My One Political Appeal Before Election Day

The presidential election in the United States is two weeks from today. The final debate was last night, and early voting has opened up many places already -- including here in Colorado. So I'm going to allow myself this one political post before Election Day, and then I promise nothing but two weeks of my usual pop culture commentary.

In this highly polarized political environment, the vast majority of you reading this have already decided who you're voting for. I'm not going to focus here on trying to change anyone who has made up their mind. Instead, I'm going to aim at the tiny sliver of people out there who are on the fence. Not so much the unicorn-like "undecided voter," but rather friends of mine who I've heard express their indifference to the entire election. "They're both terrible," I've heard more than one person tell me. "I may not even vote at all, because it makes no difference to me who wins."

If you truly believe that, then let me say to you: it makes a big difference to me.

It's been getting a lot better to be gay in America over the past decade. Indeed, if the polls can be believed, it appears that on election night, at least one state will become the first ever to approve marriage equality by a popular vote. But no matter what happens, the next five to ten years are going to be critical for gay rights.

By next summer, it's likely the Supreme Court will rule on the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. There's reason for optimism there, but it's likely to be decided by a thin 5-4 decision. And if that margin breaks the other way, then the gay and lesbian couples legally married in the U.S. will continue to have their marriages unrecognized by the federal government, until such time as our perpetually gridlocked Congress passes a repeal of DOMA.

The question of whether gays have a fundamental right to marry is likely to be decided by the Supreme Court as well. Most legal scholars seem to think they'll pass on the California Prop 8 case waiting on their docket at this very moment. But even if they pass on that case, there will be another. Maybe one of the two recently started in Nevada and Hawaii -- or maybe another after that. One way or another, this issue will be decided by the Supreme Court within the next presidential term.

Mitt Romney thinks that equal rights is an "assault" on marriage. He wants an amendment enshrining discrimination in our Constituition, saying that even people who do more to honor this country that I'll ever do will not have equal rights. And while Romney has tried to portray himself more as a centrist since winning the Republican party nomination, he has never deviated from full agreement with his party platform's bigoted stance on people like me.

Barack Obama, by sharp contrast, has given his full endorsement for marriage equality, saw to the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and has been pushing anti-discrimination protections for LGBT individuals even while legislators have been dragging their feet. His leadership on these issues has not only led the Democratic party to endorse marriage equality in its platform for the first time, but has spurred some progress on this issue in the world at large.

The President of the United States holds the power to appoint justices to the Supreme Court, and at least one will almost certainly by appointed before 2016. He also holds the power to veto legislation by Congress, increasing the threshold to pass a law to two-thirds of the representatives (which, in the current political climate, would be essentially impossible). In short, whoever is president come January 20, 2013 will have immense, direct control over my personal rights. It's reasonable to conclude that under a second Obama term, gay people will likely achieve equal rights in just a few years. It's equally reasonable to conclude that under a Romney presidency (even if it lasts only one term), that won't even happen in this decade.

I know that different voters have different priorities in making their decisions. I could go on about how I think Obama makes better sense not just on this issue, but on womens' rights, foreign policy, and even the economic policies that most pundits say will decide the election. But as I said, I'm not trying to change any settled minds here. I'm speaking to whatever percentage of you truly don't care, or really think it makes no difference.

If it's really all the same to you, then would you consider throwing some help my way? I hope I've expressed just how much it would mean to me.