New Gov. Lincoln Chafee: Marriage Equality is a Basic Human Right

For the past eight years, the state of Rhode Island has been led by Gov. Don Carcieri, dubbed one of the most homophobic governors in the country. This is a man who vetoed a bill to let gay people plan the funeral arrangements of their partners. He's also a man who has spoken before a Southern Poverty Law Center-dubbed hate group, Mass Resistance. And he's a man who is best buddies with the National Organization for Marriage, the multi-million dollar organization that solely works to prevent same-sex couples from tying the knot.

And luckily, for gay rights activists, Carcieri is a man who is term-limited out of office. His replacement? The Independent Lincoln Chafee, who left the Republican Party a few years ago and doesn't seem to be turning back. Governor-elect Chafee is getting set to put his administration in place, and this week one of his top assistants sent a letter to Rhode Island's chapter of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM).

NOM wants Governor-elect Chafee to put marriage equality for same-sex couples on the ballot in 2012, so that voters (rather than legislators) decide whether to legalize same-sex marriage. But Chafee has made clear to NOM that he's not interested in letting people vote on basic civil rights.

"The governor elect feels that the issue should be addressed as soon as possible by the General Assembly, and does not believe that the question should be decided by a ballot referendum," the letter from Chafee's aide, Michael Trainor, said. “Marriage equality is a basic right that should be extended to all Rhode Islanders — a question not only of fairness and justice, but of economic development as well.”

Ouch, burn. Lincoln Chafee just schooled NOM on the concept of civil rights.

For their part, NOM is now getting ready to double down on Rhode Island, hoping to persuade lawmakers that civil rights should go up for a vote.

“It is clear that Governor-elect Chafee intends to put fringe issues and radical politics over saving Rhode Islanders’ jobs and securing a prosperous future for our State,” NOM Rhode Island said in a statement. "We are confident that the majority of Assembly-women and men know there are more important things to deal with and we will support their efforts to push for a referendum.”

Ah, the art of spin. Because enacting marriage equality in Rhode Island will only help the state's economy. And since when are civil rights considered fringe and radical?

Send the Rhode Island legislature a message that the state should join the five other states, as well as the District of Columbia, that recognize marriage equality. Oh, and before NOM Rhode Island gets the last word, take a look at poll numbers out of the state that show majority support for marriage equality. When NOM says that supporting marriage equality is "radical" and "fringe," it's pretty clear that they're .... well, lying.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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