Three years ago today ...

... history was made. Twice.

 Americans voted to elect an African American as President of the United States.
 Californians voted to take fundamental rights away from same-sex couples.

It was for so many of us both the best and worst of times all rolled into one.

From the message HRC President Joe Salmonese issued in November 2008 that still speaks truth:

In 2000, a similar marriage ban in California was passed by a margin of 61% to 39%. So the closeness of this race and the positive shift in public opinion underscores that it is only a matter of time before we add more states to the march for marriage equality. As Obama said last night, “That's the true genius of America – that America can change.”

Yesterday, an unfortunate majority of voters stood with the most extreme and negative elements of society to deny the rights of loving and committed gay and lesbian couples. But it’s not the first time that has happened to us, and it won’t be the last. It doesn’t change the fact that we are married. It doesn’t change the fact that we have families. Make no mistake. We are bowed, but not discouraged. We are sad, but not disheartened. We grieve, but not as those who are without hope.

Remember, our marriages didn’t begin with a decision of the court, and they will not end with a vote of the people.

"We grieve, but not as those who are without hope." Words from 2008 that continue to inform and inspire in 2011 ... as we work to turn hope into reality -- and poll numbers tell us that arc of the universe IS bending toward justice:

Public acceptance of same-sex marriage has grown at an accelerating pace, with approval jumping by nine percentage points in the past two years and the nation now evenly divided on the issue, according to a new Pew Research Center survey released Thursday.

Maybe not as quickly as we would like, but it IS bending. And today ... three years after history was made ... Twice ... we're ready to make it again as the Prop 8 case wends its way through the courts and the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to mark-up the Respect for Marriage Act.

Tick Tock Justice!