A same-sex marriage bill, AB 19, failed in the California General Assembly yesterday, falling four votes shy of the necessary 41-vote majority. My own painstaking analysis, based on public records, shows that all seven Assembly members who ultimately sat out the vote, therefore causing its defeat, were Democrats; four Hispanics, two whites, and one black. In addition, five more Democrats (four Hispanic, one white) voted "No." The Assembly is ruled by a Democratic majority, 48 Democrats to 32 Republicans. The fissure between white Democrats and minority Democrats on gay marriage, in California and the nation, is dramatically highlighted by yesterday's vote.

Unfortunately, the San Francisco Chronicle skimmed past the real story, preferring to highlight the unsuccessful lobbying efforts of a lesbian couple.

Go here, then at "Bill Number," enter "AB 19." Click on the third item, titled "AB- 19, Leno, Gender-neutral marriage." Under Votes, click on "Assembly Floor, June 2." Then scroll down to "Absent, Abstaining, or Not Voting." Of the eight listed, all are Democrats, as you can see by matching their names against the Assembly's Democratic Caucus roster. Five are Hispanic, one is black (Jerome Horton), one clearly white (Tom Umberg), another apparently white, or perhaps mixed-race (Mike Gordon). Alberto Torrico, one of the five original Hispanic Democrat holdouts, came around to vote yes in the end, and this is not reflected on the roll call sheet.

The remaining four Hispanic Democrats (Simon Salinas, Rudy Bermudez, Ed Chavez, Gloria Negrete McLeod) did not budge, nor did fellow Democrats Horton, Umberg or Morton, sinking AB 19. While the Chron makes much of Torrico's struggle and ultimate "Yes" vote, and notes his ethnicity and religious background, they would have done their readers a far greater service by 1) acknowledging that four of the remaining seven abstaining Dems were Hispanic, and 2) interviewing some of those four, plus the one black Dem and two white Dems who also sat it out.

Newspapers should always spare no effort in understanding and clearly spelling out why elected Democrats oppose, or fail to support, same sex marriage. And why many of their constituents feel similarly. The answer is they feel it's wrong, against tradition, perhaps against their religion; that marriage should be between a man and woman; that children need a mother and a father. I understand such views can spark passionate disagreement, and so be it. But it remains disturbing that newspapers by and for urban elites tend to downplay, censor or charicature the reasons some very decent people oppose gay marriage. This journalistic bias perpetuates a fantasy world of entitlement and victimization among urban same-sex marriage advocates.

Leading to statements like this one, in the above-linked Chron piece, from AB 19's prime sponsor, Democratic Assemblyman Mark Leno of San Francisco:

"If this body can't pass AB19, it should clarify its position and say we do believe that gay and lesbian couples are second-class citizens," he said. "That is the statement that's been made tonight."

Hell, Mark...now that you've vented, talk to the House members of the California Legislative Latino Caucus, why don'tcha?

Marginalizing opponents of gay marriage as bigots is a dead strategy. It only hardens the opposition. Had any of the Hispanic Democratic legislators who withheld their support of AB 19 been approached by The Chron after yesterday's vote, and been willing to speak frankly, San Franciscans would have understood more clearly just how isolated they are, politically, and how out of tune with mainstream California. Their city's mores don't track with towns like Salinas (Simon Salinas-D), Norwalk (Rudy Bermudez-D), Chino (Gloria Negrette McLeod-D), Santa Ana (Tom Umberg-D), La Puente (Ed Chavez-D), El Segundo (Mike Gordon-D), and even parts of metro L.A., namely Inglewood (Jerome Horton-D).

In addition to the seven Democratic abstentions on AB 19, five Democrats voted "No" outright. They were Juan Arambula (Fresno), Juan Vargas, Barbara Matthews, Joe Baca Jr., and Nicole Parra.

Twelve California House Dems say a resounding "No, thanks" to gay marriage.

California already has strong domestic partner benefits for same-sex couples. With majority Democrats in the Assembly slamming the door on AB 19, perhaps it is really time for same-sex marriage advocates in California to bury this issue once and for all.

Your feelings matter less in the grand scheme of things than you think. Choices have consequences. A consequence of your choice to advocate for gay marriage is that you have energized opponents who have always existed, and you are losing. Did you really think this was not possible? Win some, lose some. Get on with life.

UPDATE: I missed two other Assembly Ds who voted "No" on AB 19, Nicole Parra, and Joe Baca, Jr. I've updated the post accordingly.

UPDATE II: Here is something pretty close to the story the Chron should have had the courage to run; it appeared in The Sacramento Bee. (Free reg. may be required).

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at June 3, 2005 12:29 PM

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