Comments on: The Domino Effect

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:02:39 +0000

Damn. You’re right. I’m sorry I left that out. It’s always something. Might have to attack that ridiculous “argument” some day soon.

By: Mireille

Mireille — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:55:33 +0000

Just a note that while NH may have voted for same sex marriage, they did vote 24-0 against protections based on gender identity partly due to the more and more popular “men in the ladies room” argument. So… while great, there is still a ways to go.

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:26:37 +0000

JD, they get mad whenever gay rights (or minority rights of any kind) are secured, period. It just so happens the constitution tends to be on the side of progress, so they go with the "activist judges" attack (when it suits them).

By: sarah.of.a.lesser.god

sarah.of.a.lesser.god — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:07:40 +0000

@BeckySharper: Doesn’t MA have the lowest divorce rate in the country? That kind of goes against the idea that gay marriage will ruin the institution for teh breeders.

By: jdregent

jdregent — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:01:26 +0000

I never understood why anti-gay marriage activists get up in arms over the fact that gay rights are sometimes secured by the judiciary. It’s kind of the whole point of having constitutions and courts in order to check the democratic power of majorities and protect the rights of minorities like gays. It was the same thing with the civil rights movement. The only fucking thing I even remember learning in social studies and history for my entire public school education through high school was the separation of the branches of government, so I am sure these people have heard of it.

By: Tersa

Tersa — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:54:13 +0000

It seems like the north east part of the country saw what happened with prop 8 in California, said “hey, that’s messed up.” and then went about fixing their own states. Very awesome.

By: ShinyObjects

ShinyObjects — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:34:28 +0000

It’s important that in Vermont (and, I hope, ME and NH), it was the legislature that enacted the change. This removes the “legislating from the bench” argument that gets conservatives all up in arms. The legislators are representatives of the people, and were elected by the people. A lot less to whine about. I’m sure there will be some nasty campaigns come election time against those who voted “yes,” but by that point, I hope, citizens will realize that their quality of life hasn’t actually gotten worse just because of teh gayz, as Becky said.

By: jdregent

jdregent — Fri, 01 May 2009 15:11:53 +0000

Yeah I do think there is a lot of groupthink on this issue and when the tide begins to turn a lot of people just sort of fall in line. I also think that truly anti-gay marriage folks are few but vocal and were over-empowered during the Bush years so it seemed like there were more of them.

By: BeckySharper

BeckySharper — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:54:48 +0000

I think that as soon as people see that other states are doing it and it doesn’t cause the kind of social upheaval the crazies predict, then people’s resistance begins to fade.

There’s been gay marriage in MA now for years and what’s happened? NOTHING. That’s the best argument possible.

It’s the same as when black and white kids started attending school together. What happened? NOTHING.

By: sarah.of.a.lesser.god

sarah.of.a.lesser.god — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:39:28 +0000

I hope this means the dominos are falling. I can't help but get so paranoid that the other shoe will drop, like it eventually did in California. But I smiled a lot after reading this article about two women in Iowa who got married after 14 years together and three children.