The DOMA mess....Americablog, among other political blogs, has expressed outrage at the brief filed in support ot the Defense of Marriage Act by the US Justice Departmant in Smelt v. USA. The government chose to defend DOMA (against the plaintiff couple's claim that it's an unfair federal law) on the grounds that some unions are already denied recognition across state lines--including the marriage of first cousins or that of an uncle to his niece or marriage to a 16-year old. Gay anger has been the understandable result, citing the insulting analogies mentioned above, and the snotty cites the DOJ supplies alleging that "anyone, including homosexuals, {can} marry the individual of his or her choice" and "...gay and lesbian individuals who unite in matrimony...remain eligible for every benefit they enjoyed beforehand." The two jibes suggest that gay people make a marriage contract with a heterosexual friend to get the perks. Strategies of gay response to the brief have ranged from denying money to the fund-raiser for President Obama's DNC, scheduled for the end of the month, to a more legislative plan--holding local lawmakers' feet to the fire on the issue. Some blog comments cite this second necessity, decrying the lack of leadership on the issue that is apparently in the genes of those who must answer to a constituency that still largely loathes gay people. There are still some questions, strangely unanswered questions, that arise about the voice of the Obama administration and the voice of the DOJ: They leave a whiff in the air of "what we say and what we do and what is the difference between the two?"

Special thanks to Jim Burroway's www.boxturtlebulletin.com for his extensive research and great good sense about this mess.