We Are Winning the Cultural Wars

"We are winning the cultural wars" Rev. Barbara Fast of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Danbury said to me just recently.  I had to stop and think about that for a moment.  Upon reflection, it does seem rather miraculous that, in light of the annoying presence of Fox News and Rush Limbaugh and Paul Ryan and other such annoyances, we are actually able to say: The Democratics will include marriage equality for its 2012 Platform.  That is a definite culture-war "win" for gay Americans. When President Obama publicly stated his support for marriage equality that was a miraculous moment. Whether you vote Democratic or Republican is not the issue.  The issue, and the fact is, America is growing up.  As Rachel Maddow says, "Here's the thing about rights. They're not supposed to be voted on...that's why they call them RIGHTS." For the moment, the Democrats at least have reached a level of maturity in recognizing that all Americans, gay or straight, have the right to love the person of their choosing and it's nobody else's business.  The State of Connecticut, taking a leadership role in the cultural wars and recognizing the right of all citizens to marry the person of their choice, has reason to hold its head up high and to be very, very proud that it is a place where grown-ups live.  I know I am proud to live in Connecticut.  Suzanne and I were pronounced legally married in the State of Connecticut on October 1, 2010 (having our Civil Union morphed into a Marriage).  But what we don't have yet is the right to be mobile.  In all but a few of the states in the USA, our marriage is not legal or recognized nor does the federal government recognize our marriage.  This is constitutionally inadequate and illegal because under the Constitution, any law pertaining to any citizen must apply equally to all citizens.  So if a heterosexual couple has marriage mobility, Suzanne and I need to have marriage mobility.  This is a RIGHT and Rachel Maddow understands that this is not something to be voted on, this is something that just IS.  We only want what is rightfully ours - to have the laws applied equally.  Yes, we are winning the cultural wars but we haven't won yet.