Political action.
When Jenn and I got married, we had to go to the county to file for a marriage certificate, so I figured sending an email to Portland’s mayor, Vera Katz, might not be the most direct route toward seeing that Portland joined San Francisco and New Mexico and maybe soon Chicago on the right side of history. But Vera must be hearing from a lot of people on this subject these days; not an hour later, I got back a form email—
Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts about same-sex marriage and your recommendation that such benefits be extended to citizens of Portland. Naturally, the recent action by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has raised questions about whether or not I have the authority to grant marriage licenses.
In both Oregon and California, the county serves as the instrument of the state for recording marriage licenses. However, Portland and Multnomah County are two separate governmental entities. This contrasts with the City of San Francisco and San Francisco County, which are unified. There, the Mayor shares an administrative role with the County Board of Supervisors. Therefore, Mayor Newsom had the authority to ask staff in the Office of the County Clerk, which is located in City Hall, to issue marriage licenses to interested couples. While I share your conviction for full civil rights for all citizens, I have no such authority over county functions.
She goes on to outline her role in working with the county to set up our domestic partnership registry. “The only role the City has ever played has been to refer individuals seeking license information to the County,” she says, or rather her email says, or rather the email composed by her assistant says. “However, at the appropriate time I will make known my sentiments about the right to marry.” And she closes with a plug for Basic Rights Oregon.
Not too shabby, one supposes, for an elected official. It might have been nice, though, if she’d gone on to point out who, exactly, one should contact in the Multnomah County government to pass along one’s thoughts on the matter. So here’s the contact page for Diane Linn, current chair of Multnomah County.
(So we’re here in San Francisco for APE, and in a little room in Patrick Farley’s house in North Berkeley I can plug a yellow ethernet cable into the iBook I brought from home and then read about a quick action taken by an old friend up in Olympia who was inspired by what’s happening just across the Bay here, and without getting up from my seat I can engage in a little back-home political activism with a quick Google and some email. Yes, it’s old hat, and yes, we’ve heard it all before, but still: this brave new world has its terribly cool moments.
(Though it would’ve been cooler if my iBook were wired for wireless, I know. Sigh. Always room for improvement.)
And then, as I’m making my last-minute live final edits, this—
The Sandoval County clerk’s office granted licenses to 26 same-sex couples before New Mexico attorney general Patricia Madrid issued a late afternoon opinion saying the licenses were “invalid under state law.”
The clerk’s office stopped issuing licenses and told newly wed couples their licenses were invalid. A crowd outside the office reacted with boos and shouts as a deputy clerk read the attorney general’s legal advice.
—via Alas
Especially noteworthy is this passage from the AP article:
“The governor has always been a champion for human rights. He supports equal rights and opposes all forms of discrimination. However, he is opposed to same-sex marriage,” said Marsha Catron.
Breathtaking, ennit?
Staying with Patrick Farley? Man, you know all the cool people. I finally got BitPass and checked out the latest Apocamon (after getting some stuff from Scott's site).
Why exactly am I dropping names of your friends? No idea.
updates on the avalanche
Boo, hiss! Scratch Sandoval County thanks to New Mexico's backwards asshole Attorney General: The Sandoval County clerk's office granted licenses to 26 same-sex couples before New Mexico attorney general Patricia Madrid issued a late afternoon opinion ...
I embrace all immigrant success stories in America—except Arnold Schwarzenegger's.