Some Grim Copy-Pasta from my FB
Maine has passed Question 1, which basically rejects the rights to same-sex marriage that the legislature had passed earlier that year. Just over 52% of those who voted (which was about 54% turn out) decided "...reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"
In even more gruesome news, Washington state has passed Referendum 71, which pretty much strips civil unions of the rights making them equal to marriage which they confer. On one hand, this doesn't target just one minority with injustice, on the other, it is even more gruesome than a marriage ban in my opinion, as it denigrates the second-class marriage that minorities are allowed to have. About 51% of those who bothered to vote (a paltry 29% turn out) decided that Civil Unions should have far less legality than marriage.
To put this in more finalized numbers...
In Maine, 27% (266,324 people) of the eligible voting population has stripped homo-sexual couples of the right to marry.
In Washington, 15% (511,651 people) of the eligible voting population has redefined Civil Unions.
How is this allowed to stand?
In California, we had a 79% turn out, of which 52% voted to pass Prop 8. Which is only about 40% of eligible voters?
Why don't referendums to the public vote require a quorum to be valid? If these referendum processes claim to represent the will of the people, why can such a small population slice pass these measures?
In even more gruesome news, Washington state has passed Referendum 71, which pretty much strips civil unions of the rights making them equal to marriage which they confer. On one hand, this doesn't target just one minority with injustice, on the other, it is even more gruesome than a marriage ban in my opinion, as it denigrates the second-class marriage that minorities are allowed to have. About 51% of those who bothered to vote (a paltry 29% turn out) decided that Civil Unions should have far less legality than marriage.
To put this in more finalized numbers...
In Maine, 27% (266,324 people) of the eligible voting population has stripped homo-sexual couples of the right to marry.
In Washington, 15% (511,651 people) of the eligible voting population has redefined Civil Unions.
How is this allowed to stand?
In California, we had a 79% turn out, of which 52% voted to pass Prop 8. Which is only about 40% of eligible voters?
Why don't referendums to the public vote require a quorum to be valid? If these referendum processes claim to represent the will of the people, why can such a small population slice pass these measures?