Gay Marriage to Alfred: Your Thoughts

the San Francisco of Arkansas!

Wait, does that mean it's 'Tenderloin' is in a 'North Beach' district, too?

only homosexuals love history and relaxation

Has anyone posted this amicus brief on the subject?

Compelling argument.

Reads like it was ghost-written by Jack Chick.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/172653

I am really surprised to see Newsweek running this article, it's not as lukewarm and middle-of-the-road as I expect from them. It says "cover story" at the top, so that sounds like they're not positioning it as an opinion piece.

That's cool. I was actually reading the recent obit of Osborne Elliott, who was Newsweek's editor from like 1961-76, and learned that the magazine has a history of taking an editorial stand on contentious issues of the day (esp. in contrast to Time and other newsweeklies) -- like I guess in the '60s they were all like CIVIL RIGHTS: DEAL WITH IT.

this is already in the wiki article, lol?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newsweek#Allegations_of_Liberal_Bias

the comments are another amazing datum supporting poe's law

that's a really great article. the comments are depressing...a reminder that for all the talk about outreach, so many people just won't be talked to.

This is so poorly written...."was laughable," "according to many," - quite encyclopedic- give it a few hours before it's edited
The article stated that The Bible used vague phrasing when outlining the Judeo-Christian parameters for marriage, and that cleared a pathway for gay marriage. All of this, in spite of the fact that The Bible clearly states that homosexual acts are a sin, and should be punished.
To say that a liberal bias did not exist in the article was laughable, according to many. The article further argued that The Bible was written to apply to a society very unlike American society of 2008, and that the rules of The Bible were open to interpretation. This argument was diametrically opposed to the Orthodox Christian belief that The Bible's rules are to be taken literally. Orthodox Christian belief is a conservative institution in America, and Newsweek's opposition to this ideology puts this article on the liberal end of the political spectrum.
Many readers feel that many of Newsweek's articles have displayed a similar bias, and that articles that "lean to the right" on the political spectrum were few and far between. Readers argued that Newsweek was so biased in its reporting that it was no longer a credible source.

lol

we better start stoning our wives then.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081209/...Al5ElZYdys0NUE

Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest

By LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writer Lisa Leff, Associated Press Writer Mon Dec 8, 9:12 pm ET

SAN FRANCISCO – Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" — scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants — also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.

Sean Hetherington, a West Hollywood comedian and personal trainer, dreamed up the idea with his boyfriend, Aaron Hartzler, after reading online that a few angry gay-rights activists were calling for a daylong strike to protest California voters' passage last month of Proposition 8, which reversed this year's state Supreme Court decision allowing gay marriage.

The couple thought it would be more effective and less divisive if people were asked to perform community service instead of staying home with their wallets shut. Dozens of nonprofit agencies, from the National Women's Law Center in Washington to a Methodist church in Fresno collecting food for the homeless, have posted opportunities for volunteers on the couple's Web site.

"We are all for a boycott if that is what brings about a sense of community for people," said Hetherington, 30, who plans to spend Wednesday volunteering at an inner-city school. "You can take away from the economy and give back in other ways."

Hetherington said he's been getting 100 e-mails an hour from people looking for volunteer opportunities, and that his "Day Without a Gay" Web site has gotten 100,000 hits since mid-November.

Despite Hartzler and Hetherington's attempt to fashion a positive approach, some organizers of the street demonstrations that drew massive crowds in many cities last month have been reluctant to embrace the concept, saying that it could be at best impractical and at worst counterproductive to "call in gay."

"It's extra-challenging for people to think about taking off work as a form of protest, given that we are talking about people who may not be out (as gay) at work, and given the current economic situation and job market," said Jules Graves, 38, coordinator of the Colorado Queer Straight Alliance. "There is really not any assurance employers would appreciate it for what it is."

Graves' group nonetheless is arranging for interested participants to volunteer at the local African Community Center in Denver. The agency said it could find projects to keep 20 people busy, but so far only 10 have pledged to show up, said Graves.
___

On the Net:

http://www.daywithoutagay.org/

I learned about that from a facebook invitation, but I have a job interview tomorrow in a state where gay marriage actually is legal. Call me selfish but I feel that "calling in gay" to the interview would be a bad idea.

"...there is a real, unbroken line between the jihadist savagery in Mumbai and the hedonistic, irresponsible, blindly selfish goals and tactics of our homegrown sexual jihadists."

- Pat Boone, December 6, 2008

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=82830

homegrown sexual jihadists!!

Amy Balliet announced the "Day w/o a Gay" at the end of the marriage equality rally last month here, and the entire crowd went "wha??". The idea is to do 10 actions like this, on the 10th of each month.

Um, are we really caring about someone who's taking his cue from Webster's on gay marriage?

"caring about" no. Waiting for a sequel to his 50-year-old teen advice book, maybe!

mmmm sexual jihad

suicide boffers

sexual crusade, please, that way we can have knights templar discovering the pleasures of saladin's all-male harem. instead of exploding roadside dildos.

Seems as if the only mention of Caitlin Flanagan on ilx is on this thread. Which stings cuz of this op ed (I searched but didn't find it posted anywhere on ilx):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07flanagan.html?ref=opinion

Gist: Gays, quiet with your marriage quest (aka identity politics) because African-Americans disproportionately hate homosexuality and we all (?) need to fry much bigger fish together, e.g., ending poverty as if identity politics had nothing to do with that.

gay Brit gadfly Mark Simpson:

"If Christians and traditionalists want to preserve the 'sanctity' of marriage as something between a man and a woman, with all the mumbo jumbo that entails, let them. They only hasten the collapse of marriage. Instead of demanding gay marriage, in effect trying to modernise an increasingly moribund institution, maybe lesbian and gay people should push for civil partnerships to be opened to cross-sex couples, as they are in France - where they have proved very popular.

"I suspect civil partnerships, new, secular, literally down-to-earth contracts between two equals, relatively free of the baggage of tradition, ritual and unrealistic expectations, would also prove very popular with cross-sex couples ...Marriage might end up being something left to Mormons.

"Perhaps my scepticism about gay marriage and marriage in general is down to the fact that I’m terminally single. Perhaps it’s all just sour grapes. Or maybe I prefer to burn with passion than marry. After all, St Paul’s violently ascetic world-view which regarded marriage as a poor runner-up to chastity, also ensured that the Christian Church would burn sodomites like kindling for centuries.

"Either way, I think it needs to be mentioned amidst all this shouting about gay domesticity that, important as it is to see lesbian and gay couples recognised and given legal protection, probably most gay men (though probably not most lesbians) are single and probably will be single for most of their lives. With or without civil partnerships/unions. Or even the magical, symbolic power of gay marriage."

http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/12/05/lets-be-civil-gay-marriage-isnt-the-end-of-the-rainbow/

I'm actually really behind this - if they ever come up with some sort of US civil partnership deal that's functionally the same as marriage but has a different name, then my wife and I are going to get divorced and enter into one of them.

>probably most gay men (though probably not most lesbians) are single and probably will be single for most of their lives.

are there any stats on this?

it obv does sound like sour grapes tho, from a guy who's prob never had a bf

I expected to see this stuff more often from the Hitler Youth Pope. Glad to see Joey Ratz is hitting his stride.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7797269.stm

Speaking on Monday, Pope Benedict said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment.

And in a word, Iowa.

Vermont might be voting it in too. We'll see.

loving this
http://cmsimg.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=D2&Date=20090403&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=90403010&Ref=V2&MaxW=318&Border=0

i think we should have a legal system based on what animals do and don't do

omg animals don't have capitalism

The Island of Dr. Morbius

Gay marriage legal in Vermont via both houses overriding the governor's veto. NOW let's see where the complaints come from.

i think we should have a legal system based on what animals do and don't do - Legalize cannibalism!

Nice touch:

Among the celebrants in the lobby were former Rep. Robert Dostis, D-Waterbury, and his longtime partner, Chuck Kletecka. Dostis recalled efforts to expand gay rights dating to an anti-discrimination law passed in 1992.

"It's been a very long battle. It's been almost 20 years to get to this point," Dostis said. "I think finally, most people in Vermont understand that we're a couple like any other couple. We're as good and as bad as any other group of people. And now I think we have a chance to prove ourselves here on forward that we're good members of our community."

Dostis said he and Kletecka will celebrate their 25th year together in September.

"Is that a proposal?" Kletecka asked.

"Yeah," Dostis replied. "Twenty-five years together, I think it's time we finally got married."

This is going to be a none-issue in 5 years.

make that 'non-issue'

make that "nun-issue"

Support gay nun marriage.

I already do!

I support it by subscribing to, er, "speciality" websites...

Now where's yr "judicial activism", wing-nuts?

I predict a Fox commentator will propose removing Vermont from the USA within a day.

You know, I actually kind of love the fact that the right-wingers and running scared and feeling like the country is changing without them in a very frightening way. Welcome to the last 8 years, assholes.

Now where's yr "judicial activism", wing-nuts?

Sounds like the spin is "money bought this one," but doesn't that argument work better in cases like Prop 8?

The only person pushing that money meme is the one guy I've been able to find in all the articles who was working against this in Vermont. Sour grapes laughability -- even Rod Dreher is saying things like "This is how it's supposed to work (even though I hate it and we're all going to hell oh help complain complain etc.)"