Legalizing same-sex marriage: Domino effect?

This is very heartening.

The dominos are falling. Progress is being made.

 

Polls over time reflect the changing public opinion in the US

In 2003, gay marriage was supported by 35 percent (+/-), opposed by 55 (+/-) percent.

Today, the numbers have reversed, with 55 (+/-) percent support and 35 (+/-) percent opposed.

But there is still a significant divide by political affiliation with only 1 in 4 self-identified Republicans supporting marriage equality and little movement over time.

The Republican Party recognized the fact that their base is not in sync with changing public opinion and addressed it in their post election autopsy.

“There is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the Party is a place they want to be,” the report stated. ”If our Party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out.”​

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As a response to the recommendation in the report for the party to become more open to gay rights, the Republican Party quickly reafirmed by vote, without discussion, their current position opposing gay marriage and supporting a federal Constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and woman.​

Republican Party Says No to Same-Sex Marriage | TIME.com

 

I hope this is a moment of change, that signifies overwhelming support of same-sex marriage to come. I think that could only be a positive thing. But I am not holding my breath yet. True change most often comes with agonizing slowness, and in many ways, America is the slowest to embrace progressive change of all the Western nations, ironically including several monarchies....

 

I'm as embarrased as I would be embarrased were I born in the suffrage era. I'm glad this is finally hapenning. Just think, 40 years from now should I be sitting having dinner with my grand kids, they'll be talking about how in their history class teachers taught them about ridiculous people from my generation that made same sex marriege illegal.

 

Nearly all previous generations look ridiculous. That's not an excuse for anything. Especially not for this.

Suffrage, prohibition, slavery, internment camps, the list goes on and on. Fortunately the practices do not.

 

NO! We need to keep them SEGREGATED! It is GAY marriege because they drive GAY cars and GAY park and eat GAY and talk GAY! So we MUST uphold the nomenclature! What you are advocating, Baraka_Guru, would contribute to the breakdown of society's grammar and linguistic communities! We would ALL PERISH! I WILL NOT SIT AND LET THIS HAPPEN!

 

I don't believe in gay rights, I believe in equal rights for all. It's well past time we let the religious reich dictate to us. On a side note, I have known a polygamist threesome, and the legal issues of their separation is something friends and I have discussed. It could be a complicated legal issue.

 

To me, this is the heart of the issue. I have yet to have someone give me a valid argument for why same sex marriage shouldn't be legal that did not involve religion. And believe me, I have asked around.

What sucks is that the same folks that wave the constitutional/first amendment flag when their religious rights are even remotely challenged forget that the deceleration of independance, a document which pre-dates the constitution in its adoption by over 11 years, states that "all men are created equal." (An injustice to the fairer sex in just saying "men", but that isn't the current issue.) To make matters worse, by taking away marriage equality we are also violating the first amendments right to freedom of religion. It is up to an individual to choose and interpret their own religion, and if their interpretation of Christianity (or any religion or lack thereof) allows for same-sex marriage, others shouldn't be allowed to stop it. Why the fundamentalists are not only allowed to practice their hatred but are allowed to impose it on others is beyond me. Especially when same-sex marriage is between two people and does not impose on others. One groups hatred spilling over and violating another groups love is a problem that we, as a country, must address if we don't want to devolve back to the Neanderthal days.

 

I have to say, speaking as a rabbi, you're 100% right.

There is not a single justification for discriminating against same-sex marriage that is not only religious in nature, but exemplifies very specific religious interpretations and understandings. And perhaps, if we were living in a theocracy, or even a country that had a state religion, that might in itself be sufficient precedent to warrant considering the issue, and weighing what might be correct.

But we live in a country that is secular in government as a matter of principle, in order to foster pluralism and tolerance. We are supposed to have a wall of separation between church and state. There can be no consideration, no question of what the proper course should be here: not a shred of compelling evidence can be made that individuals of the same sex are any less able to form households and relationships or raise families than individuals of different sexes.

As it happens, I believe in equal rights for all, including LGBT individuals, as a matter of religious principle. But even if I did not, I would be compelled to support the right of same sex couples to marry under American law, because it is anathema to me that religion should dictate policy in this country. Even if it were to begin with some agenda that I agreed with (and again, this is not that), to whom would I turn for aid and support when, sooner or later, it ended up with an agenda that targeted me and mine?

America is secular for the best of reasons, and as such, I continue to believe that the government (both federal and state) should get out of the marriage business altogether. I still think that everyone-- same sex or straight couples-- should get domestic partnership licenses from the government to confer the rights we currently give to married people; and marriage qua marriage should be a private religious affair.

 

Amen, Brother Levite.

 

Too many people have too many stupid opinions. If 2 people love each other let em get married what's the big fucking deal. Let em be happy.