Well said, Irvine
. I'm really proud that we've got a president out there who gets it and will show his support.
digitize's post made me all cross-eyed. This is an issue that really should not be that complicated, but unfortunately, the post is spot on and our government will feel the need to MAKE it complicated because some people are stupid.
on a practical basis I can't deny the religious freedom of those who wish not to marry them.
And this is the thing that's so funny-nobody is trying to make all churches marry gay couples. That would violate our separation of church and state (heeeeey, see where that bodes well for the more religious out there?!). I don't know if that's what some religious people are afraid would start happening if gay marriage were made legal or what, but...you can decide who you wish to marry or not marry in your church. It'd be fantastic if all churches married gay couples and none were turned away, but it is up to each individual church to make that choice.
The state or federal governments denying people that option, though, that is beyond fucked up. Government shouldn't endorse discrimination.
so here is the (one) list of toss-up states
I can see where pro gay marriage can hurt
and no real clear cases where it is a plus, except NH, some may say Iowa, but when the people vote
Iowa ousts 3 judges after gay marriage ruling - USATODAY.com
There have been some supporters of that psycho Vander Plaats and his group, but I have heard many more people here
oppose the removal of those judges than I have heard show support. And that article was from 2010, and gay marriage is still legal here. Whether or not an anti-gay rights group will try and get something on the ballot to change that this year, I don't know. The western half of my state is more conservative, the eastern half is more liberal, and has many more of the bigger cities in it. So how that would balance out in an election, I don't know.
But overall, I think most of my fellow Iowans aren't too bugged about gays being allowed to marry here. I've yet to hear of a mass protest. Plus, a young man from here recently wrote a book about his two mothers and has testified to the importance of gay rights, so we've got some people fighting the good fight here.
Loved the speech from Obama shared here. Particularly this part:
Even at my own dinner table, when I look at Sasha and Malia, who have friends whose parents are same-sex couples, I know it wouldn't dawn on them that their friends' parents should be treated differently.
Funny how kids don't get as wrapped up in this stuff the way adults seem to.