George Bush, Strict Constructionist

Yesterday, George W. Bush staked his position on the gay marriage controversy. The strict constructionist is throwing his weight behind an attempt to amend the constitution to prevent the possibility of gay and lesbian Americans from ever attaining access to this fundamental right.

Andrew Sullivan, long-time champion of gay marriage rights and gay conservatism, is personally hurt. Talking Points Memo has become very partisan.

Hey, I'm kind of pissed and excited all at once.

I say: Bring it on. Try to enshrine American discrimination in our Constitution. Make an amendment so seemingly bland, and yet so solid in the wall it builds that it flies through the Congress (not entirely certain, Mr. Bush) and through the state legislatures (more certain). Tack it up in America's courthouses. Do it, Mr. Bush. Let this be your legacy.

Bring it on. Because all you will do is create a bulwark of sand. We will focus all of our energy on this one point of law. We will march on the cities of America demanding the repeal of the Amendment. We will enter the homes of Americans at dinnertime every evening via their televisions and explain to them who our families are and why your legacy is detrimental to us and to them. We will not tire, we will not rest, and we will not go away.

Your children will debate this continuing controversy in their schools. Many, many of them will decide on the merits that it is a hateful and discriminatory measure. They will think of you, Mr. Bush, and know what a disgrace your administration was. They will look at America's polarizing churches and realize that religion and politics should never mix.

Bring it on, Mr. Bush, because this amendment will be the last stand of the anti-gay forces. It may take us a while to pull it out of that most beautiful of documents, our US Constitution, but it will fall away. This is not a fight you can win, and your allies know it, so they will take this one last step before the forces of history relegate them to a bad joke, just like you.

Like the bigots of the old South, future generations will look back and see your ignorance and the ignorance of your backers. An amendment, indeed. Bring it on, Mr. Bush. We will be equal citizens in our own country, and there's nothing you can do but delay the inevitable. Bring it on.