Another item of interest in the good news category: U.S. Representative Marilyn Musgrave, the ultra-right bigot of Colorado who authored and introduced the anti-gay marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution that was championed by George W. Bush, was defeated by a Democrat yesterday. There is a perspicacious article by Matt Taibbi on Musgrave and the broader cultural changes reflected in her defeat (including some involving intersections of homophobia and racism) in a recent issue of Rolling Stone; it is titled "The Death of a Red State" and is available online at rollingstone.com. Tom Digby Professor of Philosophy Springfield College 263 Alden Street Springfield, MA 01109 "Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire." --William Butler Yeats "Every point of view does not have equal weight. Lies should not get the same amount of weight as the truth." --Daniel Zwerdling "Callahan, Joan" <[log in to unmask]> Sent by: Feminist To ethics and social [log in to unmask] theory cc <FEAST-L@kookabur ra1.jmu.edu> Subject Election results on gay equality 11/05/2008 11:06 AM Please respond to "Callahan, Joan" <[log in to unmask]> This is a GREAT day for the U.S. But please don't forget that Americans continue to ensure that certain inequalities will be written into law -- Yahoo News, November 5, 2008 LOS ANGELES - California's proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage - and with it the personal lives of thousands of gay couples - hinged on about 3 million absentee and provisional ballots early Wednesday. Sponsors of the ban - widely seen as the most momentous of the nation's 153 ballot measures - declared victory, but the measure's opponents said too many votes remained uncounted for the race to be called. The amendment would limit marriage to heterosexual couples, the first time such a vote has taken place in a state where gay unions are legal. Even without the wait, gay rights activists had a rough day Tuesday. Ban-gay-marriage amendments were approved in Arizona and Florida, and gay rights forces suffered a loss in Arkansas, where voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents. Supporters made clear that gays and lesbians were their main target. . . . .