wtf america?

I think Nov 4 was an interesting day.  Not necessarily in terms of a change in the presidency, Senate and House, but in the dichotomy the US is now facing.  Three states banned same sex marriages--including one of the most liberal states, California, which began allowing the marriages in June after a court decision ruled the Calif. constitution didn't restrict marriage to a union between a man and a woman--while two other states (Massachusetts and Connecticut) still allow them.  

On the same ballot as Proposition 8 in California, Prop 4 (which would have required parental notification for girls under 18 seeking an abortion and mandated a 48-hour waiting period before the procedure) was rejected 52% to 48%.  In South Dakota, Measure 11 was rejected by 56% of voters although it wasn't an outright abortion ban and had a number of exceptions.  By 3 votes to 1, Colorado's Amendment 48 (which would have defined a "person" from the point of egg fertilization) was defeated... even a number of prominent pro-life activists felt the definition went too far.

Nebraska and Colorado banned affirmative action, although Nebraska's result is currently being challenged in court due to shady signature collecting.  Arizona, Florida, California and Arkansas further reduced rights for gay and lesbian couples. Michigan is allowing medicinal marijuana (too much influence from our northern neighbours eh??) and Massachussetts decriminizlied marijuana.  Massachussetts also decided to keep their state income tax (and by two-thirds!), while Missouri made English the official state language.  And finally, the State of Washington legalized physician assisted suicide for terminally ill patients (Oregon already passed a similar law).

I feel like these propositions best show, for the most part, which direction America's moral compass is facing.  So far the federal government hasn't had to step in on any of these issues, but by taking a look as these ballot initiatives I think you can see what might happen if they did.  I believe we'd uphold Roe v. Wade... all 3 anti-abortion initiatives were struck down, including in South Dakota which already has the strictes abortion laws in the nation!  But on the flip side of that, gay marriage is still, and for the most part will remain, illegal... because all though two states allow it, at least 14 more have rejected the idea.

The rest I point out for interest since I know not many people followed every states ballot initiatives (myself included until I heard about Colorado's Amendment 48)... its interesting to see each state march to its own drum while maintaining some semblance of unity.