Equal Rights for Gay Americans Are Inevitable

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Mario of CA
We are not talking slavery here. Though I catch your drift. Marriage license is like drivers license. States have control of setting the rules. Been voted on and gays can get married in some States and others NOT (what 32 ?). If you were correct would expect Supreme Court to step in as they did in Roe vs Wade. Issue has been around A LONG TIME. Time will tell.
buma on a "whim" was against now for same sex marriage (near election time). In the privacy of my home I can have sex with my sister. (Not a 10 year old). But can not marry (a infringement on my civil liberties ?).
My rights are limited by government. Just like yours. I rather drive my car on public streets without buying car insurance. But NOOOO...

Bill Hedges of MO 9:43PM May 17, 2012

TO RELATIVISTS MARIO AND DAVID... AND THOSE TO COME....
"Marriage" has always meant a union between man and woman. It has NEVER meant ANYTHING else.
Homosexuality was common in the ancient world... In many cultures there was no stigma attached to it. But even 3000 years ago no one suggested unifying hetrosexual marriage and homosexual unions under one word. That "need" is a recent product of dogmatic, intolerant, political correctness.
People who want to marry others of their gender need to come up with their own name for their "unique" union.
You want the same rights as hetro couples - you got 'em. Just stop trying to change the definition of "marriage" to validate your alternate lifestyle. An "alternate lifestyle" requires an alternate name.
Should we call people who abort their babies moms, dads and parents so that they can feel better about themselves? I mean we wouldn't want them to feel left out of the parenthood thing - after all they were technically parents of the child they killed.
Dilution of words/language for the sake of political correctness and the appeasement of yet another victim class is subjective, relativist horse manure. Words have meaning - learn to live with it.

R.L. Schaefer of CA 9:28PM May 17, 2012

Bill Hedge of MO - Stephen Douglas's argued for "popular sovereignty" -- the notion that states, especially former territories entering the Union, could vote slavery "up" or "down" as they saw fit.
Lincoln saw what a fatuous argument "popular sovereignty" was -- that it really is the destruction of self-government to allow fundamental rights to be determined by the whims of a majority. The Declaration precedes the Constitution. "All men are created equal" is the necessary preface to "We the People."

Mario of CA 8:34PM May 17, 2012

Mario of CA _ A young relative was telling my Mom awhile back about his GREEN EFFORTS. THE new thing. My Mom praised him. Once he left, she told me they did that during WW 2. Few things new under the Sun...
As much as things have changed, they are THE SAME. There are good and bad husbands and wives. Some listen to their mate and some don't. There were gay folks in my younger days. And ancient Rome.
Somehow you did not read my last comment (timing maybe). Applies to your comment:
In certain States heterosexual young folks can marry. But not in others. Age requirement you see differs. Certain family members can not marry each other. Is it 32 States that voted down same sex marriage ? Failed in CA thanks to buma being against.
You can argue YOUR BEST FOR same sex marriage. If on ballot voters will decide. If your personal love one is of same sex and you want recognition of a marriage piece of paper, I suggest you move to State that recognizes same sex marriage. Or wait and see what happens in CA. WHERE IT FAILED.
Different States DO HAVE different laws. On same sex marriage and other things. Constitution allows unless Supreme Court rules differently...

Bill Hedges of MO 7:27PM May 17, 2012

@R.L. SCHAEFER You must be very young because this talking point ("changing the meaning of words") is so elementary. The meaning of words change all the time. Marriage as it is known today has evolved ooooohhh so many different ways throughout the world and throughout time. Have any of those changes affected your marriage? Are you more married or less married because of them? Perhaps the redefinition of marriage has affected you and you're angry because you can no longer treat your significant other as your slave or mere property. Seriously... stop ignoring history for your feeble and pathetic attempt to create a narrative that conforms to your bigoted world view. Separate is not equal!

Mario of CA 6:43PM May 17, 2012

David in Houston of TX
In certain States heterosexual young folks can marry. But not in others. Age requirement you see differs. Certain family members can not marry each other. Is it 32 States that voted down same sex marriage ? Failed in CA thanks to buma being against.
You can argue YOUR BEST FOR same sex marriage. If on ballot voters will decide. If your personal love one is of same sex and you want recognition of a marriage piece of paper, I suggest you move to State that recognizes same sex marriage. Or wait and see what happens in TX. Have no idea what their law is on this.
Different States DO HAVE different laws. On same sex marriage and other things. Constitution allows unless Supreme Court rules differently...

Bill Hedges of MO 6:30PM May 17, 2012

well at 51 - I Hope I live long enough to See real equality in America....the Meme of Liberty & Justice for ALL seems very empty..empty words that make our country sound better then it really is ..in Reality......and like David Boise and ted Olson have said - you can't have a patchwork of Rights for a Minority..married in one state, travel to the next and your Not married with Zero Protections.......no one wants to marry in Hate churches.....just like now, they can pick and choose whom they marry...LGBT Americans want access to City Halls,justice of the peace, and Gay Affirming churches..period.

Disgusted American of NJ 6:24PM May 17, 2012

‎8 years ago today, my husband and I were interviewed by the local Albany television news stations, local radio stations and newspapers for being the first same-sex couple in North Adams to legally apply for our marriage license. The town clerk refused to let the press into her office, making them wait out in the hall saying she felt we would like some privacy for such an auspicious moment. She led us to another room where we filled out the form away from the prying eyes and cameras. She smiled at us, shook our hands and congratulated us before we went back out to the throng of reporters. The world didn't end. Our neighbors marriages didn't end. The couples on our street continued having children. No heterosexual families were harmed in the creation of our marriage. Our lives became became more intwined. Our families grew closer. And Massachusetts continues to have the lowest divorce rates in the nation. Just sayin'.

Stephen Collingsworth of MA 6:21PM May 17, 2012

@ RL: Young people have friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers that are gay, that's why marriage equality is a non-issue for them. It has nothing to do with being P.C. or getting "indoctrinated" (code for: thinking for themselves, instead of the church doing their thinking)
Traditions and the meaning of words change all the time. Women used to be considered chattel in marriages, and interracial marriage didn't even exist 60 years ago. We also used to have a tradition of using black people as slaves. Luckily, our society became more enlightened.
This meme that says that marriage is somehow being "redefined" doesn't pass the smell test. Same-sex marriage already exists in our country, and your marriage (if you happen to be married) hasn't been redefined at all; or does it only get "redefined" if gay couples can marry in your particular state? Perhaps you can explain this special phenomenon where your marriage is impacted if and only if your state allows gay couples to marry?

David in Houston of TX 5:27PM May 17, 2012

"Young Americans support the full force of freedom for gays by an overwhelming margin."
Young people always think they're smarter than they are. Older folks tend to think a little deeper. Life experience is usually a better teacher than pop culture and the politically correct indoctrination kids get at our colleges and universities.
"Freedom" and "equal rights" does not mean that the traditional definition of words needs to be subjectively changed to accommodate the fragile sensibilities of yet another "victim class".
Civil Unions are fine - but changing the meaning of words in order to pander to relativist , progressive whiners is just more p.c. nonsense.

R.L. Schaefer of CA 2:14PM May 17, 2012