Okay, I’m a little concerned.
Yes, we won today. Yes, this ruling effectively invalidates sodomy laws currently on the books (including the one in our fair state). Yes, we’re feeling, as the kids say these days, groovy.
Note, however, that we won on a 6 to 3 decision–and Lady Day O’Connor could’ve gone either way. (She agreed with the outcome, but disagreed with the rationale behind the majority opinion, so in the end, she essentially wrote her own opinion.) Ergo, we might as well have had a 5-4 win, which is much less heartening–especially in light of Damien Lucifero Antonin Scalia’s vehement use of terms like “homosexual agenda” in his dissenting opinion. In short, Lambda’s assertion that this has “closed the door on an era of intolerance” is specious, at best.
I’m not making myself clear. What I’m getting at is this: we’re at the top of the heap today. We’re right-on brothers and sisters marching in disco rhythm to the gates of the Emerald City. But if we start slacking up now, we’re sunk. Not only does Scalia hate us, but with the spectre of gay marriage lurking at the very doorstep of America (i.e. Canada, for the metaphorically challenged) and the US’s record low birth rate making headlines, the Redneck Right is bound to launch a frontal attack the likes of which we haven’t seen in years–maybe ever. And with our martyrs–Harvey Milk, Rock Hudson, Matthew Sheppard–long dead and mostly forgotten, we’ve got nothing warm and fuzzy to hide behind. Unlike the current slate of wuss-ass Democrats, we’d better be able to mount an offensive.
Not to be all gloom and doom, but dude, watch your back.
sturtle [dot] com 