While there is much to make living in the Cornfield attractive and much to be proud about in the Hoosier State, today I am disappointed and not so proud of Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller. Zoeller has reportedly decided to file an amicus brief or friend of the court paper supporting California's Proposition 8 which will be reviewed by the US Supreme Court in March.
Proposition 8 reversed same-gender equality in California overturning a California Supreme Court ruling which provided legalization of same-gender marriage in the Golden State. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal court ruling in San Francisco that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments over the Appeals Court ruling during its current session.
The Court could decide to limit its scope to only validating the 9th Circuit ruling that the proposition was unconstitutional or it could expand its ruling in a way which would legalize same-gender equality in all 50 states. Currently 9 states allow for same-gender marriage.
Indiana sadly has a ban on same-gender equality for commited, long-term couples. This ban in the law is still in place even though the majority of Hoosiers now support same-gender equality. The Indiana House of Representatives is considering for the 2nd time a resolution to put to a referendum before voters as early as 2014 a constitutional amendment which would ban same-gender equality for long-term, committed same-gender couples.
Zoeller is on the wrong side of this issue. As recent polls within the state show, he is also on the wrong side of thinking and acceptance of most of the state's citizens.
It is time that all Hoosiers be afforded the same benefits and equality under the law as straight couples who are commited and in long-term relationships. History will not look kindly on those who continue to deny all the state's and nation's citizens equality under the law.
From the Cornfield, I beseech AG Zoeller to rethink filing an amicus brief in support of Proposition 8. I also beseech the Indiana Legislature to forego a referendum to add a constitutional amendment to ban same-gender equality. Such a referendum, I believe will fail if Hoosiers vote on the amendment as it failed this year in Minnesota. It is time for Indiana political leaders to listen to the people and to give equality to all its citizens. It is the right thing to do.