On Sunday, with the reversal of Sen. Charles Schumer's stance on same-sex marriage, gay and lesbian rights have pieces falling into place for obtaining equal rights. Previously, Schumer had been an opponent of homosexual marriage, voting in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. The act states that the federal government cannot recognize same-sex marriages.
Schumer has never been known to reverse his stances on issues before, so this is a first for him. But there might be sleight of hand occurring here.
While the decision should be applauded, the intentions should be questioned. The move follows recent findings in New York State voting tendencies, which have shifted from semi-conservative to more liberal. This has been seen more in generally conservative areas of the state, such as Western and Upstate New York.
There could easily be a plausible explanation for this - younger generations are voting. There is no doubt with the recent election of President Barack Obama that the youth in New York could cause such a swing.
In this past election, the United States had a voter turnout of 62 percent, an all-time high since 1968. Of those eligible voters, 52 percent of 18- to 24-year olds came out to vote. The youth of America generally is more liberal then elder generations.
Is Schumer gaining a valuable asset for his re-election in 2010? Is he being a real politician and getting ahead of the bell curve on a new, socially acceptable issue to talk about?
Until he brings something concrete to the table, it looks like nothing more than a political ploy.
One would hope that is not the case, but again, these are politicians we are dealing with. They want to stay elected. While these men and women say they serve the people, do they really?
Many ask themselves what will come of Schumer's new decision. A great number of American citizens still disapprove of same-sex marriage, and it doesn't look like the government will be pursuing the issue anytime soon.
Chuck, it's one thing to approve of same-sex marriage. But once the issue is pressed in the United States Senate, will you stand by your words?
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
