#104: Don't fuck your friends over

It was only 10 short years ago that two adult men, John Lawrence and Tyron Garner, were happily getting it on behind closed doors in a Houston apartment when HPD burst in and hauled them off to jail for "homosexual conduct." It was only 5 years ago that the Supreme Court heard their case and ruled that Texas's anti-sodomy statute was illegal and Americans had a constitutional right to sexual privacy. Imagine that.

Today, there are four liberals on the court, the kind of justices who, though villified by the Right, are the sort of people who, in addition to saying the government cannot meddle in grown-ups' sexual interactions, have also declared shocking things like you can't force black people to pee in segregated toilets. Two of these liberals are very old, and they will either die or leave the court in the new few years. There is no question that the next president will pick new justices, and unless we're lucky and Clarence Thomas or Scalia strokes out, the new president will be replacing liberals rather than conservatives. If McCain wins, he will pick somebody like Thomas or Scalia. (If you don't believe that, then take a look at the fundamentalist he picked for a running mate.) The right-wingers on the court were PISSED with the Lawrence v. Texas ruling, and they are itching to overthrow it. If McCain wins, they will have a solid majority, and Lawrence v. Texas will be no more.

Let's be clear: If McCain wins, gay people will be criminals again. And you may think oh, big deal, no one's really going to arrest gay people anymore (though they were saying that when Lawrence and Garner were arrested - had they never been to Texas?). But once gay people get labeled criminal, a whole lot of other bad shit follows. Gay people can't adopt children - they're criminals! Gay people can't teach school - they're criminals! Gay people can't serve in the armed forces - they're criminals! Gay people can't live in my apartments or work for my city - they're criminals!

Reasonable people can differ on the two candidates' positions. But since Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, gay people will be fucked over for a long time if McCain wins. Vote for whomever you please on Tuesday - but don't kid yourself about the consequences.