Columbian Endorses Approval of Referendum 71

The Columbian editorial board has officially endorsed approval of Referendum 71.

In our view: Approve R-71
Ballot Measure is about Equality for More than 12,300 Domestic Partners

The first thing voters need to know about Referendum 71 on the Nov. 3 ballot is precisely what question is being asked. Voters are being asked if they support Senate Bill 5688, which passed this year in the Legislature and expanded domestic partnerships. Voters are not being asked if they want to repeal that bill.

Thus, if you approve of fairness and equality for domestic partners, vote "Approve." We hope this will be your choice. The Columbian editorially applauded SB 5688 earlier this year.

It's also key to know that R-71 is not about gay marriage, despite dire warnings from those who advocate rejecting the measure. The ballot title specifies that "a domestic partnership is not a marriage." In fact, many domestic partners in our state are not gay. The law also allows domestic partnerships for unmarried, senior heterosexual couples.

The truth is, R-71 will have no impact whatsoever on your marriage or anyone else's. It will, however, affirm equality for the 12,300 Washingtonians who already have registered as domestic partners. Look at it this way: There might be some reason to debate whether certain rights should be extended to a particular group that does not already have them. For example, voting rights for incarcerated felons is an issue that could be reasonably argued. But to retroactively deny rights that already have been granted — freedoms thoroughly deliberated and extended by the Legislature and exercised by 12,300 people at no sacrifice or expense to anyone else — is simply unconscionable.

Voting for R-71 makes even more sense when one examines the specific rights extended by SB 5688. The bill protects sick leave to care for a domestic partner, unemployment and disability insurance benefits, business succession rights, adoption and child custody. In no way has granting these freedoms to some people infringed on the rights of other people, cost the detractors one dime, lowered their property value or harmed the citizenry in any way.

The real story of R-71 is further illuminated by reviewing the list of supporters and opponents. Those favoring R-71 include groups representing a broad spectrum of Washingtonians. More than 250 are listed at approvereferendum71.org. By contrast, foes offer only a smaller and narrowly defined coalition at protectmarriagewa.com. (But again, as the ballot states, this is not about marriage at all. It's about domestic partnerships).

Even more enlightenment arrives when voters examine the two men most responsible for forcing this issue onto the ballot: Larry Stickney (campaign manager) and Gary Randall (minister and former TV-show host). The Seattle Times on Wednesday described the attack by these two men on domestic partnerships: "They are unflinching in that conviction, despite messy personal histories that challenge their claim to the moral high ground. The twice-divorced Stickney … has denounced as blatantly untrue allegations from an ex-wife that he abused her.

"And Randall, an Oregon resident who can't vote on the measure he helped get on the ballot, has had a record of unpaid taxes, which he says he's since paid off."

It's astounding that these two self-appointed arbiters would judge the private, personal values of domestic partners. Yet the two men managed to secure enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot.

Voters should reject such narrow views and mark "Approve" on Referendum 71.