SAME-SEX MARRIAGE (SSM) IN MASSACHUSETTS:

Activity from 2007-JAN to now

Click below to visit our sponsors.

Events from 2007-JAN to now:

Our predictions for the future:

Our predictions turned out to be without merit, at least until 2012, when religious and social conservatives have the next opportunity to have the voters of Massachusetts overturn marriage equality in their state.

We normally keep our opinions and our predictions to ourselves. However, we could not resist this opportunity in mid-2005:

We suspect that the court victory for same-sex marriages (SSM) is liable to be short-lived in Massachusetts. Since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that the legislators must vote, it seems inevitable that an amendment to terminate SSM will be placed on the 2008 ballot.

Public opinion polls show that more adults in the state currently favor SSM than oppose it. However, such numbers do not tell the whole story. A very large percentage of those opposed to SSM feel very strongly against recognizing same-sex relationships in any way. A large percentage of those who favor SSM are probably lukewarm in their support, because it doesn't directly impact their life. Public opinion polls often do not reflect subsequent voter action. Constitutional amendments are decided only by those persons who are sufficiently motivated to actually make the effort to vote. Probably a large percentage of those opposed to SSM would actually vote to limit marriage to one man and one woman. Many who favor SSM will not bother to vote.

However, further analysis of public opinion polls shows a massive opinion shift with age. Those under 35 are typically very much in favor of SSM; those over 50 are generally strongly opposed. In time, the popular opinion will shift as advanced age takes its toll. Eventually -- perhaps decades into this century -- the legislature will probably respond to this change and restore the state constitution, thus allowing all loving committed couples in Massachusetts to marry once more.

One factor that is not being actively raised in this debate is whether a group of citizens (e.g. same-sex couples and their children) can be deprived of a fundamental human right (e.g. the right to marry the person that they love and have made a commitment to) as a result of one in four senators and representatives voting in favor of a plebiscite on two occasions, followed by majority vote of Massachusetts adults. If that happens, then any group that the majority considers unpopular could be deprived of fundamental human rights (e.g. non-Christians might be deprived of religious freedom; Atheists and Agnostics certainly could; disabled people might be deprived other rights; even females could have rights removed.) A scary thought for anyone who is a member of any minority -- and that includes all of us.

References:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. "Legislature votes on marriage; Victory!," Massachusetts Family Institute, 2007-JAN/FEB.
2. Jennifer Mesko, "Massachusetts Lawmakers Silence Voters on Marriage," Focus on the Family Action, 2007-JUN-14, at: http://www.citizenlink.org/
3. "Thank you Massachusetts!," Mass Equality, 2007-JUN-14, at: http://www.massequality.org/
4. "GLAD Cheers Defeat of Anti-Gay, Anti-Marriage Equality Measure," Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), 2007-JUN-14, at: http://www.glad.org/ This is a PDF file. You may require software to read it. Software can be obtained free from: