To sing, ‘The times they are a-changing’

It would be apropos for 1960s singing legend Bob Dylan to book a tour through the Deep South, putting Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, at the top of the list. The name of the tour would be “The Times They Are A-Changin” named after his hit song of 1963. Indeed, times are changing nationally, but more specifically in the Deep South after two U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

It took the highest court in the land to drag Louisiana into the 21st Century with its decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states. As expected, the Pelican State did not go quietly into the night. Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal, looking for any issue to enhance his delusional bid for the Republican presidential nomination, was the first to climb to the mountain top of prejudice and scream foul for all the world to hear.

Soon, he was joined by state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, the Democratturned-Republican who is facing a tough re-election battle, Republican members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, Republican presidential candidates, and even ministers of God, both black and white. The sky is falling, they yelled, and opined the institution of marriage between a man and a woman, of which 50 percent end in divorce, is now doomed.

Before the Supreme Court decision, 37 states – none in the Deep South – had legalized same-sex marriage. National polls show that 60 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage and a like number say individual states should not be allowed to define marriage as only between a man and a woman. In Louisiana, a poll by Public Policy Polling, revealed 54 percent said they support either marriage or civil unions for same-sex couples. Even in Louisiana!

Jindal, who is at two percent in the GOP presidential primary polls and once called the Republican Party “the stupid party,” leaped over the barricade and joined his fellow “stupid party” members by saying it is time to abolish the Supreme Court. He and Caldwell proclaimed clerks of court could refuse to issue licenses to same-sex couples.

Well, that is until pro-LGBT organizations threatened to file a lawsuit. Spooked by the threat, some clerks of court began issuing licenses. But the exclamation point was added by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, where Jindal had hung his hat hoping for approval of a ban on gay marriage in the state, a ban which had been upheld by a Louisiana District Court. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the bans on same-sex marriage to be lifted in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling supersedes lower court rulings and overrides state law.

This battle was won for LGBT members, but the war is far from over.

Even a Supreme Court ruling cannot change people who have prejudice and hatred in their hearts. Texas, for example, is trying to pass a law which would allow only ordained religious ministers to perform marriage ceremonies, thinking that would be one way to stop same-sex marriages. But many ministers of different faiths have already said they will follow the law and perform same-sex marriages. Such a law would likely be unconstitutional. Certainly, justices of the peace will fight it. Give it up, Texas.

The other Supreme Court decision which riled Republicans and the Deep South was upholding key pillars of Obamacare. The ruling upholds government assistance for lowerincome Americans buying health insurance through both state-operated and federally-run health insurance exchanges. It was the second time the Supreme Court validated Obamacare.

Here again, Republicans were quick to decry the decision, I suppose, because it has the name “Obama” in it. Because of the decision, nearly 138,000 in Louisiana will continue to receive federal subsidies that help pay for their health insurance.

Both decisions won majority approval from Americans. On Obamacare, 63 percent approved of the Supreme Court’s action. And 59 percent said they backed the ruling which made samesex marriages legal in all 50 states.

Support for each ruling is sharply divided by party, as one would expect. Most Democrats and Independents praised both decisions, while most Republicans, as one would expect, opposed both. I am waiting with bated breath for Republicans to approve of something – anything – that does not only benefit the rich.

A Dust-Up in DA’s Race

Last issue, I discussed the upcoming race for Caddo District Attorney. A controversy has risen over a full-page ad in the June 24 issue of The Forum. The ad said, “Judge James Stewart ... Run James Run ... District Attorney.” But government watchers immediately noticed the ad did not say who paid for it, although it did give an email address where one could show support for Judge James Stewart.

The ad has raised questions. It was determined that attorney Ross Owen paid for the ad. But did Stewart know about and/or approve the ad? If he did, that would be a judicial no-no. It is known that black leaders and ministers are meeting behind closed doors with the objective of electing a black district attorney. But several politicos view the ad for Stewart as being somewhat underhanded.

Lou Gehrig Burnett, an award-winning journalist, has been involved with politics for 44 years and was a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for 27 years. He also served as executive assistant to former Shreveport Mayor Bo Williams. Burnett is the publisher of the weekly “FaxNet Update” and can be reached at 861-0552 or louburnett@comcast.net.