Today, President Obama endorsed legislative efforts to pass marriage equality in the state of Rhode Island. White House spokesperson Shin Inouye provided the following statement to the Washington Blade:

INOUYE: While the President does not weigh in on every measure being considered by the states, he believes all couples should be treated fairly and equally, with dignity and respect. As he has said, his personal view is that it’s wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships, and want to marry, from doing so.

Obama similarly expressed support for marriage equality legislation in Illinois last month.

In addition to the House and Senate bills to pass marriage equality in Rhode Island, state Sen. Frank Ciccone (D) plans to introduce a bill to put the question to a voter referendum. This option would lead to expensive campaigns that damage the mental health of the state’s LGBT community. As such, Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I) has said that he would veto a referendum bill because he believes lawmakers are elected to make such decisions.

Recognizing that the state’s civil unions were a “complete failure,” Chafee issued an executive order last May requiring state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. An October poll showed that 56 percent of Rhode Island voters support marriage equality.

Though Catholic leaders continue to attack same-sex marriage in Rhode Island, a group of over 100 religious leaders from 13 different denominations throughout the state has come together to support equality. The interfaith group outlines the following tenets in their endorsement of the freedom to marry:

• The most fundamental human need is the supportive love of other human beings, and that love is demonstrated in many ways.
• The arc of God’s universe is toward justice, and we are called from out of our faith to pursue civil rights and fairness for all people.
• The Divine, known by many names, does not ever side with expressions of hate or acts of discrimination.
• The misuse of sacred texts or traditions to deny justice is wrong.
• The freedom of religious belief and practice is paramount for a solid and healthy society.
• The individuals entrusted with civic authority should not impose their personal religious beliefs, or any one interpretation of religious beliefs, on society as a whole, nor use them to deny rights to peoples.

Indeed, the support for equality from people of faith highlights how fraudulent the “religious freedom” argument used by its opponents truly is. While the Catholic Church and others will be free not to solemnize same-sex marriages after a law passes, until then faiths that do celebrate those unions are not able to do so with any legal binding. If anything, a “religious freedom” argument benefits the pro-equality clergy, whose alliance is essential to achieving social justice for all same-sex couples.

Another day brings another anti-gay condemnation from a Catholic bishop. Over the weekend, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island published his own screed attacking the proposed advance of marriage equality, claiming that same-sex marriage constitutes “immoral activity” and that the government should impose the Church’s beliefs upon all of society. In addition to raising familiar concerns about the “religious freedom” to discriminate according to individuals’ consciences, Tobin went on to attack the very notion that gays and lesbians exist, let alone deserve civil rights:

A final point. If we are in fact forced to discuss the nature of matrimony in our state, it should be placed before the general public in a referendum. The proposal to redefine marriage as a fundamental structure in our culture is a very serious issue with profound consequences. I suspect that people on both sides of the issue agree with that. On a question of this magnitude, then, the people of this state should decide as they have in many other states. Let us vote!

Some have argued that the “civil rights” of the minority should not be determined by the vote of the majority. I challenge that premise though. What is the source of this so-called “civil right?” Where is the moral or legal “right” to marry a person of the same gender found? It certainly has not been part of the human experience, of human history. Is it simply the personal happiness or fulfillment of individuals, the “right to do whatever I want to do?” If that’s the argument, it opens up all sorts of other social experiments for us, doesn’t it?

Indeed, this is the archaic view through which opponents of equality view the lived experiences of people with same-sex orientations. According to the Catholic Church, people who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual don’t have real identities and are not entitled to real lives; they are simply selfish hedonists trying to corrupt society who should be condemned to chastity. The Church and its hierarchy refuse to acknowledge the millions of individuals who have committed to a same-sex life partner to build a life together, raise children, and participate in a community like all of its other families, a point of view lacking in any sense of compassion, charity, or good will.

But of course, Tobin doesn’t see it that way:

It’s important to emphasize once again, however, that while rejecting homosexual activity, the Catholic Church has consistently promoted respect and pastoral care for individuals with same-sex attraction. They are children of God and our brothers and sisters. They are invited to be members of our churches. It is our very concern for their spiritual welfare, however, that motivates our rejection of the homosexual lifestyle and same-sex marriage.

There is no “respect,” “concern,” or “pastoral care” offered in declaring that an entire community of people is destroying society simply for loving.

With Tuesday’s sweeping pro-LGBT victories in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington state, marriage equality will be the law of the land in eight or nine states and the District of Columbia. Another five states have civil unions laws. The National Organization for Marriage, along with other anti-equality organizations, have lost their principal talking point and can no longer claim that every time voters considered marriage, equality loses — so it seems likely the number of states recognizing same-sex couples will continue to climb in the upcoming year.

Here are some states that could consider the issue in the near future:

1. Colorado: While a 2006 constitutional amendment prevents the state legislature from enacting marriage equality, a civil unions bill was only defeated this year thanks to stunning maneuvers by Colorado Speaker of the House Frank McNulty (R) to thwart the majority in his chamber. McNulty lost his majority Tuesday and his likely successor as Speaker, openly gay Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D), is the bill’s chief backer. Polling shows 70 percent of Coloradans support legal recognition for same-sex couples, so movement on this appears likely in 2013.

2. Minnesota: Not only did Minnesota voters defeat a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex unions Tuesday, they also flipped control of both the state House of Representatives and Senate. The Republican majorities who pushed the marriage inequality amendment onto the ballots will be replaced by a new Democratic majority in each chamber. With Gov. Mark Dayton (D) a strong supporter of marriage equality and a clear popular mandate for marriage equality evident from the amendment vote, Minnesota could also potentially move on this in 2013.

3. Rhode Island: With Tuesday’s victory in Maine, Rhode Island is now the only state in New England without marriage equality. With polling showing more than 56 percent of voters in the Ocean State favoring full marriage equality — instead of the state’s existing weak civil unions law — openly gay state Speaker of the House Gordon Fox (D) has promised to bring up a marriage equality bill next year. Tuesday’s Rhode Island legislative races saw “significant and undeniable gains,” for the pro-marriage-equality side, according to supporters.

4. Illinois: Since Gov. Patrick Quinn (D) backs marriage equality and popular support is surging for moving from civil unions for full marriage, state legislators are pondering a bill for 2013.

5. Delaware: Gov. Jack Markell (D) was re-elected with nearly 70 percent of the vote on Tuesday. He has called the transition from civil unions to marriage equality “inevitable” and expects the legislature to take it up in 2013.

6. Ohio: With poll numbers showing growing support, citizens in Ohio are working to repeal the state’s 2004 marriage inequality amendment and are trying to place an amendment on the ballot in 2013 to replace it with pro-equality language.

7. New Jersey: Though Gov. Chris Christie (R) vetoed a bill to move from civil unions to full marriage equality last February, the state continues to support the idea. Christie has proposed putting the measure up for a vote, though the success of the initiative may depend on the 2013 New Jersey gubernatorial and legislature election results.

With the Supreme Court set to consider whether to take up the Proposition 8 case in California later this month, the citizens of the nation’s most populous state could also once see marriage equality in the near future. The high court is also expected to decide on a challenge to the unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act, which could create new protections for all same-sex couples across the country.

Despite the best efforts of anti-equality groups to defeat President Obama and an array of pro-marriage equality Democrats, Tuesday’s results show that the American electorate will no longer be fooled by the gay-baiting homophobic attacks that obstructed progress on this issue for the past two decades.