues, according to the (Washington) Blade, that being gay is fine in her book as long as that person's sexual orientation is kept private. (Does that mean heterosexuals can get it on in public? Just asking.)

But Greene, an African American, said she's motivated to prohibit same-sex marriage in the District because gay marriage threatens African Americans. Greene told the Blade: "As an African American, I feel it's important to preserve the family. Statistics show African Americans have the nation's highest rate of out-of-marriage births." . . . Following Greene's reasoning, will somebody please tell me how lesbians and gay men of whatever age, color, creed, country of origin or race have had anything to do with black folks having America's highest rate of out-of-wedlock births?

~snip~

Most of us in this city know intolerance when we see it. We also know the value of inclusiveness and respect; we recognize the dangers of polarization, and don't like it very much. Most of us, at least that is my hope, will see the proposed initiative for what it is: zealotry and a dislike for homosexuals run amok.

~snip~

Read on: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40034-2004Dec31.html