According to the AFP, the California Supreme Court today overturned the ban on same-sex marriage, calling domestic partnerships a poor substitute for marriage:In an opinion that analysts say could have nationwide implications for the issue, the seven-member panel voted 4-3 in favor of plaintiffs who argued that restricting marriage to men and women was discriminatory.
There's a precedent for California starting a domino effect. David Cruz, a law professor at the University of Southern California and an expert in constitutional law, says in the AFP article:
"In the 20th century California was the first state to strike down laws against inter-racial marriage. They did that 19 years before the US Supreme Court got around to it."
So, soon (er, in 19 years) we could be a nation that grants gay couples the same rights as straight ones. How does it feel?
Reader Comments ( Page 9 of 9)
121. 12 Reasons Gays Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Marry
1. Homosexuality isn’t natural, much like eyeglasses, polyester, and birth control.
2. Heterosexual marriages are valid because they produce children. Infertile couples and old people can’t legally get married because the world needs more children.
3. Obviously, gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.
4. Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage is allowed, since Britney Spears’ 55-hour just-for-fun marriage was meaningful.
5. Heterosexual marriage has been around a long time and hasn’t changed at all; women are still property, blacks can’t marry whites, and divorce is illegal.
6. Gay marriage should be decided by people, not the courts, because the majority-elected legislatures, not courts, have historically protected the rights of the minorities.
7. Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That’s why we have only one religion in America.
8. Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.
9. Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets, because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.
10. Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That’s why single parents are forbidden to raise children.
11. Gay marriage will change the foundation of society. Heterosexual marriage has been around for a long time, and we could never adapt to new social norms, because we haven’t adapted to things like cars or longer life spans.
12. Civil unions (providing most of the same benefits as marriage with a different name) are better, because a “separate but equal” institution is always constitutional. Separate schools for African-Americans worked just as well as separate marriages for gays and lesbians will.
In case you are not familiar, the above is satire. The sad truth is how many people believe it.
maria at 9:26PM on May 19th 2008
122. preteristvision:
I personally do not intend to have children in my lifetime. As a woman, that is my right. Does that simply nullify any reason I have for living? I mean, I don't live for any god, so what good could I possibly be doing by your standards?
"What do you propose is the basis for a life-long contractual partnership of adults compelled by law?"
Is life such a cut and dry thing to you? That's like saying that the world must have been "created" simply because most people can't grasp that matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed. Does one truly need a reason to be bound to another person? "Love," or what ever name someone could lay to it, is more than enough reason to want to be married. As for any two people who don't want kids, yet want to be legally bound to one another, are you going to lead the protest to end their rights to marriage too?
On top of that, your wording is flawed. No two people are "compelled" by the law to marry. People can, and do, have children and live their lives together without being married. Never are they forced to marry. Pressured, perhaps, but nothing can physically make two people marry one another.
Cass D. at 6:19PM on May 20th 2008
123. Homo marriages may be 'legal' in California, but will NEVER be 'legal' in God's eyes. These people can get 'married' in CA, and move to other states, that does not make it legal, AT ALL!!!
It is an abomination to God and all that is holy. These people are only fooling themselves. They're sick.
Tracie at 6:48PM on May 22nd 2008
124. Tracie, it's people like you that make me proud to be an atheist.
maria at 12:08AM on May 23rd 2008
125. #121.
Thanks for the laugh, that is one of the best posts I have read in a long time. But you are right and it is scary that a LOT of people actually beleive each and every one of those reasons.
Congradulations to all the happy couples in CA!!!!
Rah at 1:46PM on May 23rd 2008
126. Tracie
I thought it was up to your god to judge people. I wasn't aware he had given that power to you.
Rah at 1:49PM on May 23rd 2008
127. So if you don't produce children when you get married, then you don't have a valid marriage? That's what preteristvision is stating, which I think is missing the boat. I know several family members and friends, all christians, who are happily married with no children.
Ntlacrobat at 10:23AM on May 28th 2008
128. I do not understand how anyone could oppose this decision: an injustice is being overturned and society is moving forward. Progress is frequently painful but when the choice is to progress as a society or to lock things into status and stop moving forward, then the death of the society is not far away.
Here4Years at 10:34AM on May 28th 2008