Vegas, Marriage Capital of the World, left at the altar on gay weddings
Bill James and Danny Murray waited. As long ago as 2005, they considered tying the knot in Massachusetts. Then, as other states began to recognize same-sex marriage, they thought about doing it in New York, then in Washington, D.C., maybe even in Iowa where Murray’s sister lives.
But the Texas couple really wanted to wed in Las Vegas, where they met at a technology convention in 1988 and have returned almost yearly for their anniversary. They envisioned something over-the-top, perhaps with an Elvis impersonator or Cirque du Soleil performers.
Even as a parade of states and other nations legalized gay marriage via popular vote, legislative action or judicial fiat, the self-proclaimed Marriage Capital of the World remains unavailable to same-sex couples, thanks to a 2002 amendment to its state constitution limiting marriage to a union between heterosexuals.
As loyal as they had been to their Vegas nuptials dream, James and Murray decided they could no longer delay when the IRS decided in August to allow legally wed same-sex couples to file taxes jointly as spouses regardless of where they live. In November, they got hitched in Palm Springs, Calif.
“It’s crazy that Vegas doesn’t allow it, but at some point, you give up and live your life,” said Murray, 60. “I mean, they just started allowing it in Utah. But Nevada remains stuck in the past.”
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/5/-marriage-capitaloftheworldleftatthealtarongayweddings.html
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a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to "man and woman" a number of years ago. It was highly contentious at the time and the amendment was written in so confusing a fashion that it was essentially one of those "vote yes to say no" to it initiatives. Once it passed the first time, it was easier to get it through the second time (I suppose because many figured that it must be okay - or something). So now it is part of the state constitution.
There have been at least three (possibly more) attempts to get legislation to the voters to strike it off, but none have passed the petition stage.
It's embarrassing, frankly. The state that instituted the "quicky divorce"; legalized gaming; legal brothels . . . the state that desperately needs the revenue that would come from expanding the tacky but popular Vegas wedding . . . is the state that has its knickers twisted tighter than Great-Aunt Bertie's industrial grade support stockings.
