Hey, President Bush, do you remember when Prime Minister Blair followed your lead as you took a stand to fight the seemingly unending "war on terror?" I invite you to take another risk and follow the Prime MInister's lead as he takes a stand for equal rights for gay couples.
From The Washington Post today:
"Prime Minister Tony Blair, speaking to reporters at a news conference in London, congratulated (Sir Elton John and David Furnish on yesterday's wedding): 'I wish him and David well, and all the other people exercising their rights under the civil partnerships law. I think it is a modern, progressive step forward for the country and I am proud we did it.'
From The White House (President George Bush's State of the Union, January 2004):
"A strong America must also value the institution of marriage. I believe we should respect individuals as we take a principled stand for one of the most fundamental, enduring institutions of our civilization. Congress has already taken a stand on this issue by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, signed in 1996 by President Clinton. That statute protects marriage under federal law as a union of a man and a woman, and declares that one state may not redefine marriage for other states.
Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage."
I can't help but also add my favorite irony of the week, as reported by the New York Times:
That Asda (Wal-Mart's chain in Britian) sells greeting cards and commitment rings for gay weddings while Wal-Mart here at home takes a conservative stance, even banning sales of certain books. When asked about this, Asda proclaimed its independence from Wal-Mart, and no one from Wal-Mart HQ was available to comment.