SSM Sandlappers

Well, it's not exactly a race through the jungle wearing your meat suit, but doing same-sex marriage rights in South Carolina takes some conviction and guts. In a different century, I attended college there and found long hair and an earring got me in plenty of fights. Standing up to chant for Marriage Equality week in Columbia is a step up.

According to a short in The State, which many of us in J-school used to refer to as The Snake, the week's calendar only manages two events:

• TODAY:10 a.m.— group of same-sex couples will gather at the Richland County courthouse to attempt to get marriage licenses.

• THURSDAY:7 p.m. — Town hall meeting on marriage equality, Room 231, Gambrell Hall, USC campus.

The local UU (of course) fellowship hosted an interdenominational rally for marriage equality. Let us assume that no Southern Baptist ministers rallied there, but many dudes and dudettes from the nearby university did.

So far, the LeftyBlogs posters there haven't covered the events. Maybe they'll do the two events and haven't gotten their coverage of the service up there. Let's hope it's not because they don't care or have written off the pending vote.

This is a tough year. Not only has South Carolina not passed gay rights legislation, but it is trying to put a DoMA amendment in its constitution through the November 7th election. Details are at the South Carolina Equality Coalition.

It's weird enough being in Massachusetts, where many still muddle civil contract and civil rights with religious beliefs and rituals. Mind your own business is not likely to cut it in South Carolina.