On Marriage

[tegdoh]

In 1967 the Supreme Court declared, in Loving vs. the State of Virginia: "Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival.... To deny this fundamental freedom on so unsupportable a basis as the racial classifications embodied in these statutes, classifications so directly subversive of the

Comments

[merryb87]

I strongly agree with you.

Now if only I can get the rest of California to do the same.

[tegdoh]

I think it would have been shot down in California if not for the massively funded, deceptive advertising campaign. Sadly, people are easily frightened.

Thank you for this post

[fthpfthpfthp]

It has been very difficult for me this week to talk about this issue. I have been saddened mainly in seeing the population that has been the most vocal in support of prop. 8: Christians who want to live in a just and moral society. As a gay Christian, I am absolutely heartbroken that these good people refuse (plugging their ears and clinging to lies) to acknowledge the harm they are inflicting on their own ideals; their chance at a just and moral world

Re: Thank you for this post

[tegdoh]

Knowing what mixed emotions I've had all week long, I can only imagine how you must feel. I only wish I could do more.

[katyscarlett76]

I agree with you completely. I think it's acceptable for the church itself to impose what restrictions it sees fit on who can and can't get married under their roof (I don't necessarily agree with that but I do see that it should be up to the church)but I don't see why that has to affect civil marriages.

If two people, who are of age, want to make a public declaration of their love and legally tie their lives together, then I think they should be allowed to regardless of their sexual orientation or any other characteristic.

Over here we have Civil Partnerships for gay people and I really don't understand what the difference is to civil marriage. As far as I can see it's the same thing only named differently. Call a spade a spade is what I say.

[tegdoh]

As far as I can see it's the same thing only named differently. Call a spade a spade is what I say.

That's the rub, isn't it? Even with domestic partnerships you're basically saying to gay couples, "What you have isn't really a marriage, you're not really equal to us, but we'll let you have a few benefits. Happy now?"

Still, I wish we were half as far along on this journey as is most of Europe. *sigh*

[vjs2259]

I agree with all of this, and also agree I don't know what to do about it. It's inexplicable that people can't see this for what it is. Unfair. Discrimnatory. Cruel.
My sister has never officially come out to my parents, tho her orientation is acknowledged without discussion, and her partner accepted in the family. I can still remember when she and a past partner kept a spare room set up as a pretend bedroom. We're just roommates! Really! The cognitive dissonance when I hear my mother speak against gay marriage is amazing. Course I remember my grandfather making casual racist remarks, qualifying them with statements like, 'of course, I'm not talking about George. George is okay; he's not like the rest.' Sigh.

[tegdoh]

The fact that my brother is gay is the elephant in the room at all family gatherings. My folks are perfectly okay with it, but my dad's family are evangelical Christians who "love the sinner but not the sin." I honestly don't know what will happen if my brother ever actually finds someone to spend his life with.

[mrstater]

While I agree that no one's right to marry should be denied, I wonder what the government should have to do with marriage at all, actually. Shouldn't that be a contract between me and my partner? Have a church wedding if you believe marriage is sacred, but otherwise civil unions would do the trick? It's not something I ever thought about before I got married, but even as a heterosexual, I'm starting to wonder why I had to obtain a government license in order to be with Mr. Tater!

[tegdoh]

MrTegdho agrees with you 100%. When we were married he was initially against getting a license, just wanted to have the Quaker ceremony. But I was a scardy cat and wanted that slip of paper with all of the protections it contained

[mrstater]

I think on a very fundamental equality level, denying that gay couples are "married," even in states that allow civil unions, is separate but not equal all over again. Doesn't it imply that their relationship is not as "real" as ours, somehow?

No, I totally agree with you on that. They are being treated as inferior relationally. The same marital status should be extended to everyone, period. But it would really be better, IMO, for government not to be involved at all, in anyone's marriages, and those unions all be recognized as legitimate.