Same Sex Marriage is Still a Political Hot Button in Atlanta

ATLANTA - In 2006 an amendment to Georgia's State Constitution was passed by 76% of the voters to ban same sex marriage in the state of Georgia.

On August 4, 2010 Judge Vaugh Walker ruled against the state of California's Proposition 8, an amendment to the state's Constitution keeping same sex marriages from being legal in the state of California. In his ruling he stated "Although Proposition 8 fails to possess even a rational basis, the evidence presented at trial shows that gays and lesbians are the type of minority strict scrutiny was designed to protect."

This small victory for those that support same sex marriage quickly spread both hope and fear across the nation and into the streets of Atlanta, Georgia. On August 8, 2010, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s own niece Alveda King was a speaker at a NOM (National Organization for Marriage) rally held in Atlanta, compared same sex marriage to genocide and that if same sex marriage were allowed that it could mean extinction of the human race. The NOM supporters were largely out numbered and one of their local attendees commented that he was "disappointed more people didn't show up."

The recent GOP run-offs for governor became entrenched with anti-gay campaign smears. Both candidates Karen Handel and Nathan Deal were jumping over each other to deal one another with a campaign spot proving the other more anti-gay than the other. In one of Deal's campaign ads it claimed Handel supported YouthPride, an Atlanta LGBT youth agency, which Deal claimed "promotes homosexuality" to children as young as 13. It is obvious that same sex marriage is still a hot political button in Atlanta and Georgia.

Jessica Hand of Atlanta Georgia has been committed to her partner for 4 years. They were married in a church in front of their friends and family, not unlike many marriages in Atlanta, the difference is that their marriage isn't recognized or protected by the state because it is a same sex marriage. She was present at the rally that Alveda King attended and compared same sex marriage to genocide. Jessica joined over 300 other people that support same sex marriage in a silent protest. When asked if she felt hope after the overturn of Prop. 8 she said "cautiously hopeful" and that she understands that Georgia has a long way to go.

Looking for a piece of mind, Jessica worries about what might happen if either she or her partner were to become sick or hospitalized that one of them may be barred from seeing the other during this hour of need. It goes without saying this is something that all committed couples should not have to worry about. She went on saying that it hurts to check single when doing her taxes because it is a lie, "I was taught not to lie."

The argument of it being the will of the people for same sex marriage to remain unrecognized and illegal because 76% of Georgia's voters have voted this to be, was presented to Jessica. She calmly said "though majority rules, the minority still needs protection...you can't vote the minority out of equal rights."

These state amendments can be seen as unconstitutional by some because it violates equal protection. Just as Prop. 14 in the State of California (which was an amendment to the state's constitution making it legal to not rent or sale property to a black American) was overturned for this very reason. Discrimination is discrimination, or is there a degree to which it is applied?

Where Jessica is cautious in her hope, there are other Atlantans that have only hope left that Georgia will shed its fear and hate-mongering and learn to live and let live.