A Chance For Arnold To Make History

Hey Arnold!! The time has come for you to display some REAL balls. You have a chance to once again put California on the map as a leader in civil rights legislation. Geeze Louise, Arnold. Whatever you do, don't allow your li'l girlie-man nards to cease up in your throat and keep you from doing the manly thing - the right thing - the American thing.

The California State Assembly did yesterday what no state legislature in the United States has done before. It looked at Canada. It looked at Spain. It looked at Massachusetts. Then it decided not to wait for the courts to overturn Prop 22 as unconstitutional and passed a measure to legalize gay marriage. Bill AB849 needs only the signature of Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger to become law.

But Arnold is thinking, Gee. Didn't I come off well at the Republication Convention. Wasn't there talk of me running for president sometime in the future. If I sign this bill, it's lights out for me in the Republican party. Yes, it's the right thing for America. But it's not about that. It's about me. I could be president or I could go down in history for doing what's right for the American people. I could be president. But not if I spit in the face of George Bush and all his CRWXtian backers. If I terminate this bill, the court will just declare all this unconstitutional anyway and I'll save face. Poop. How did I get into this position anyway? I gave such a good speech at the Republication Convention.

The vote was 41-35, with all Republicans opposed, of course, along with a small hand full of Demos. That should tell Republican Arnold what's expected of him. Assemblyman Tom Umberg noted, "It's always a dilemma whether to follow or lead. This is one of those times history is looking to us to lead." The Republicans have said that if Arnold signs the bill into law, they will try to get it overturned in court because it "violates the spirit of Prop 22." They will also go to the people with a proposal to change the State Constitution of California to ban same-sex marriage once and for all.

But it's good to know there are those in the California legislature that understand that the spirit of Prop 22 is the same spirit that in Louisiana will disallow FEMA to grant help to any gay family that applies for funds in the aftermath of Katrina because they aren't legally married and are banned from becoming legally married in that State by its Constitution. How would you label THAT spirit?

Arnold, in a display of girlie-man indecision, seems to lack the huevos to do what's right. According to his spokesperson Margita Thompson, "The governor believes the people spoke with Prop. 22, and that is now in the courts. The governor believes that is where it belongs and will uphold any decisions the courts make."

Assemblywoman Gloria Negrete McLeod said she was convinced to vote "yes" on Bill AB849 by listening to the words of the Declaration of Independence that demanded "justice for all." Mayhaps Arnold needs to listen to those same words.

So there we have it. Arnold can be a real man, decisive, a man with the backbone to go against the grain of his party and do what's right for California and America. He can show the world that Republicans understand that ALL Americans deserve the right to marry the person they love, no matter their gender, color or religion.

Or he can play Terminator, swallow his balls and prove that bigoted Republican governors in Blue States aren't a very good idea for America.

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