DOMA & Anti-Miscegenation Laws

Recently the Obama administration announced it would no longer DEFEND the Defense of Marriage Act in court because they believe it is unconstitutional.  Right-wing pundits and politicians have claimed Obama said he would not enforce the law - which he explicitly did not say.  However, since then, the blogosphere has been buzzing with comments and I injecting my 2 cents wherever possible!

I tried to respond to the following comment on a legal forum but they would not accept my my post.  Then I remembered I have my own forum to reply to this person and so, here it is:

Original question: "What rationales was given to justify anti-miscegenation?"

Response by Desk3Bound: "Homosexuals do not reproduce, they must adopt and traumatize the child into homosexuality. Because homosexuals do not reproduce, they misuse the sex act for pleasure rather than procreation. Homosexuality is curable, there is a 30% cure rate for homosexuality. Homosexuals are self-centered to the exclusion of all else; their narcissistic promiscuity prevents life-long pair bonding essential to any marriage. The lack of procreation and obsessive promiscuity and ex-homosexuality make homosexual marriage an absurdity. The existance of 'ex-homosexuals' prove that homosexuality is not a permanent genetic condition but a temporary state of damaged behaviour."

My counter response: "In response to Desk3Bound... Your comment shows you seriously misinformed about homosexuality and about homosexuals. As a 56 year old lesbian, I was 12 years old when the SC held Virginia's miscegenation statute was unconstitutional. I did not notice that ruling because that was happening at the very time my own prepubescent self was coming to terms with the fact that I was developing a crush on my best girl friend and not on boys like all of my other classmates. This crush lasted for 2 years until I got another one on a different girl friend. Then finally, when I married my high school "sweetheart", I was in love with the woman I asked to be my maid of honor. Of course I never did or sai anything about these feelings to those girls or anyone because I knew that most of my friends and family were homophobic.

They - like you in these comments - showed me by actions and words that I had better not tell the truth -- for if I did -- I would stand the chance of losing their love and support.

I could not bear that so I lied to myself and to them. 

To say those years were painful is an understatement but still, I tried to live a "normal" life by getting married, having 3 kids, etc. Despite all of my efforts, I only fell in love with women. I understand that as long as society - with the blessings of governments and religious leaders - are intolerant and unaccepting, gay men and lesbians will continue to feel pressure to conform to what ignorant and powerful people say is normal. In other words, they will pretend to be cured and people like you will use the results of this elf-fufilling "reaearch" to prove that people like me are abnormal. This will allow you to justify your insistence that we do not deserve to be treated with dignity and that we are not worthy of equal treatment under the law.

You may say that anti-miscegenation laws are not the same as anti-gay marriage laws, but Mildred Loving, one of the petitioners in the case that overturned those laws disagrees with you. She said: "I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving, and loving, are all about."