Your thoughts on gay marriage?

[rflagg]

Since Danny is bored today, I thought I'd try to liven things up by asking this. I'm kind of curious to see if Prius owners are the same as the rest of our nation - split, basically - on this issue.

Myself, being gay, I'm for it. I think that since no church or religion will be 'forced' to have gay weddings (just as they don't force hindu/islamic weddings at all churches), and also that since I am a human being no different from anyone else, I feel it should be my right to share my good and bad times with my partner in the eyes of the law. Civil unions or domestic partnerships won't cut it, just as segregation didn't cut it. I'm not saying that gays are facing the same limitations that blacks did - but regardless, they are facing limitations and laws that specifically deny rights in a country where 'all men are created equal'.

The civil disobedience going on in San Fran is a great thing, because it's bringing the argument to the forefront. I am hopeful that these attempts to bring forth changes will result in just that for our country. However, looking at our history I know it'll be a long, hard, uphill battle that will most likely be filled with anger, hatred, ignorance, fear, and hardships. Now, the question is, how do you feel about it?

-m.

[Z100Stick]

rflagg,

I totally agree with you. I especially hate when people say that we're looking for "special treatment" or "special laws". I don't want anything different than what other men or women have. If I can vote, work, go to prison, and do everything else a man can do, then I should be able to marry who I want.

Michael

[jeffrey]

I live in Massachusetts and I'm proud of the fact that our state was the first one in the country to say the obvious: Separate is seldom equal. Now it is a little disappointing that it took a ruling of the Supreme Judicial Court, but it doesn't matter, it still stands.

I find it absolutely INCREDIBLE that anyone would want to put into our constitution, the oldest living constitution in the world (we pre-date the US by six years), any kind of discrimination.

Lastly, how would any two people who love each other, and who want to make it official to the world, pose any kind of a threat to anyone?

Peace

[RobertO]

Dudes:

I happen to be straight but I also happen to know that, constitutionallyanyway, straights, gays, lesbians, Abasynnian Baptists, Mormons, Copts, Agnostics, hermits, and meter maids are all Citizens first, ethnic or otherwise declared later.

I belive strongly that ANY two people who are hard-working, building a life, paying taxes, contributing to the community and are half-assed squared away (wish I was...), let them marry, if only in a Civil ceremony- at least.

Let them share in each others fortune, good or bad just as do heterosexuals; 401K's, mortgage titles, automobile registration, trusts, ski condos, life insurance, whatever. WHAT is the big deal, here?

Now I know that banks and other financial institutions would prefer that "unsettled" estate proceeds go to the institution if it's not a conventional marriage. Just another form of usury/theft etc. sanctioned by congress and the senate. and, the Whiet House too, come to think of it.

Time for this country to calm down, grow up and move on into the PRESENT century with it's attention a stuff that's actually mission critical, like employment, deteriorating infrastructure, infant mortality, offshoring, air quality, get it?

Oh - and I agree that this string is off-topic and should be moved away from Prius stuff.

Bob

[efusco]

Ok, either the conservatives/anti-gay rights folks are hiding or there's a trend forming here!

I'm actually enjoying the hell out of this whole ordeal. The funny thing is watching those opposed to gay marriage try to skirt the issue of their flagrant anti-homosexual bias by couching their beliefs in some vague 'degrading of the institution of marrige'. What an absolute joke. There is nothing to suggest that heterosexual marriage is the sacred institution it was once believed to be. I'm not sure gays will have any lower divorce rate than heterosexuals, many of those relationships seem to be as rocky as heterosexuals, but there most certainly isn't anything to suggest it would/could do any harm to something already so damaged.

Getting back to what I think is funny about all this is that we have been through the exact same arguments in our history when it came to women's sufferage, and civil rights for blacks. Somehow those in power proclaimed their moral and intellectual superiority as the reason for restricting the rights and priveledges of others. Then, once that argument was revealed for what it was we tried the seperate but equal thing--clearly that was wrong too. Have we grown and learned from those past mistakes--hell no; it's all happening again with gays.

Granted, for many this issue is a tough one to grasp. Gays have been around since time immemorial, but only in the past decade or two have they been open. And in only the past 5-10 years have they started fighting for an equal place without discrimination in our society.

This'll probably get me in a little hot water, but I honestly think that some of the stereotyping and discrimination has been brought on by the gay community themselves. The flamboyant gays of the 90s with the leather pants and no seat, ultra-dyke lesbians, sex in road-side rest areas, the hamster issues all created an aura of "Gays are perverts" that was easy for heterosexuals to grab hold of as a defensive tool rather than face the issue of gay love in the pure form that is also exists.

I applaud these efforts, I'm sure they'll succeed, but it won't come fast or easily. Too many people too 'calm in their right' who hold sway over too many people in power to let a smaller constituency push the gay rights issues too fast. And maybe that's good. I'm not sure our society is ready, everywhere, to accept homosexuality--it'll take time for true acceptance and in the long haul I think gradual acceptance is better than having things forced upon those unwilling to have an issue forced on them. We do not need to see a anti-homosexual KKK type uprising in this country right now, we've got other extrinsic issues that need our attentions far more so gays and every other minority group can continue to fight for the rights they so desire.

sorry, got long winded again.

[Dianne]

I believe that "Live and let live" on this subject is the best way to put it. I am all for those wanting their marital partner to be the same sex as them, well, why not?

I also believe that no one "turns" gay -- you either are or you are not -- it's in your DNA and blueprint. There are just people who figure it out later than others.

I am all for Gay Marriage. After all, if you could live conventionally and not put up with the hassle, questions, and in some cases, contempt and unfavorable responses to your truth, why wouldn't you? I often try and explain that... why WOULD you choose this life(style)? If one could live life "regular" like many others we all see/know, etc, wouldn't one choose the path of lesser resistance and less contempt? The reward for living your truth and being happy should be just that -- the freedom to be with your lifemate as a married couple if that is what you so choose.

Di

[jkash]

What I am enjoying watching is the civil disobedience that is going on. I've heard a lot of people say, "Well, it's against the law." Of course, so too were the marches by women in 1913 to gain the right to vote, sit-ins in Mobile at the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement, and the protests over Vietnam. Henry David Thoreau would be pleased.

Jeff

[penpendisarapen]

I was born in San Francisco, lived in San Francisco, worked in San Francisco, and currently still reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. That should say enough about my views.

I'm actually a very religious and active Catholic. I have no problems with my religion not allowing gay marriages, but have a big problem with the government not providing equal rights to any group. Gay couples should have every right to be recognized by law as married, every right to have the same health benefits and tax breaks as any other married couple, and should be able to enjoy every priviledge any other couple enjoys.

As a Christian, I found it absurd that suppposed Christians from Kansas travelled all the way to SF to picket in front of City Hall yesterday, carrying signs that read "GOD HATES FAGS!" This is totally opposite to all of Christ's teachings. These Christian fundamentalists aren't too far off from those Islamic fundamentalists who hate America.

I think that all this talk by Bush about protecting the institution of marriage is just as absurd. It's kind of silly to disallow a loving gay couple the right to marry, while in Las Vegas you can get a drive-thru divorce, Britney Spears can be married and divorced within a few hours, and Liz Taylor can change husbands as often as she changes her shoes. I have gay friends who've been together longer that most other marriages.

[Dave]

A dear friend gave me a small bumper sticker for my new Prius this afternoon. It says:

LOVE > FEAR

Yes, this issue will be a struggle. Some say that this isn't the right time to push for gay marriage. I say that it's always the right time to affirm love for another. I say thank you to Gavin Newsom and all those who help to break down the walls of hatred and fear.

Happy motoring!

[starla30]

great topic. everyone's allready discussed it far better than i could so i'll just throw my support behind what's allready been said. i'm proud to live in massachussetts where the gov't finally stated the obvious about gay rights.