Ding Dong, Bush is REALLY Gone!

Forget about Rick Warren. Forget about Gene Robinson's late addition and subtraction from Sunday's event. Forget about the lack of LGBT appointments to the cabinet. Let it go.

Just for today.

Today is a day of pure celebration. Unlike election day, when we got a kick in the stomach with Prop. 8, AZ, FL and AK, all horrific setbacks for the LGBT community, today is a day to celebrate.

We have a new President. He is taking office today.

LGBT issues have been mishandled, fucked up and poorly advised. No question.

But Bush is gone, people. Pinch yourself, it's not a dream. It's a reality. Whether or not you believe Obama is just a big screen for projection, or the next messiah, or something very human in between, he is NOT Bush.

We have a President who is going to bring troops home from Iraq. Now. A President who is ready to address Gaza, now, the economy, now. We have a majority of Democrats in the legislature.

I personally can't stop smiling.

I told my kids this morning that today was a day that the first African-American man would be sworn in as President of this country. A country that in it's very recent past turned hoses and dogs on people because of their color. A country that legally recognized slavery.

Remember, I said, where you were. People will ask you in 10 years, 20, 30... where were you that day?

Tomorrow? We go right back to holding the administrations feet to the fire. We do not wait 10 hours, 10 days or 10 months. It is a mistake we've made in the past- one not to be repeated.

But today is a day to celebrate.

Ding dong, Bush is really really gone.

A Few Clarifications

What a day yesterday was, with the ruling, the excitement before and after. There was a lot to digest with everyone claiming information- like CNN saying marriage equality was defeated- so I would like to clarify a couple points that I was briefed on today.

One is, yes, without question, out of state folks can go to California and get married. I am certain the addition of the largest state in the nation to the marriage equality issue the silly little 1913 Law in MA will go away fairly quietly in the night.

Second, a better opinion could not have been written. Every ridiculous, bogus retort about why marriage should stay a heterosexual privilege was responded to and completely dismissed. In fact, it declared there is a "fundamental right to marry."

This, folks, is huge.

Third, this is a California state law issue. It cannot be appealed to the US Supreme Court. Period. No question. It's not a gray area it is clear cut, nope, not going to happen, no.

Fourth, there is no stay on this decision, as there was on the Goodridge decision in Massachusetts. And while there is a reality of probably a 30 day period of preparing for the change, people will be getting married BEFORE the very likely ballot question in November.

Fifth- there is a ballot initiative to amend the constitution of California to ban "gay" marriage. It looks fairly certain that there will be enough signatures to be up for a vote in November.

Sixth, it's not gay marriage. It's marriage equality. I wish everyone would stop calling it gay marriage. That was a tool of the right to make it into some kind of special privilege. It's not. It's about equal access to the same rights.

What an amazing, historic day. I keep saying that, over and over again.

And lastly, I hope everyone can take a minute tomorrow on the fourth anniversary of the Goodridge decision to say thanks to the seven plaintiff couples who made history, who fought against many in our community who said it was the wrong thing at the wrong time and should never be done.

The team at GLAD knew it was time. We owe them our deepest appreciation.

Along with David Wilson and Robert Compton, Gloria Bailey and Linda Davies, Richard Linnell and Gary Chalmers, Maureen Brodoff and Ellen Wade, Gina Smith and Heidi Norton, Ed Balmelli and Michael Horgan and of course, Julie and Hillary Goodridge.