The Orbis

Photo courtesy of http://www.krtcampus.com [Click to enlarge]

It has not been an easy week for the gay community in America. The initiative to ban same-sex marriages was overwhelmingly passed in 11 of the 11 states (red and blue alike) that had it on the ballot.

In all cases, this was an amendment to the states’ constitutions so that they now legally prohibit same-sex marriage. Only two of the 11 states passed the measure with less than 60% of the vote: Oregon with 57% and Michigan with 59%. In Arkansas, Georgia and Kentucky the measure passed by more than 75%. In eight of the 11 states, the votes went in favor of denying any sort of legal protection for gay couples or their families. As if the widespread opposition to marriage were not enough, voters sought to ban civil unions as well in eight of the eight states that option was also offered.

Although this is certainly a very devastating blow to the gay community and the initiative for gay marriage, the sentiment among supporters seems to be that “a battle was won, but the war is far from over.” On the opposite side of the fence, supporters of the ban claim that this is only the beginning to a more widespread ban, a move closer to passing a Constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage on all levels throughout the country.

Some political analysts are even suggesting that since the issue was so emotional (especially for some fundamentalist Christian voters), it actually increased voter turnout. While not all political analysts are sure of this claim, one thing is for certain: the core of this country has demonstrated it does not count homosexuals as equals.

Despite this sweeping opposition to gay marriage, it is still possible that the Supreme Court could strike down the measures, which is why those opposed to same-sex marriages so vehemently want a Constitutional amendment to solidify their efforts. All of the legislators who opposed gay marriage, despite campaigns to unseat them, won reelection as well.

Also on the ballot in three states was the initiative to legalize pot, although each state’s proposal entailed slightly different plans. In Oregon and Alaska, measures of this sort were defeated, but in Montana an act allowing adults the use of medicinal marijuana without criminal prosecution was passed in a landslide 62% victory. In Oregon, a similar initiative received 49% of the vote.

In Montana, the new law protects not only the patients and their caregivers from prosecution or arrest for possession of marijuana, but it protects the doctors as well. Medical marijuana has been used for patients who have cancer and multiple sclerosis as well as AIDS. The measure in Oregon was slightly more comprehensive, advocating tax and regulation of marijuana.

The fight for stem cell research received a boost as California passed Proposition 71, which allocates over $3 billion over the next decade to stem cell research. The idea of the proposition was to get around President Bush’s reductions in funding for the research. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the proposition, and ultimately a cleanly divided mass of voters leaned toward passing the measure. Like many issues, this vote placed the religious right (particularly Roman Catholics) up against the scientific community and others not opposed to aiding the research in an effort to save lives.

It is unclear what this measure will mean on a national level, but it seems as though California will quickly be at the forefront of stem cell research and remain there for some time.

Other measures voted on this election include the ‘parental notification’ act that passed in Florida. This act requires parental notification before having an abortion, although the act does also require that there be a possibility of exemptions in which notification could be waived. It is unclear exactly what cases would constitute the law being waived.

In Oklahoma, a measure installing a state lottery was passed. This leaves only eight states in the country without one.

Also passed was a cap on medical malpractice suits in Florida and a raise of the minimum wage in Florida and Arizona.

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