National headlines blur the issues of gay-rights
Amber Hyland
Summer Kent Stater
The California Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco’s mayor abused his authority by issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples earlier this year. On the same day, New Jersey’s governor, James E. McGreevey, announced he was gay, had an affair and would resign from his position in November. “It makes little difference that as a governor I am gay. In fact, having the ability to truthfully set forth my identity might have enabled me to be more forthright in fulfilling and discharging my constitutional obligations,” McGreevey stated. Yet, in our country, one’s sexual orientation makes all the difference to fulfilling constitutional obligations.
E. J. Graff of The New Republic comments, “On one coast, yet another politician announces that he cheated on his marriage vows; on the other coast, thousands of men and women are being cheated out of theirs. One event is an entertaining tabloid headline. The other is a speed bump on the difficult drive toward civil rights.” The so-called “entertaining tabloid headline” becomes more newsworthy, allowing the public to ignore the real issues. We hear about McGreevey being accused of sexual harassment, some of us wondering, “How must his wife feel?” We fail to hear about the devastated couples in California. Who is wondering, “How must they feel?”
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