Hurray for the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court!
SJC: Gay marriage legal in Mass.
The Supreme Judicial Court today became the nation's first state supreme court to rule that same-sex couples have the legal right to marry.
"We declare that barring an individual from the protections, benefits and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts constitution," Chief Justice Margaret Marshall wrote in the 4-3 decision.
I can't even tell you how cool that is. This state is so conservative, no matter what anyone else may tell you (I know Massachusetts has that whole "liberal Northeastern" / Kennedy / intellectual reputation, but it's really not true. The lawyers rule the roost and the political appointments... well, they politicize everything).
No matter what your personal opinion on this issue, I think it's important to keep in mind that all they were asking for is an equal opportunity under the law. Equal. Read this article, for example. There's a veritable minefield of financial and legal issues that gays and lesbians have to maneuver just to set things up in a similar fashion to what straight couples automatically warrant with a cheap ring and a trip to city hall.
It remains to be seen how they'll implement the ruling. Vermont opted out of the controversy by choosing 'civil unions', but Massachusetts could go all out and choose full marriage marriage. I hope they do. It's only right.
Boston.com has full coverage online.
Article comments
1 - Doc
As a gay man myself, I was happy, but also fear the backlash from all those "traditional marriage" types (you know, all of those cheatin' politician types like Clinton, Gingrich, Barr, etc...).
Right wingers just are unable to empathise with gay people. They think we are incapable of love, committment, etc.
But my husband and I have been together 6 years faithfully...I say we're a better example of marriage and committment than the majority of str8 couples.
2 - Eric Olsen
Backlash is inevitable, but perhaops the best thing that can come from this - besides the obvious civil rights benefits - is that it will force those who oppose it to fully explain WHY they do in rational, legal terms rather than just emotional.
3 - Craig Lyndall
I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a "right winger" but if someone forced me to say whether I was a Democrat or Republican, I would have to say Republican.
Also because it would affect this opinion (obviously) I should state that I am not gay and even with those two factors I can say that I support the rights of gay couples to be married. I think they should be allowed for tax reasons and also so society will recognize the commitment that two PEOPLE have made.
The point of this is that I take offense when you say "right wingers just are unable to empathise with gay people." That is a pretty massive generalization that encompasses the portion of the right side that speak through their religion colored glasses. It is unfair to categorize the whole right side like that.
Seriously aren't there a lot of people on the left side who don't empathize with the gay community? I thought homophobia was more of a universal problem than just a problem with the right. Correct me if I am wrong.
4 - Eric Olsen
Craig, on a personal level i think you're right, but on a policy level, certainly the left has championed gay rights msuch more actively than the right.
5 - The roots of racism
Program on the emergence of civilization.
"14 species of large animals capable of domesitcation in the history of mankind.
13 from Europe, Asia and northern Africa.
None from the sub-Saharan African continent. "
Favor.
And disfavor.
They point out Africans’ failed attempts to domesticate the elephant and zebra, the latter being an animal they illustrate that had utmost importance for it's applicability in transformation from a hunting/gathering to agrarian-based civilization.
The roots of racism are not of this earth.
Austrailia, aboriginals:::No domesticable animals.
The North American continent had none. Now 99% of that population is gone.
AIDS in Africa.
Organizational Heirarchy
Heirarchical order, from top to bottom:
1. MUCK - perhaps have experienced multiple universal contractions (have seen multiple big bangs), creator of the artificial intelligence humans ignorantly refer to as "god"
2. Perhaps some mid-level alien management
3. Mafia (evil) aliens - runs day-to-day operations here and perhaps elsewhere ("On planets where they approved evil.")
Terrestrial management:
4. Chinese/egyptians - this may be separated into the eastern and western worlds
5. Romans - they answer to the egyptians
6. Mafia - the real-world interface that constantly turns over generationally so as to reinforce the widely-held notion of mortality
7. Jews, corporation, women, politician - Evidence exisits to suggest mafia management over all these groups.
Survival of the favored.
Movies foreshadowing catastrophy
1986 James Bond View to a Kill 1989 San Fransisco Loma Prieta earthquake.
They can affect the weather and Hurricane Katrina was accomplished for many reasons and involves many interests, as anything this historical is::
1. Take heat off Sheenhan/Iraq, protecting profitable war machine/private war contracts
2. Gentrification. New Orleans median home price of $84k is among the lowest in major American cities, certainly among desirable cities.
Journal: 10 composition books + 39 megs of text files