I am not sure I would call this a "rapidly spreading national movement" yet, but it is certainly a grassroots movement that could become very hard to stamp out once it really picks up steam:
- Gay and lesbian couples started tying the knot in Portland on Wednesday after the county issued same-sex marriage licenses, joining the rapidly spreading national movement in San Francisco and upstate New York.
Meanwhile, New York's attorney general joined the national debate, saying current state law prohibits same-sex weddings and that mayors should not preside over them. But he said he would leave it to the courts to decide if the law is constitutional. In Washington, D.C., lawmakers debated the issue, with Republican senators such as Majority Leader Bill Frist asking Congress to embrace a constitutional amendment banning them.
"Same sex marriage is likely to spread through all 50 states in the coming years," Frist said. "It is becoming increasingly clear that Congress must act." [AP]
- In Oregon, about 50 people lined up for a sudden chance to wed after a Multnomah County commissioner said she would begin issuing the licenses to same-sex couples.
....Earlier, an ebullient Mary Li held up the very first certificate - showing her and her partner's name under the Oregon seal.
"I can't describe how great it feels," Li said. She and her partner Rebecca Kennedy were also the first to be married, by a county judge.
Gay-bar owners handed out free glasses of champagne and many couples carried bouquets of roses.
....On Wednesday, Nyack, N.Y., Mayor John Shields said he also would start marrying gay couples and planned to seek a license himself to marry his same-sex partner.
Article comments
1 - mike
I think I'd vote for a President who fights for democracy in far-off lands while destroying it at home. Yes, that sounds like a great thing to do.
2 - Eric Olsen
I hope and believe I have made it abundantly clear that I do not support much of the president's domestic agenda, and certainly not his opposition to gay marriage, and even less his support of a constitutional amendment against it.
I have to weigh my priorities accordingly.
3 - NC
You know, I bet that's exactly what Bush was thinking when he decided to propose the amendment. "They're just too happy--and if there's one thing I can't stand, it's happiness." Then he stole a baby's lollipop and tied Laura to the railroad tracks at Union Station. Can John Kerry get there before the train does???
It's too bad he isn't Catholic, just to round out the Snidely Whiplash caricature, huh?
I'm not sure how it is that a constitutional amendment, which requires supermajority approval from both houses of the federal legislature plus ratification by three-quarters of the state legislatures, could be considered anti-democratic. Although what you said sure did sound good, mike. Yes, yes, I know, I'm a "racist" or whatever the equivalent pejorative is for someone in these circumstances. Heterosexist? Orientationist? Straightist? You figure it out; I'm off to burn a cross.
Oh, I'm also against the amendment, btw.
4 - Natalie Davis
Oh goodness, if Kerry is Dudley Doright, I need to start drinking again.
That said, Bush is way worse than Snidely Whiplash. Warmongering, lying, and denying equality to a certain segment of the citizenry is no joke.
5 - RJ Elliott
Kerry says he opposes gay marriage. Of course, Kerry says a lot of things...
But, assuming we take him at his word, I guess he and the President are on the same side on this issue. Except Kerry doesn't have the guts to say so. Typical...
6 - Mac Diva
Here is my entry about the situation in Portland from yesterday's Mac-a-ro-nies. Two guys were the first to marry. The county chairperson who signed off on the change is still out of town. The situation is shaping up as predicted. Opponents will try to argue that 'man and woman' are implied in the marriage statute since it does not specify one gender must marry the other.
7 - debbie
Mike,
You must be confused, an amendment is the democratic way to handle the issue. What is more democratic than the 'people' deciding how to run their country?
Putting things to a vote is not killing off democracy.
8 - Dawn
Sure, let everyone eligible to vote in this country vote on it, why not. But at the same time, make those who are too uninterested and busy being busybodies in everyone's else's business to vote on other important matters stick around and listen to ALL the day's agenda and make a reasoned and measured vote on that too.
The problem with that philosophy Debbie is that the only time those opposing gay marriage, abortion, or any other "rights" oriented issue get involved with government issues is to stamp out someone else's rights due to some perceived "moral imperative".
Honestly, if only those educated on the issues were allowed to vote, this would be a better country.
Keep the inbreds, bible-thumpers, and "morally" superior assholes out of the voting booth - they have NOTHING valuable to add.
9 - Dan
Geez Dawn, if you cut out the "morally superior assholes" vote, there might not be anyone left.
10 - Roy Orbison
What you are all forgetting is that outside of religion there is no objective right and wrong. There is only a system on which a majority can agree. Is it right for gay people to marry? Is it right for me to take a gun and blow somebodies head off? Is it right for me to be able to super size my frickin value meal? All the above questions have no right or wrong answer.
The thing that scares me is that somehow you people think it's fair that it requires a 2/3 majority polus 38 states to overcome 4 state court justices. The judicial branch is becoming too powerful and is no longer effectively checked by other branches of government.
I dont' give a shit whether gays are allowed to marry although I am pissed about the super size recall. (voluntarily, my ass, Mickey D's is scared of the lawsuits) I just don't like the new trend of thinking that if a social change can't be brought about through democratic principles is can be unitlaterally enacted by a couple of judges in the court system.
11 - Shark
"I just don't like the new trend of thinking that if a social change can't be brought about through democratic principles is can be unitlaterally enacted by a couple of judges in the court system."
That's pretty funny; thousands of gays getting married over the last few days seems like the tip of the tsunami of social change/democratic principles.
re. Super-Size - you still have the right to remain fat.
(Hope you have adequate health care.)
~ahahahahaha~
12 - Roy Orbison
"Keep the inbreds, bible-thumpers, and "morally" superior assholes out of the voting booth - they have NOTHING valuable to add." - Dawn
Replace 'inbreds' with 'niggers', 'bible-thumpers' with 'heathens', and 'morally superior' with 'morally bankrupt' and you will see how offensive and absurd your argument is to anyone on the other side of the fence.
It is human nature to try and shut up anyone who doesn't agree with you.
13 - shaun
i just don't understand all the fuss over gay/lesbian marriages. I am not a fan of gays but to each their own
If they want to get a legal marriage, jesus just let them. Now a holy ceremony, on the other hand i don't think should be accepted.
I don't understand what give the government the right to say they can't get married, seems more of a moral issue than a legal one.
14 - Roy Orbison
At last count it took more than a few thousand to constitute a majority in the US. Oh well, it's great to see the debate rage on. Us right wingers will continue to bribe the politicians and the lefties can bribe the judges.
15 - Shark
RoyOrb: "At last count it took more than a few thousand to constitute a majority in the US.
"At last count" it also took more than a few thousand homophobes to ramrod a new rights-restricting amendment to the Constitution.
What's next on your list: Prohibition?
Anyway, I'm still laughing---because I guarantee that in a decade or so, very few Americans will think gay marriage is a big deal.
Meanwhile, Roy, you can try to hold back the flood with a holy [sic] sieve of biblical-based outrage.
(Hey, maybe you can get a lot of Catholic priests to join! Oh, wait, nevermind.)
16 - Dawn
Well Shaun, it makes me happy to know that "gays" are okay, but those damn murdering Jews gotta go.
17 - shaun
Fuck dawn, you don't get it do you? I don't hate jews because of their beliefs, i hate them because of their greedy, back-stabbing, heartless nature. I know you want to label me as a racist, but i'm not. I just don't like jews, and that might be generalizing too much, i mainly mean Isreali jews. Are you gonna bitch at me on every post i go to?
18 - Shark
"I hate them because of their greedy, back-stabbing, heartless nature. I know you want to label me as a racist, but i'm not.
Dear Shaun, my friend! Why don't you post your home address and I'll send some interesting "literature" to you real soon?
Thanks in advance.
B. Netanyahu
19 - shaun
That's it shark, hop on the BITCH AT SHAUN BANDWAGON! Their is plenty of room
20 - Mark Saleski
geezuz shaun, what the hell do you expect?
here's a fun example: you're at a party and some guy walks in with his fly unzipped, greasy hair full of dandruff, and maybe doesn't smell so hot.
you're not gonna have a lot of respect for the guy, are ya?
because most of your posts and attitude make you seem like the above 'party guy'.
21 - Shark
Here's a better example:
Some guy walks in wearing black jackboots, a brown shirt, a swastika armband, greasy black hair, a smarmy little mustache that looks like a chihuahua shit on his lip; he's carrying a P.08 9mm Luger and he smells like he's been shoving Jews into ovens all day down at the factory. When he mentions the word "party"---the room clears and he wonders why.
THAT'S YOU, SHAUN, YOU LITTLE MOTARD WINDOW-LICKER.
KAPEEESH?
22 - Dawn
"YOU LITTLE MOTARD WINDOW-LICKER."
May I borrow that one Shark, it's the best one I have heard all year?
23 - Shark
My pleasure, Dawn. As you know, I live to contribute to raising the level of rational discourse and amicable transactions that occur daily on Blogcritics.
(And for those keeping count, that's only the second time I've called anyone a name on BC. Explicitly.)
24 - Eric Olsen
I am pleased I don't have to carry the shield of "Jew Defender" alone.
Shaun, no matter how you slice it, twist it or alibi it, you are every bit as much a stereotypical Jew-hater as a frothing Islamist mullah spouting an "Elders of Zion," "use their bones to bake my bread" party line in some God-forsaken Pakistani madrassa, and it will be ever thus until you decide to think for yourself, do some actual research, drop your absurd stereotypes and perhaps upgrade the spelling a bit.
YOu are talking with educated, hyper-informed, relatively sophisticated people, to whom you simply sound grotesquely naive and foolish.
25 - shaun
How do you start a jewish parade?
Roll a penny down the street! hahaha
what is the difference between a jew and a pizza?
A pizza doesn't scream when you put it in the oven! hahahahah
How many jews can you fit can in a car?
5 in the seats and a thousand in the ash tray! hahahahah