Politics: Mixed Messages

In some ways, Obama's victory in this year's election was a landslide, especially after the relatively close contests in 2004 and 2000. But a glance at some of the most contentious measures on the ballots this year - state constitutional amendments banning gay marriage - shows that the platitudes of "hope" and "change" may apply only to Obama, not to same-sex couples wishing to have equal status under the law.

Ironically, the understandably high turnout of black voters this year helped lead to the adoption of many of these amendments. Many black voters, despite toeing the Democratic line on most issues, are also overwhelmingly against gay marriage. One minority putting another in its place...so much for "change." For committed libertarians, it was a dismaying result.