Читать книгу If You Love Baltimore, It Will Love You Back - Ron Cassie - Страница 28

Inner Harbor

Market Place

November 6, 2012

16. Weddings Rings

If we pass gambling and not this, I’m moving to D.C., a woman jokes, or maybe half-jokes, inside Marylanders for Marriage Equality election night party at the Baltimore Soundstage.

At 10:25 p.m., news on the large-projection T.V. reports that with almost 70 percent of the precincts still out, the margin supporting gay marriage has slipped to 51-49 percent. Nearby, Dawn Trotter claps to boost her own spirits as much as anything else. Others search Facebook and Twitter for updates. At 10:40 p.m., 50-50 on Question 6 scrolls across the screen. Trotter, elbows on the table, hands covering her mouth, leans into her friend Colleen Pleasant Kline: “50-50,” she whispers.

Wearing her lucky, purple Ravens T-shirt—partly in homage to linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo, who publicly supports gay marriage rights—Trotter sips a Coors Light. Her partner, Diana Bennett, two seats away, takes the news more stoically. In between, Kline, the couple’s Hunting Ridge neighbor, seems most nervous of all. “They said if it passes, I can officiate,” she says, smiling to break the mounting tension.

At 11:17 p.m., the crowd leaps to its feet as Barack Obama, who came out in favor same-sex marriage this summer is reelected as the 44th President of the United States. “What ever happens,” says Bennett quietly, referring to Question 6 and hugging Trotter, “it’s validation.”

And, then, a few minutes later, it’s 51 percent in favor again, now with nearly three-fourths of the state majority reporting in favor. But still, no official word.

Finally, at 12:16 p.m., although WBAL still hasn’t “called” Question 6, Del. Maggie McIntosh, Del. Mary Washington, Del. Luke Clippinger, state Sen. Rich Mandelino, and Del. Heather Mizeur—five openly gay legislators—as well as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Gov. Martin O’Malley take the stage to announce the passage of Question 6 beneath yellow and black balloons that have been waiting all night to be released. Along with Maine, Washington, and Minnesota, Marylanders are among the first-ever to support gay marriage at the polls.

Dawn embraces Diana, and at the same time, tries to video record the celebration on stage with little success. The iPhone in her hand is shaking. Tears are running down her cheeks.