Three Hours of Debate Same Sex Marriage

Annapolis - There was expected to be an electric debate in the Maryland House of Delegates with both sides geared up for arguements for and against on same sex marriage. I've laid out several potential traps for the bill in earlier postings. All the them were on display today. The House took up the Senate Bill rather than take up its own bill.

Many passionate debaters. Delegate Emmett Burns, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, gave an impassioned and historical arguments against the bill."Show me your Birmingham, Al; show me the homes evaded by KKK, show me where you suffered under billy clubs and the mobs." Delegate Burns would go on to argue Dr. Martin Luther King nor Marylander Clarence Mitchell did not have same sex marriage in mind where they were arguing for civil rights.

Del. Keiffer Mitchell, says Clarence Mitchell, his grandfather, would have been in favor of the measure.

For a number of Prince George's County delegates this was a very tough vote. Delegate Jay Walker saying he loves everyone announced he would vote against the bill.


Delegate Aisha Braveboy, did try to amend the bill to make it a referendum. She was twarted as was Delegate Cheryl Glenn who also wanted to change the bill.

Nearly three hours into the debate the final speaker was Judiciary Committee Chairman, Delegate Joseph Vallario. Delegate Vallario who is not a fan of this measure in one fell swoop sent the bill back to committee.
As Bryan Sears of Patch.com noted as I did on twitter, "this pretty much kills the bill this session." The bill was also called dead for this session by one of the bill sponsors.