People's thoughts on Gay Marriage

In an attempt to be socially relevant, I asked my Facebook friends to write me what they thought about the gay marriage decision. I was hoping more would write, but the responses I did get were really great (Thanks guys!):

From Scott:

1) Thoughts on Gay Marriage

Every person should have the same rights as every other person. These rights should not be denied based upon religious or cultural traditions. Makes sense, right?

2) Prop 8

People should not be able to vote on eliminating the rights of a minority population. That makes sense too, no?

3) Interpretation of the ruling

Did what was asked of them. I didn't read the ruling, but I'm sure there was nothing controversial. Upheld that CA voter's votes count and legally married couples can't be unmarried overnight. Pretty easy. Hopefully the issue will move on to a higher court and the ball will keep rolling.

4) What should be done now?

a) Wait on putting an initiative on the ballot until 2012. More younger voters will come into play by then. Plus you'll get a little time between initiatives so the public won't feel as if the issue is just going back and forth and nothing is permanent. Plus it will allow 3 more years for other states to change their policies and show CA as one of the backward states. And it will allow time for this issue to run through other courts, as opposed to voting on something that is concurrently being decided upon.

b) Get the effort out there in areas like the Inland Empire, the Central Valley and the suburbs everywhere to inform the public. The big cities are covered, voters outside the big cities are the ones that need to be informed and that will swing the vote. But give the effort enough time to make this progress.

Peace! And equality!


From Kevin:

"I am anti-marriage discrimination. If gays want to get married who does it really hurt? Does it change the definition of marriage? Sure. Do definitions change over time? Yes. Dork used to be a slang for penis. Will allowing gay marriage make people who are morally opposed look like bigots? Yes, but that is the price of the belief. Surprise! People also believe the KKK are unreasonable. Will allowing gay marriage open the door for relationships between humans and animals? Is that argument even serious? How can you marry something that can't sign a marriage license (insert amputee joke here)...or pay alimony. I can't see who it really hurts or impacts other than gay people so why not let gays get married?"


From Anonymous:

As a mother of two children who is celebrating her 10th anniversary today, my opinion on same sex marriage is very strong. I'd love to hear from someone who can prove how their marriage has been harmed or hurt by the few months that same sex marriage was "legal." Here's what can be proved: marriage can be destroyed by anyone, male or female and you can't tell me that a gay or lesbian couple has any less chance of harming the "sanctity" of marriage than a straight couple. Really. I've seen some VERY screwed up straight marriages and this is from people who get on their high horse about how same sex marriage is so morally wrong. They are the immoral ones if you ask me.

I think people should just mind their own business and focus on their "marriage" before telling someone they shouldn't have the right to marriage like them.

It breaks my heart to see close family friends not be able to be married, have children and the same life I love. They would make far better parents than half these idiots we have as parents these days.

I voted No on Prop 8 and quadruple checked it to be sure it went through properly.


From Jaime:

From a legal perspective, the minute that government decided to make marriage a legal contract rather than a purely religious institution, they took on the responsibility to give all citizens equal access to that right. There's no way to determine "love" (nor should they try), people get married for convenience/benefits all the time, and the last time I checked the Bible wasn't a legal text....there should be absolutely zero distinction between same-sex marriage and opposite marriage (to quote Miss California). Marriage for all or none.

From a personal perspective, any small-minded asshole that tries to block two people that love each other from sharing in a lifetime commitment of that love, without affecting them negatively in any way, needs a slap upside his pea-sized brain. I think if more people equated Prop 8 to a law preventing interracial marriage, since that's the moral equivalent, there would be a better understanding of the situation. Homophobia and ignorance are not excuses...they're handicaps.


From Rebecca:

What always comes to mind for me are two quotes. First from Jane Adams: "The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life." And the second from MLK: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."

The right to marry, while created to secure an orderly society, should nonetheless be granted fairly and equally: why should I be allowed to do something that my friends are not allowed to do simply because I would prefer to do it with a member of the opposite sex? There is no rational basis for the decision to create separate classifications and prohibitions based on whom we love.

--
So there you go. Some strong opinions out there. If you have something to add, let me know!