A gathering problem of religious crankery in D.C.

Something's unfurling that shall precisely reveal just how much influence religion and clergy have in our modern, supposedly secular government. Last month, the Washington, D.C. council unanimously passed a bill that recognized the same-sex marriages and civil unions from other states – which I think is sorta evident. It's not like anyone would go to a state where their happy marriage would suddenly become illegal, unless they're too stupid to deserve to be married anyway. But I digress.

There's also some talk about legalizing same-sex marriage itself in D.C., which would certainly be spectacular news. Problem is, angry kooks and cranks have also caught wind of this and are now forming a sort of coalition amongst the clergy in the D.C. area to oppose same-sex marriage.

We'll know more about who is involved as this coalition builds. Right now it's being led by Bishop Harry Jackson Jr., minister of Hope Christian Church in College Park and a longtime (and outspoken) opponent of legal recognition of same-sex unions, and Rev. Derek McCoy, who used to work at Hope Christian and has become an oft-quoted African-American voice in other similar fights (notably California).

In a letter sent to clergy, the coalition says, "If we fail to act now, history will ask - 'Where were the pastors?'" They are planning a rally at 10 a.m. April 28 at Freedom Plaza and calling on clergy to come to the May 5 Council meeting, when the earlier vote will be ratified. They say they're also planning organizational meetings at churches in Washington, Maryland and Virginia.

So a bunch of old kooks, cranks and miscellaneous dogma-corrupted bigots are collecting to try and make their feeble voices heard against the reigning democrats and the (apparently) overwhelmingly popular idea of gay marriage in the D.C. region ... Don't think they have much of a chance at being any sort of real influence, meself.

I do like their little letter asking "Where were the pastors?", though. It's really amusingly naive of them to think anyone will remember, or care, about "the pastors" being there or not. They're still deluded enough to think religion plays a major role in (most of) American society these days ... tsk tsk tsk. I'd be glad to answer their hypothetical query, however: "crying at the overwhelming inevitability".