Struggle for equal marriage rights continues in
Massachusetts
By Frank Neisser
Boston
Progressive forces are continuing to mobilize
here to defend equal marriage rights for same-sex couples
against attempts by legislators to pass an amendment to the
state constitution that would take them away.
After years of inaction by the legislature on domestic
partner and civil union legislation, last November the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the state
constitution guarantees same-sex marriage rights. The court
ordered the state to begin granting marriage licenses to
same-sex couples by May 17.
In February the legislature failed to pass several versions
of an amendment that would have barred same-sex marriage, and
adjourned the constitutional session until March 11.
On March 11 a "compromise" amendment that would ban same-sex
marriages but create civil unions passed some procedural votes.
Opponents of same-sex marriage voted for the amendment to keep
the session alive so they could amend it in a more reactionary
direction later.
It is not clear whether any version of the bigoted amendment
will have the votes for final passage when the constitutional
session resumes on March 29.
Civil unions do not offer the same rights as marriage. They
do not include the recognition that marriage carries in other
states or the federal rights granted to married couples,
including survivor rights, social security and bereavement.
In the week leading up to March 11, forces in support of
equal marriage rights rallied around the state and at the State
House here in Boston, where 2,000 gathered on March 10.
Speakers included African American State Rep. Byron Rushing,
labor union leaders and organizers from the Mass Equality
coalition.
The following day, opponents of same-sex marriage rights
were bussed to the State House from around the state and
beyond. Their signs, chants and slogans were explicitly
homophobic.
But the supporters of equal rights outnumbered them in the
end. They were diverse, with young people and unionists, groups
from schools and progressive supporters from all around the
state.
Many rallied to the banners of the Boston chapter of the
ANSWER Coalition, the Women's Fightback Network and the
Stonewall Warriors of the International Action Center, which
read: "Support equal marriage rights for all--discrimination
and bigotry hurt everyone! An injury to one is an injury to
all!"
Others from these organizations carried placards hitting
George W. Bush, John Kerry and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Rom ney
for their opposition to equal marriage rights. Other signs from
the groups linked the struggle for AIDS funding and health care
to the fight against racism and war.
Many Workers World newspapers were distributed, along with a
brochure written by Leslie Feinberg about why Workers World
Party supports same-sex marriage rights.
(www.workers.org/ww/2004/ samesex0226.php)
Participants eagerly took flyers for the March 20 anti-war
demonstration in New York.
Forum projects broader struggle
The Boston chapter of the ANSWER Coalition, Stonewall
Warriors and the Women's Fightback Network distributed leaflets
at several rallies calling for a meeting days later, on March
13, entitled "Broad ening the struggle for same-sex marriage
rights--Where do we go from here?"
The meeting was co-chaired by Mahtowin Munro of United
American Indians of New England and Frank Neisser of Stonewall
Warriors.
Dorothea Peacock, a leader of the Women's Fightback Network,
spoke of her experiences as an African American woman growing
up under Jim Crow in the South. She conveyed greetings from
City Councilor Chuck Turner and cited other African American
leaders on the national level who have come out in support of
equal marriage rights.
Steve Gillis, president of Steelworkers' Local 8751, the
Boston school bus drivers' and monitors' union, came out
four-square in support of equal marriage rights. He called it a
struggle for workers' rights and against the bosses' two-tier
wage and benefit schemes. He saluted the upsurge of the
lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities surrounding city halls
across the country, calling it an occupation and picket line
that must be supported by all.
AIDS activist John Powell offered his insights as an African
American gay man fighting both racism and homophobia. He linked
the fight for equal marriage rights and against U.S. wars of
occupation as "One struggle--against unjust wars and unjust
laws."
The Rev. David Carl Olsen of the Com munity Church of Boston
related how the lack of marriage rights meant that his late
partner, who was Dominican, had to pretend to be Puerto Rican
while he was dying of AIDS in order to avoid deportation. When
Olsen tried to expedite a visit by his partner's daughter from
the Dominican Republic, the threat of involve ment by the INS
made that impossible. "I decided I had to call his daughter
instead, to tell her what a wonderful man my husband was--her
father."
Liza Green, also from the Women's Fightback Network, linked
the same-sex marriage struggle to women's issues and fights
against budget cutbacks.
'Health care and jobs for all!'
Leslie Feinberg, a leader in the LGBT movement and a
managing editor of Workers World newspaper, raised a
perspective to broaden the struggle.
Feinberg stressed the importance of the leadership of the
most oppressed sectors of the LGBT communities in this
movement. And she called on anti-racist white organizers to
show the utmost sensitivity by not just equating the struggle
for same-sex marriage access with the struggle against Jim Crow
segregation.
Feinberg pointed out that adding broader demands to the
same-sex marriage struggle could help deepen solidarity with
workers and oppressed peoples across the U.S. "For example,"
she said, "we can also say that we want to unite with all those
who want to struggle for universal health care for all. With
all those who want to fight for women's health by strengthening
reproductive rights.
"We want money for AIDS, not for war.
"We can demand rights for LGBT immigrants who want to marry,
while demanding the decriminalization of the lives of all
undocumented workers and an immediate halt to the mass, racist
round-ups and secret deportations of Arab, Muslim and South
Asian immigrants in this country.
"We demand an end to all forms of legal discrimination, and
bashings and lynchings."
Feinberg emphasized, "The roller-coaster ride of capitalist
economic boom and bust means that this jobless recovery will
result in an economic crisis. When that happens, the capitalist
class tries to shift the burden onto the backs of workers and
oppressed peoples and push back their movements for change.
"So most important of all," Feinberg concluded, "we need to
broaden this struggle by demanding jobs for all!"
She called for activism to unite people across the country
in solidarity with the struggle in Massachusetts. The crowd
responded enthusiastically, and many signed up to plan concrete
actions to press the struggle forward.
Reprinted from the March 25, 2004, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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