Josh in New Orleans

Gay/Lesbian

Poll: 51.8% plan to vote no on question 1

Same-sex marriage is a reality whether written in law or not. You seem to forget it's not a piece of paper, but a vow two people take to spend the rest of their lives with each otherNo, if that were truely the case then procreative viability would be a prerequisite for marriageNot in every state, and indeed, anything but a marriage license is a separate but unequal concept. Domestic partnerships and civil unions do not all afford the same rights as marriage, and furthermore, you didn't get on one knee and ask your wife to Civil Union you! Why should IAs I said, procreative viability is not a criteria for marriage, so this argument is rendered invalid as it applies to the Constitution of the United States! Even Supreme Court Justice Antoine Scalia remarked that it is soExactly. And gay people and lesbian people have kids too. Doesn't matter how it happens, we still have kids to take care ofYes, we can have those things, and do have those things, and the reality is that blood relation is no indicator of who is your family! PeriodNope, not bringing up that argument, but so long as you're going to, why is lack of procreative viability a basis upon which to deny myself of equality under the law, when it is not a criteria that would allow for a heterosexual to be disqualified from marriage? You are in fact advocating unequal treatment under the law for LGBT people.  (9 hrs ago | post #50)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

How can you not? You have said it already! You do not believe that gay and lesbian people deserve equal treatment under the law! I recall that ACLU TOM responded it was a shame you had been brainwashed into thinking some people were more equal than others, and MY response was, "What could I possibly say to THAT?"! I try to enlighten you as to the issues myself and other people like me, and like you face in OUR lives, and the response I get is that you're all for equal treatment, so what? Do you think we're making all this up? I can't be anymore honest and true to the heart with you than I've been with any other person I've met on here. I can tell you're a thinker, you're just not thinkin'!  (9 hrs ago | post #7246)

Gay/Lesbian

Senate Hearing On The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligat...

nods* Some of that is well deserved. Though being a technocrat, I'm not really sure how I fit in with either party. All I know is that nine times out of ten, if I dare vote conservative, then that vote will be my undoing. However, I like some of the conservative ideas. I'm 100% for Second-amendment rights. I think the IRS should be abolished and that one's assets are personal. I am against all manner of welfare and hand-outs in all but situations of health and National Emergency (911, Katrina, Forest fire, Flood etc...). I'm against hate crime law except that we're stuck with hate crime law on the books, so as long as we're going to have it I think that everyone should be included. Affirmative action is little more than an absolutely appalling and brazen attempt at reverse-racist discrimination, and on the matter of abortion I think all abortions after five months of pregnancy should be completely illegal. What gets my goat about Republicans though isn't the core values of the party. It is their attack on my rights as a citizen equal under the law.  (10 hrs ago | post #38)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

Have you ever considered that agents within the Christian community who are politically opposed to LGBT equality might be motivated by true prejudice and power rather than faith itself, and be so vile as to manipulate the faith of others into believing any absurdity that would immediately have the entire congregation galvanized into action over suppressing the rights of another human being? Is it possible? Remember, you are LGBT also. Just because you have taken a vow of celibacy doesn't mean you are no longer a part of our community. The second tenet of the Dallas Principals is we will not leave any part of our community behind. That said, your own rights under the law as a celibate Christian lesbian should be of equal importance to you as equality is to myself.  (10 hrs ago | post #7238)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

An analog to the case of Lisa Miller and her former partner would be any situation where a married heterosexual couple decides they want to have children, but the husband cannot reproduce, so the couple decides on fertility treatments. Years after raising their kid together, the couple decides on divorce, but the mother will not let the father see her child because he's not the biological parent. It really shouldn't matter, because he was the kids father regardless of blood. Within that context, in no court of law would Lisa Miller's argument ever hold water.  (12 hrs ago | post #7234)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

Suppose gay people are going to hell, of course that is not something I believe, but if it were true, then making my life miserable via second-class citizenship and social rejection is only adding insult to injury. By interfering in my personal decision to get married, passing laws making it illegal for my husband and I to adopt, or to even have visitation rights to my own children, laws making it ok to arbitrarily fire someone who is gay, or kick them out the military, denial of spousal benefits to ailing widows and widowers, double taxation and wonton discrimination by family members even, the "gay panic" defense, prison sentences (at least until 2003), and the death penalty albeit not in this country... all of it adds up to a whole lot of oppression I would surmise is a greater sin than the "sinners " these laws are designed to oppress.  (14 hrs ago | post #7227)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

You still don't get it. I'm not asking you to support gay marriage. I'm asking that you support equality. I don't support your religion, but I do support your right to it, and that is NOT the same as "promoting " your faith; only a recognition of your rights in a free society.  (15 hrs ago | post #7207)

Hartford, CT

Groups Want Faith Exemption On Same-Sex Marriage Issue

Theocracy... Theocratic democracy... not much of a difference there. The one flaw in a democracy is what happens when the majority gets to vote away the rights of a minority. It's called tyranny of the majority and its been happening in this country for a long time. Point is, you have no business making up your mind on who is/is not equal under the law... well... at least you're not supposed to... We are all equal, and that is what you stand against by forcing your religious beliefs upon others through the rule of law. Freedom is a God-given right, and what we do with that freedom whether it is what God intended or not, it is still our God given right to make our own decisions. You can support marriage equality without supporting gay marriage just the same as I can support freedom of religion even though I do not support your particular denomination of Christianity.  (17 hrs ago | post #7178)

Gay/Lesbian

Busting the Filibuster And What It May Mean To The LGBT Community

I say this must be poetic justice because during the Bush years, when the Republicans were adamantly refusing to do anything but play partisan politics and the Democrats filibustered, the response was threatening to use "the nuclear option". By that, senate Republicans meant passing legislation that would forever end filibusters.  (18 hrs ago | post #1)

Gay/Lesbian

Senate Hearing On The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligat...

I guess you mean to imply that elections are coming? I'm fairly optimistic about that even if there are a few more Republican candidates. If the Republican party wants to put more social conservatives up for election, it will be their undoing. There's still way too many people reeling from getting Bush-whacked for the last eight years, and a great many moderates in the party are asking themselves if their platform is less government interference in people's lives, then how exactly does the social engineering agenda of the religious right fit in?  (Saturday Dec 12 | post #24)

Gay/Lesbian

Dr. Rick Warren: "potential law is unjust, extreme and un-Chris...

It is a copyright infringement to post the entire article on Topix. If you want to read the whole article just click the source. The blurb posted is only supposed to be a summary.  (Saturday Dec 12 | post #84)

Gay/Lesbian

Dr. Rick Warren: "potential law is unjust, extreme and un-Chris...

Whoops. I think I posted an article that had already been posted.  (Friday Dec 11 | post #72)

Gay/Lesbian

Senate Hearing On The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligat...

Yes, if not bread crumbs, then dog food is a fairly apt analogy... I mean, that dog food is plenty tasty! Everyone wag your tail, hop up and down, and let's be thankful cause we have DOG FOOD!  (Friday Dec 11 | post #15)