DUDES MARRYING DUDES

[DigsySlattery]

Anyone ready for the first big political debate of the new board? Should it be this, with all these states legalizing it and getting things in motion? What's up in Tennessee?

Also, I'm shamefully ignorant on a lot of these topics, so if people have links and stuff, that'd be cool. Is it sad that I get most of my news and info from wikipedia?

[carligula]

The solution lies somewhere in having equal legal rights for all citizens without having to compromise the important institutions of our society-- many of which are based on religious beliefs and traditions.

I'm all for gay civil unions with all the benefits of heterosexual unions, but beyond that, you venture into uncertain territory where Church and State just can't seem to separate.

[Keith]

Meh. Marriage is a legal institution. You can get married at a court house.

I couldn't care less if two dudes marry or what they call it. It doesn't affect me in the slightest. Let them do it. If anything, I just like the idea of something big and progressive happens in my lifetime. I wasn't alive for woman's suffrage or the civil rights movement. I'm excited about something like this happening in my lifetime. I truly believe that the idea of a black person voting was at some point in time equally or more shocking than two members of the same sex marrying, it's just that perspectives change. And that's a good thing.

[DigsySlattery]

I totally agree with Keith. And I really don't care about what laws call it. If civil unions grant 100% of the same rights that marriage does, then fine, the couples themselves can call it marriage if they want. I really don't see any harm in calling it marriage, though, if it does enable the same rights. But I am biased.

[deathscythe257]

the deal with the marriage issue is that certain common (judge-made, precedential) law concepts regarding marital property and various other privileged rights won't be available to civil unions until an "activist" judges panel at the state's highest court decides that such concepts are inclusive of civil unions, and that's only likely to be done in a piece-meal case-by-case basis. until that time a civil union will only confer rights statutorily granted to that general class of partnerships. many rights conferred through marriage are solely common law concepts.

that said, buncha faggots i tell you wut

[Peace Frog]

All for it... and proud to be from Iowa! I point to Iowa legalizing it when anyone wants to look down their noses at "home"

[April]

This place is a total dude party.

I say no marriage for anyone ever.

[DigsySlattery]

This place is a total dude party.

I say no marriage for anyone ever.

You've become so evil since the board came back. So evil.

You are a 

[Tom Foolery]

Marriage is a legal institution.

I totally disagree.  Marriage is a religious institution.  It's one of those traditional Judeo-Christian values that has infected our legal system, and that's what's causing the whole problem.  The religious people see marriage as their institution and, therefore, want to define it to match their values.  Ordinary citizens, however, see it as just another part of our society and don't understand why our live-and-let-live attitudes can't be applied.

I think we need to get serious about separtion of church and state.  Get rid of all laws pertaining to marriage, and let "getting married" be something that only weirdo religious fanatics do... like getting baptized or bar mitzvahed.  Have "civil unions" or "legally-binding partnerships" or "mutually chosen back-ups" or whatever for legal purposes.

[deathscythe257]

personally, i've always thought marriage was antiquated and useless. neither a public display nor a piece of paper is going to make anyone do anything differently. being married doesn't automatically make you an ethical person when it comes to relationships. that said, i'm not opposed to getting married, i just wouldn't be the one to initiate the conversation since i don't care either way.

but marriage is very much a legal institution, whether it was influenced by a judeo-christian ethic or not. i mean, most of our laws come from a judeo-christian ethic, we as a country are a judeo-christian society whether you believe in (any) god or not, but we don't see people calling for the abolishment of laws banning murder because they have justifications that don't rely on god's word. so does marriage - there are all sorts of benefits (mostly to the government and not to the people involved) in having people declare where they are and who they're with and requiring them to take responsibilities to take issues off the plate of the government.

[sinasugarsick]

prop 8 almost made my head explode. 

[Sexy Sadie]

If I really loved a chick, I'd be pretty pissed if I couldn't marry her.  If a chick marries a chick or a dude marries a dude, who is that hurting?  It's not hurting me, so I don't care.  Self-absorbed, religious people think their way is the only way.

[Keith]

And what about all this Miss California nonsense. I find it kind of funny that she's getting so much shit for saying (albeit in a less educated way) pretty much the same thing as our current administration.

[DigsySlattery]

She chooses opposite marriage. Perez Hilton chooses same marriage.

[Juan Horsetown]

How does everyone feel about the Governator and others appealing to the California Supreme Court to overturn Prop 8?

[Sexy Sadie]

And what about all this Miss California nonsense. I find it kind of funny that she's getting so much shit for saying (albeit in a less educated way) pretty much the same thing as our current administration.

She is (obviously) such a dumb, blonde, tan bitch.  You'd think she could have at least spoken eloquently and not have stumbled over her words.  I mean, if you're trying to be Miss USA or America or whatever, at least take some etiquette courses and learn how to not sound like a dumb bitch when speaking on national television.   

But, of course, it's going to work to her advantage.  She's getting so much press it's actually better for her that she screwed herself out of winning.  That's how it works out for people like that.  Now all the conservatives think she's great for speaking her mind.   ...ugh... 

[DigsySlattery]

Now all the conservatives think she's great for speaking her mind.   ...ugh...

All the applause and cheers for her after she said her opinion...I dunno, it was kinda chilling to me. I guess I'm just surrounded by liberals up here in New York that I forget that there are audiences where that statement WOULD be cheered.

[DigsySlattery]

The Terminator has a thing to say about Proposition 8 (also, boo to that).

http://www.bnonews.com/news/332.html