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Today in Maine, in Washington state and Kalamazoo, Michigan,
there will be votes that directly affect the LGBT community. Maine has
received the most focus because, like California last year, it is a
state where the political leadership has approved same-sex marriage--and there is a referendum to try to undo the will of the politicians--the ones voted into office to, presumably, represent the interests of
their constituents.
In Washington state, there
is a challenge on the ballot to the state's domestic partnership law which also covers straight couples over the age of 62. And in
Kalamazoo, the city is trying to keep an ordinance banning
discrimination against the LGBT community in housing and the workplace.
These
are all very important votes not just for the LGBT people living in
these areas, but for all of us who are queer in the United States. It
was about this time last year that voters turned out in record numbers
to cast ballots for President Barack Obama. At the same time, voters in
California, Florida, Arizona and Arkansas, responded to their fears or
their inability to decipher the intent of ballot measures that slammed
our community hard.
One year later, and after much
education, I am hoping to see a different result. Let's pray for that
with this collect based upon the Collect for an Election:
Almighty
God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide
the people of the many communities in the United States in the election
of officials and representatives, and grant them discerning hearts and
minds as they weigh ballot issues; that, by faithful administration and
wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled
to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. --BCP,
pg. 822
____________________________________________________________________________
Susan Gage is a former public radio journalist, now licensed massage
therapist, living in Tallahassee, FL. She is an out and proud lesbian
activist and a cradle Episcopalian, a Eucharistic Minister, and in her
second year in the Education for Ministry program at St. John's
Episcopal Church.
She blogs at http://scg-wakeupcall.blogspot.com/.
