equality blooms with spring

[BVS]

unless you want to actively hurt gay people, who on earth could be against such a thing?

Your love is icky and unnatural and it's not like we need any more brownies in this country taking our jobs. This is America damnnit.

 

[INDY500]

Jared, a Dutch national living in this country illegally who asked to be identified only by his English nickname, fell in love with Melvin Terry in 1978 while traveling in Europe. He had been with Terry for 18 years when he was told by the U.S. government that he had to leave.

"The fact that the government has the right to tell you your relationship is invalid, it's more than frustrating, it's insulting," Terry said.

Then, Jared's dad became ill in the Netherlands.

He was forced to choose whether to go back home to see his father before he died and risk being denied entry back into the United States because he is HIV-positive or of staying with Terry and never seeing his father again.

His father made the choice for him, sending him a letter and underlining "don't even think about coming here." And so for 13 years, Jared, 49, has remained in the United States illegally to be with his 62-year-old partner.

Why don't they move to the Netherlands where tolerance reigns and health care is free? Illegal aliens don't get to bitch about our laws.

And it's not like opposite-sex legally married couples don't encounter the same bureaucracy or immigration restrictions.

 

[BVS]

Why don't they move to the Netherlands where tolerance reigns and health care is free?

I expect nothing less from such a compassionate soul as yourself.

And it's not like opposite-sex legally married couples don't encounter the same bureaucracy or immigration restrictions.

You're kidding right? If I married a girl from the Netherlands her status would be legal within months, if not sooner... Where do you come up with this stuff?

 

[INDY500]

I expect nothing less from such a compassionate soul as yourself.

And I would a expect a progressive like yourself to have zero regard for the rule of law. But really, if this country is so bigoted, so mean and uncompassionate, why would they want to live here?

You're kidding right? If I married a girl from the Netherlands her status would be legal within months, if not sooner... Where do you come up with this stuff?

Tell that to my coworker who has been trying for almost 5 years to get his Indian wife citizenship.

This is such a non-issue.

 

[BVS]

And I would a expect a progressive like yourself to have zero regard for the rule of law.

I have very little respect for laws that create inequality. That's something I still believe in. Not just something I say...

But really, if this country is so bigoted, so mean and uncompassionate, why would they want to live here?

Because we all know you'll be on the wrong side of history soon...

Tell that to my coworker who has been trying for almost 5 years to get his Indian wife citizenship.

This is such a non-issue.

What's the hold up? Is he a natural born citizen? Does she have a criminal record.

Seriously I've seen folks get it within weeks. There must be something going on with this couple you aren't saying.

 

[financeguy]

There must be something going on with this couple you aren't saying.

Who's the bigot here? You're sounding like one, with this kind of comment.

 

[BoMac]

Seriously I've seen folks get it within weeks. There must be something going on with this couple you aren't saying.

Just because you've seen it happen within weeks, doesn't mean that there are those out there that are experiencing difficulties for myriad reasons.

Who's the bigot here? You're sounding like one, with this kind of comment.

Nice try. It doesn't sound bigoted to me.

 

[Irvine511]

This is such a non-issue.

first, note that you could say "co-worker's wife." big thing, there. whatever issues this couple is facing, it has nothing to do with their sexual orientation.

regardless of the difficulties that individual hetero couples may face, how is this a non-issue for gay couples?

i agree that it's a non issue. gay couples should have equal legal status as straight couples.

but that's not the case now. can you explain why you don't care?

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Inequality is a "non issue"?

by the way...

June 3, 2009 04:42 PM

By Eric Moskowitz, Globe Staff

Gay marriage legislation gained momentum today in New Hampshire, with the passage of a revised bill by both the state House and Senate.

Governor John Lynch is expected to sign the bill into law later today, which would make New Hampshire the sixth state to allow gays to marry.

Shortly after 4 p.m., the House voted 198-176 for the bill. The bill had been passed earlier in the day by the Senate.

Lynch said in mid-May that he would sign a bill legalizing same-sex unions as long as the Legislature made it clearer that religious groups would not be forced to conduct "marriage ceremonies that violate their fundamental religious beliefs."

If Lynch signs the bill, Rhode Island will be the only New England state to bar gay marriage.

When Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2004, New Hampshire seemed unlikely to follow. Republicans had enjoyed virtually uninterrupted control of both houses of the Legislature since the late 19th century.

But in 2006, Granite State voters unseated a pair of GOP congressmen amid rising upopularity for the Iraq war and the presidency of George W. Bush. The voters also swept Democratic majorities into the State House. A few months later, the new Legislature approved civil unions.

In early May, Lynch reiterated his position that civil unions were best for the state. But two weeks later, he said his thinking had changed. He said society's views on civil rights have "constantly evolved and expanded" throughout our history. "That is what I believe we must do today."

 

[INDY500]

first, note that you could say "co-worker's wife." big thing, there. whatever issues this couple is facing, it has nothing to do with their sexual orientation.

regardless of the difficulties that individual hetero couples may face, how is this a non-issue for gay couples?

i agree that it's a non issue. gay couples should have equal legal status as straight couples.

but that's not the case now. can you explain why you don't care?

Our nation's official immigration policy is already the most generous by far in the world. Just whom would you exclude so as to grant more lovesick homosexuals citizenship?

And can we not deal with the our current mess of illegal immigration and overstayed visas before introducing gay rights into the whole immigration debate? Or are you just itching to march around parading signs with the Scrabble winning slogan "Xenophobic Homophobe."

Get a sponsorship from an employer for a skill that will benefit our society, enter the country legally, then rub wienies with whomever you like.

 

[deep]

Our nation's official immigration policy is already the most generous by far in the world. .

Are you sure about this??

or is this just one of those "false" givens.

Such, as America has the best Health Care in the world
or America has the best human rights record in the world.

 

[deep]

June 3, 2009 04:42 PM

By Eric Moskowitz, Globe Staff

Gay marriage legislation gained momentum today in New Hampshire, with the passage of a revised bill by both the state House and Senate.

Governor John Lynch is expected to sign the bill into law later today, which would make New Hampshire the sixth state to allow gays to marry.

Shortly after 4 p.m., the House voted 198-176 for the bill. The bill had been passed earlier in the day by the Senate.

Lynch said in mid-May that he would sign a bill legalizing same-sex unions as long as the Legislature made it clearer that religious groups would not be forced to conduct "marriage ceremonies that violate their fundamental religious beliefs."

If Lynch signs the bill, Rhode Island will be the only New England state to bar gay marriage.

Governor Lynch signed the bill.


New England leads the nation.

is anything happening in R I?

Is NY next?

 

[anitram]

Our nation's official immigration policy is already the most generous by far in the world.

That's absolutely false.

Edited: I was going to say that the Canadian one is considerably more generous, but I suppose I should ask you for your parameters first.

 

[BoMac]

That's absolutely false.

Edited: I was going to say that the Canadian one is considerably more generous, but I suppose I should ask you for your parameters first.

For crying out loud, Martina, stop bringing Canada into everything. You know as well as I do that this country is as irrelevant a nation as there is on this planet. Nothing that we do here matters anyway, especially since our society completely collapsed once gay marriage was legalized.

 

[INDY500]

That's absolutely false.

Edited: I was going to say that the Canadian one is considerably more generous, but I suppose I should ask you for your parameters first.

Total number. I realize Canada has laxer or more "generous" restrictions especially in regards to asylum and probably a higher per capita rate as well.

 

[Irvine511]

Our nation's official immigration policy is already the most generous by far in the world. Just whom would you exclude so as to grant more lovesick homosexuals citizenship?

And can we not deal with the our current mess of illegal immigration and overstayed visas before introducing gay rights into the whole immigration debate? Or are you just itching to march around parading signs with the Scrabble winning slogan "Xenophobic Homophobe."

Get a sponsorship from an employer for a skill that will benefit our society, enter the country legally, then rub wienies with whomever you like.

you know, it's with posts like this that make me think, "wow, i guess most conservatives really are just assholes and hate it when fags, negros, Jews, and dames get all uppity." thankfully, i know you better than that.

it's all very simple: legalize same-sex marriage on a federal level, or at least remove DOMA, and the problem is solved.

 

[BVS]

Who's the bigot here? You're sounding like one, with this kind of comment.

Oh please do tell... but I won't hold my breath.

Just because you've seen it happen within weeks, doesn't mean that there are those out there that are experiencing difficulties for myriad reasons.

Of course there are cases, but I would say 5 years is definately the exception.

And it definately doesn't support his comment that homosexuals and heterosexual couples have it just as bad when it came to this issue.

And it's not like opposite-sex legally married couples don't encounter the same bureaucracy or immigration restrictions.

It was a ridiculous comparison.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

then rub wienies with whomever you like.

Is that supposed to be cute or funny somehow, or are you really reducing what the people in that article went through to that?

 

[martha]

Is that supposed to be cute or funny somehow, or are you really reducing what the people in that article went through to that?

Probably choice B.

 

[BVS]

or are you really reducing what the people in that article went through to that?

Given his direct attack towards Irvine's sexuality before, I'm going to go with this one...

 

[INDY500]

Guess it's time to take another "angry, negative, humorless liberals" sabbatical.

And, no, I won't let the door hit my ass on the way out.

 

[martha]

We must have been confused by all your blindingly compassionate posts.

 

[melon]

you know, it's with posts like this that make me think, "wow, i guess most conservatives really are just assholes and hate it when fags, negros, Jews, and dames get all uppity." thankfully, i know you better than that.

I think you give him too much credit. Sometimes a small-minded bigot is just that.

On that note, same-sex immigration is an issue that affects me personally. It's why I ultimately moved to Canada, as my Canadian partner has no legal means to move to the U.S. Just as most Americans aren't people with highly specialized skills that would permit them to immigrate to other countries on the basis of skilled worker visas, most non-Americans don't fit this category either. That's why family class immigration exists in the first place.

Considering that several nations have found a way to enact same-sex immigration without legalizing gay marriage--such as Australia--this is one of those issues whose opposition can really be summed up as a combination of prejudice and nativism.

 

[phillyfan26]

Guess it's time to take another "angry, negative, humorless liberals" sabbatical.

And, no, I won't let the door hit my ass on the way out.

If you weren't such a jackass about the issue, your humor would probably be more accepted. For Christ's sake, I've seen you reference Bill Hicks and couldn't truly appreciate it because it was in the context of you being an asshole about it.

It's one thing to disagree with homosexuals having equal rights (well, not really), but it's another to tell them it's a "non issue" after debating with them for a long time about it. I know you're smarter than that, so my only assumption is that you're just being a dick about it.

 

[indra]

Tell that to my coworker who has been trying for almost 5 years to get his Indian wife citizenship.

Just tell your co-worker to have his wife to "get a sponsorship from an employer for a skill that will benefit our society" and stop his whining. I mean, the gall of that bastard. She certainly can't be the only woman in the world he could screw.

 

[BVS]

Guess it's time to take another "angry, negative, humorless liberals" sabbatical.

And spend time with bigoted, uninformed, 5th grade humor conservatives, why would anyone want that?

 

[melon]

Just tell your co-worker to have his wife to "get a sponsorship from an employer for a skill that will benefit our society" and stop his whining. I mean, the gall of that bastard. She certainly can't be the only woman in the world he could screw.

Really. He can just rub his "wienie" with some other "pussie." I mean, that's all there is to it, right?

 

[deep]

A little disappointed to see all the bickering

this was a good day for common decency and equality, with the New Hampshire law being signed by the Governor.

Here is an editorial with that expresses my feelings on the subject.

NYT -June 4, 2009
Editorial
Vote on Gay Marriage

Six states have now made it legal for same-sex couples to marry. New York is not one of them. Gov. David Paterson wants the state to guarantee that right, and the protections that come with it, and the Assembly approved legislation legalizing same-sex marriage last month. Malcolm Smith, the leader of the State Senate, insists that he, too, favors marriage for gay couples, but he won’t let a bill go to the floor unless he’s privately lined up enough votes.

It is time for Mr. Smith and his fellow senators to decide this important matter in public.

There are few new arguments to be made behind closed doors. By now, the Senate’s 62 members have heard from every interest group. They know the polls and the politics. They know that New York is lagging behind others — including New Hampshire, where Gov. John Lynch, who had previously defined marriage as strictly between a man and a woman, signed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage on Wednesday.

And if New York’s Assembly is any guide, once the matter comes to the floor, these senators will also recognize that same-sex marriage is a basic civil right that can no longer be denied to the citizens of this state.

Thomas Duane, the lead senator on this bill, argues that ultimately his colleagues will see the issue clearly, both in theory and in their personal experiences. He says that most lawmakers, like most Americans, either have a gay family member or know a gay couple down the street or a gay co-worker in their office or some of the many gay lawyers, doctors, politicians and journalists in their community.

“How can they look these people in the eye and not want to treat them equally?” Mr. Duane said. “How can they look me in the eye?”

Christine Quinn, the speaker of the New York City Council, who also has been in Albany working in favor of the same-sex marriage bill, offers another reason why a public vote is necessary. “History will record what all of us do on this issue,” she said. “This is one of those moments when you should want to be counted.”

New York’s Legislature has about two more weeks left in this year’s session. Its work will not be done until the Senate publicly debates and then votes to legalize same-sex marriage.

 

[Irvine511]

keep your eyes on New York State.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Guess it's time to take another "angry, negative, humorless liberals" sabbatical.

Humor doesn't have to be insensitive. Not necessary or all that productive to reduce another person's pain or struggles in such a way. You think I'm being "angry, negative, and humorless" (I don't label myself liberal, or angry or negative or humorless.. if you want to well no biggie).. Well I think you're being cold and insensitive and lacking in empathy-that's how a post like the one I referenced comes across to me. I won't call you that but that's how that post came across.

You are on your sabbatical but I just wanted to make that point. I'm not "bickering", just calling that the way I see it.