Since its founding nearly 250 years ago, Brown has had a close relationship with Rhode Island, a unique affinity that transcends the happenstance of geography. Together, the University and the state have led the fight together for principles of universal rights and justice, often long before others caught on.
For example, Rhode Island was the first state founded on the then-revolutionary idea of universal freedom of religion. It was one of the first to declare independence from Great Britain, one of the first to abolish slavery and one of only two states to reject Prohibition. In a similar vein, Brown was the first university in America to admit students of any religion and has led in many other areas.
Over the last several years, a new front has opened in the perennial battle to perfect our union. More and more people have come to recognize that discrimination against gays and lesbians — long accepted as a given — is unfair. Once again, Rhode Island was in the vanguard on this issue, as it was in the first wave of states to prohibit such discrimination. When Rep. David Cicilline '83, D-R.I., was elected mayor of Providence in 2002, he was the first openly gay mayor of an American capital city.
But like many states, Rhode Island has been slow to follow through on this principle and continues to deny gays and lesbians the fundamental right to marry. Stymied for years by former governor Donald Carcieri '65, who vehemently opposed same-sex marriage, our state has fallen far behind its New England neighbors — all of which except Maine allow the practice — despite polls indicating that Rhode Islanders are more supportive of equality than any voters outside Massachusetts.
Luckily, this year appears ripe for a breakthrough. The biggest obstacle to equalizing marriage laws in Rhode Island disappeared when Governor Lincoln Chafee '75 P'14, who called on the legislature to enact a same-sex marriage bill in his inaugural address, replaced Carcieri. It also helps that openly gay Speaker Gordon Fox now leads the state House of Representatives.
Nevertheless, despite the unprecedented public, legislative and gubernatorial support for marriage equality, it will not be a slam dunk. Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed opposes same-sex marriage, as does Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin, who has been vocally fighting to prevent its enactment.
Other opponents, who likely suspect that they lack the votes to stop gay marriage in the General Assembly, have begun to coalesce around the unprecedented idea of putting the issue on next year's ballot, despite the fact that Rhode Island does not hold referenda on laws like California does. Not only is this a waste of time — a recent poll showed Rhode Islanders favoring marriage equality by a margin of 60-31 percent — but it would create the bad precedent of putting rights to a vote.
This is where Brown comes in. We are all residents of this state. We should ensure that our voices and those of our likeminded neighbors are heard throughout the legislative process. That process begins this evening, when the House Judiciary Committee considers the marriage bill and the referendum bill. The hearing will begin shortly after the House, which convenes at 4 p.m., finishes its business for the day. Brown students have a long history of involvement in their community. We hope that commitment continues with this important issue.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
