We Are the Ones . . .

Andrew Sullivan quotes the brilliant conservative columnist George Will:

Just eight years ago, Proposition 22 was passed, 61.4 to 38.6 percent. The much narrower victory of Proposition 8 suggests that minds are moving toward toleration of same-sex marriage. If advocates of that have the patience required by democratic persuasion, California's ongoing conversation may end as they hope. If, however, the conversation is truncated, as Brown urges, by judicial fiat, the argument will become as embittered as the argument about abortion has been by judicial highhandedness.

Sullivan goes on to say:

I'm emotionally conflicted on this. As someone who has spent much of my adult life making the case for gay equality and for civil marriage as the sine qua non of such equality, I'd love marriage to be real in California for all Californians. But intellectually, I'm not conflicted. I'm with George. . . .

But as a political matter - and this is a political struggle - I hope the court decides to allow Prop 8 to stand. I do not want civil equality imposed by judicial fiat in the most populous state in America - in the face of a close initiative vote. It would be a horribly pyrrhic victory. It would taint this movement's power and message and moral standing. . . .

The court did its duty and its 2008 ruling is part of civil rights history. It need not force this now, and shouldn't. Let's put this to a referendum again. And let's do the hard work to win.

What I say: I agree, fellas. In the long run, it will be much, much better for us to win this particular fight in California at the polls, in a free and fair vote.

That way, nobody can ever say it wasn't a democratic decision. Nobody can fuck with it then. And nobody can fuck with our right to equal respect and dignity.

But what are we - you and you and you and me - willing to do to gain that victory, and the others to come in Congress and across the nation? WE are the ones we've been waiting for . . . . And isn't that what democracy is all about, huh?