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After the Vows

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Same-sex marriage advocates also believe that public opinion is turning their way. A Field Poll taken after the May ruling found that for the first time, a slim majority of California voters—51 percent—favor marriage rights for same-sex couples. The results represent a sea change from 2000, when more than 61 per cent of voters passed a ballot measure that prohibited gay marriage. When the Field Poll first began testing public attitudes on gay marriage, in 1977, only 28 percent were in favor. Since then, public opinion has steadily shifted, especially among younger voters (Among 18 to 29-year-olds surveyed by the Field Poll, 68 percent were in favor of allowing same-sex couples to marry.) Pollsters say the change is attributable at least in part to greater familiarity and acceptance of gay culture. But it is also true, they say, that people opposed to same-sex marriage, wary of seeming bigoted, are not always truthful when questioned. One Bay Area television station sent a reporter to a conservative suburb Monday evening to test the proposition. No one opposed to gay marriage was willing to go on camera. "All the polls have taken place against the theoretical backdrop of marriage," says Kendell of the NCLR. "Once people start attending weddings of neighbors and co-workers and those they care about, it will move a significant number of undecideds."

Supporters of the measure to amend California's constitution are equally certain that this week's scenes of gay couples marrying will move the dial in their direction. Protectmarriage.com expects to raise millions of dollars around the country to pour into its California campaign, as lawsuits multiply. "The rights of other states are being infringed by what the California Supreme Court did," says Jeff Flint, a spokesman for Protectmarriage.com. "This isn't the final word." On that point, at least, no one is arguing.

With Miyoko Ohtake

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Posted By: stargirl @ 12/06/2008 2:15:52 AM

NO, to same sex marriage.
This is not mentioned in the Bible, if God had wanted men to marry men and women to only marry women, he would not have created Adam and Eve
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Posted By: NioSki @ 11/30/2008 5:55:10 PM

Gays of color, transgender, and yes, even lesbians are missing from the larger discourse of the gay rights struggle???primarily the gay marriage issue. The gay right's movement was and remains the "gay, white, middle class" movement! The diversity within the gay community seems to be reconciled to Pride Parades-- and AIDS advertisement. HOWEVER, it never seems to extend to national or cultural images of Gay America???like Advocate and Out magazine???the central offenders in this area! Why you ask? Because the myth and mystique of San Francisco has extended to a larger culture that gay is white and it???s male. Forget the black Drag queens who started fights during Stonewall... Gay is San Fran and Harvey Milk! But the white male paradigm controls the discourse, media, politics and consequently the image of Gay America. Before the gay community can discuss civil rights it needs to look at the power positions and paradigms of privilege within its own community and ask why they exist!?
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Posted By: Mwalimu @ 11/06/2008 1:36:32 AM

In 1964, racial fanatics passed Proposition 14, a constitutional amendment which forbade all fair housing legislation forever and ever in California. In 1966, the California Supreme Court declared Proposition 14 unconstitutional. The Proponents of proposition 8 seem to forget that amendments to the constitution must be in synch with constitutional rights and liberties guaranteed elsewhere in the state constitution. A recent Supreme Court decision, Romer vs. Evans forbids states from denying groups of people rights and freedoms granted to everyone else.
The so-called "Christian groups" who passed Proposition 8 used the same propaganda techniques advocated by Joseph Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda - basically tell a lie often enough and people will believe it. I realize that a number of fundamentalists, Mormons, and Catholics will throw a hizzy fit - but truth told, if you don't want to be linked to Hitler, then don't Nazi propaganda techniques.
I'll also post a warning to the so-called Christians who violated the 9th Amerndment to pass proposition 8. In a number of countries in the world, Christians are regarded with the same fear, hatred and loathing that Christian religious fanatics in this country reserve for homosexuals. By depriving homosexuals of rights in California, so-called "Christians" are giving a green light for religious fundamentalists to persecute Christians. The next time religious fanatics attack Christians, I expect every "Christian" who voted for Proposition 8 to accept personal responsibility for that attack. What goes around comes around. It's too bad that Christian religious fanatics in this country are so blinded by their hatred that they can't see the truth.