Gay Marriage

...there is an attempt in America today to redefine marriage as being religious. To me it matters not, the law should only recognize a civil union. ... It should be protected by law when it is decided that it should be a bonded relationship.

Speaking to reporters yesterday afternoon, Edwards explained that he personally opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions, and believes each state should set its own marriage policy.

When asked why civil unions could not simply be called marriages, Edwards said, "My answer is the same."

Asked why states, not the federal government, should decide policy, he replied, "Because it's something I think should be decided by the states."

And when asked to explain his personal opposition to gay marriage, he snapped, "I'm done with that question."

Warm wedding wishes to Rosie O'Donnell.

The members of the press corps are slow, but eventually they start figuring things out. And, they've finally figured out the question which will be asked of nearly every Democrat between now and November: "What's the difference between a civil union and a marriage?"

John Edwards got a version of it yesterday:

Quote:

Speaking to reporters yesterday afternoon, Edwards explained that he personally opposes gay marriage but supports civil unions, and believes each state should set its own marriage policy.


When asked why civil unions could not simply be called marriages, Edwards said, "My answer is the same."

Asked why states, not the federal government, should decide policy, he replied, "Because it's something I think should be decided by the states."

And when asked to explain his personal opposition to gay marriage, he snapped, "I'm done with that question."

I knew this would happen.

This distinction was always a sham, because it's a distinction without a difference. Unless the Democratic candidates can articulate what the difference is, it's a losing strategy. And until they can articulate the difference, the press will keep asking.

Bottom line: being against gay marriage hurts Kerry and Edwards and helps Bush.

angie's right; unless some influential Democrat stops consulting the polls and starts consulting his conscience, leaping to his feet and declaring "I'm FOR gay marriage!" (s)he run the risk of being beaten about the head and shoulders with his/her hypocrisy.

Most of us who are ABB will look the other way, but it would certainly be nice to see someone stand up for the right principle...

One last thing: the Georgia legislature defeated -- by three votes -- the DOMA amendment today. That's good news.

ci

I despise this crowd as deeply as I despise the Taliban. Most egregious and despicable is not what they believe, but rather, how they have come to believe it.

One can come into possession of an idea as a consequence, say, of the culture one is raised within. We are all subject to such socialized values and theories. But there is a personality type which is so needful of authoritative direction, and so frightened of thinking for themselves or of being outside of the lockstep march of their group, that they relinquish their intellectual autonomy and provide fodder for the really ugly things that happen in the world. These are the fellows and ladies who lynched blacks, or who pilot a plane into a building, or who stone women to death, or who take baseball bats to gay men.

They are pretty easy to spot. They don't much like learning or education, because alternate ideas risk upsetting their simple formulas. Their rhetoric is filled with cliches, which saves them all the trouble of real independent study, and which allows them to terminate their worrisome or conflicting thoughts. They divide the world into us/them, and they have a special affinity for putting the 'evil' label on other members of their communities.

ABB and DOMA? What do those initials mean? Thanks.

I think most people are fine with the civil union term or whatever the gay communitee wants to call it, but why try to redefine a century's old institution which has been the basis for stabilization of cultures.

realjohnboy wrote:

ABB and DOMA? What do those initials mean? Thanks.

ABB = Anybody But Bush

DOMA = Defense of Marriage Amendment (the legislation calling for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage)

Brand, I think you misunderstood the point.

By way of explanation, I will put the question to you: what do you perceive is the difference between a marriage and a civil union?

(As in, "I'm against gay marriage but for civil unions"?)

The problem is, McG, people who hate and condemn gay people do NOT want a just solution. And people who, because of lack of understanding and because of cultural bias, are uncomfortable with homosexuality, though not necessarily bigots, are being frightened and misled by exremists.