The election

Well, in a few hours I'll be going out to cast my wasted vote for John Kerry and against Proposition 1 on the Georgia ballot.

I'm sure, thanks to my wonderful neighbors in this state, on November 3 I will be among millions of Americans who live in a state that has chosen to enshrine discrimination in its constitution. I didn't realize it until now, but I think this is the thing that pisses me off the most about this election. It's not just the complete wrongheadedness. It's heartless and dishonest. Take a look at the question on the ballot:

Shall the Constitution be amended so as to provide that this state shall recognize as marriage only the union of man and woman?

What does the amendment actually say?

SECTION IV. MARRIAGE

Paragraph I. Recognition of marriage.

(a) This state shall recognize as marriage only the union of man and woman. Marriages between persons of the same sex are prohibited in this state.

(b) No union between persons of the same sex shall be recognized by this state as entitled to the benefits of marriage. This state shall not give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state or jurisdiction respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other state or jurisdiction. The courts of this state shall have no jurisdiction to grant a divorce or separate maintenance with respect to any such relationship or otherwise to consider or rule on any of the parties' respective rights arising as a result of or in connection with such relationship.

So, not only will I be a citizen of a state that enshrines discrimination in its constitution, it will be a state that denies gay couples even the chance to join in civil unions. And, the Legislature was too cowardly to put that fact into the ballot question. They aren't just defining marriage as between a man and a woman. They're deny gays every single family-related right possible. Just look at the language: "The courts of this state shall have no jurisdiction to ... consider or rule on any of the parties' respective rights arising as a result of or in connection with such relationship." Yep, they know they have those rights, but they're going to take them away anyway.