The results from the Maine elections are in:
Gay marriage did not pass into law in Maine. Opponents voted against it by 53%, which means same-sex unions will remain in place. Maine is among 31 states in which the popular vote has been against gay marriage.
How do you feel about civil rights being passed by electoral vote? Should the American public be a part of the decision process or should gay marriage automatically be passed by legislation without a popular vote?
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Comments: 84
Had the Civil Rights of America's Black people become a referendum item for White people to decide, it would not have turned out the same.
Since when does my neighbor get to decide when I get my rights?
is still my fav. comment here.
"Protecting the rights of even the least individual among us is basically the only excuse the government has for even existing." - Ronald Reagan
Second: It's not a question of civil rights. It's a question of redefining an institution that has been in place for thousands of centuries. That's what they are trying to do here.
No one has the "right" to redefine my relationship to validate their own.
Only heterosexual people think homosexuality is a choice that is made.
Any more than your sexuality was not your choice, neither was mine.
Some people are born not white. Some people are born not straight.
A homosexual is a homosexual irrespective of whether or not that person EVER has sex with anybody ever!
Sex is an ACT, sexuality is not.
Why should ANYbody choose not to have sex? Because it offends YOU? I hardly think so! How would you like to be taxed differently because you are perceived to have sex with people of the opposite gender? That happens to homosexual couples all the time.
From The Homosexualization of America, by homosexual activist Dennis Altman.
Homosexuality is a BEHAVIOR. You have been sold a bill of goods to further an activist agenda.
You're wrong. Period.
BTW isn't there an anti-establishment clause in the constitution? how are conservative churches able to override the rights of progressive or reformed churches to marry any individual? just wondering.
AWESOME point.... 'Choosing' implies there was another choice they could have made, and didn't. lol
Sandra, too bad you didn't choose not to be an idiot.......
Misty,
I'm not gay, but I think you're hot!;)
muffins.....
ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!
It does not give me any "rights" other than the freedom in America to paint if I want to. You can choose to accept me as a painter, or you can dislike it when I paint--- that is up to you. Your acceptance of me is your issue. I am the one who gets to choose if I want to paint or not.
The original question was: How do you feel about civil rights being passed by electoral vote?
My comment was it is not a civil rights issue. I am truly sorry that so many people are so wounded about this, though. My heart goes out to those who are in this situation. But that doesn't mean that I agree with changing the definition of an established institution to cater to the desires of one group of people.
No one should be making this a hate issue--- yet those on the side of same-sex marriage are doing just that. You can see it in the cutting remarks here and elsewhere on this subject. You all can make this a big huge hate-fest, and call it all the ugly names you want, but until you can accept that homosexuality is just one part of who you are and not your whole identity, you will never find true peace.
People who have selected a life of celibacy for themselves are still, in spite of their celibacy, either homosexual, or heterosexual or bisexual by their natural inclination.
Painter and dancer and cook is an occupation and talent. Until you practice, you cannot be any of those things. Sexuality is a gift, like right handed or tall or blond. If you are born blond, and wear a hat every day to hide it, you are still a blond. This is also true of sexuality. You can hide it all you want - it doesn't alter the fact.
To have denied marriage to homosexual people all those years was tantamount to denying marriage to people with blond hair. It was never right. It isn't right now. It was always based on bigotry and fear. I'm sorry that you feel so entitled to marriage and that it feels like it belongs only to you and people like you, but you were wrong all along. It never belonged only to straight people - you stole it by denying it to the rest of us.
Its time to be gracious and move over.
The fight for civil unions won because it is the right thing to do. This has lost 31 times because sometimes, as much as someone may want something, it isn't right. It isn't right to change the definition of my union. Especially when many of us feel that it was instituted by God this way. No one has that right. Although the government grant marriages to individuals every day, most are done in a church, governed by God, and He should get to define His own invention.
And, in the reference to celibacy, I agree 100%. I know many people who have chosen this life for various reasons. And this, more than almost anything else, reinforces my stand on the fact that one does not need to act on desires of their flesh. But then, what will we call that? A reformed homosexual? A reformed heterosexual? Like a reformed alcoholic? Why would we label someone based on something they do NOT do? Hence my reasoning for maintaining that one is distinguished by what they DO -- not what they simply have an inclination towards. Unlike being blond, left-handed or tall, sexuality does not need to be advertised to world.
Really, does anyone really care what another person does in their bedroom? It's nobody's business but their own.
It is a covenant union between a man and a woman.
It is a union that has defined boundaries (ie: you can't marry a relative, a child, someone of the same sex, etc)
And I care about marriage--- not what someone does in their bedroom.
Why can't gays keep what is private private and not advertise their sexuality to the world? Really, we don't care!
On a serious note, I don't get why you keep discussing what's going on in homosexuals' bedrooms. First off, gay people are not an oversexed group of people; there's more to them than whom they're sleeping with. Second, they have feelings, just like you and me, which means they're capable of falling in love. And give me a break with comparing homosexuality to pedophilia or incest. Those things should NEVER be compared.
For you, is liking penis a characteristic of your personality? Or is it something you kept forcing yourself to face until you liked it, or at least convinced yourself you liked it because that's what you thought everyone else thought you should like?
Myyyyyy breakfast has a first name, it's p-e-n-i-s..... my breakfast has a second name, it's NOM, NOM, NOM, NOM, NOM!!!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Misty....anyway, i think civil unions is just fine IF we get all of the considerations that marriages get.......that is only fair, right?
People are people no matter what their sexual orientation is...there is no partiality with God, why should there be with us ??
And for your info: I know a lot of gays who are/were virgins and stay virgins till the day they died.
My daughter is a lesbian, and guess what...she is a virgin.
Hey, gay or straight, I'd just settle for a commercial that was respectful and halfway believable! lol Like the dude drinking Cuervo really wasn't going to get laid prior to drinking.... marketing targets people who will pay the most money....... they're squeezing the crap out of the proverbial media teet for every last penny.
And if Hooters was an equal opportunity petting zoo with men in banana hammocks, I might go. lol Instead it's geared for the pleasure of men, and no one else. I can tell you firsthand how uncomfortable wearing pantyhose like that all day long is..... can you say, 'yeast infection'? Yeah.... that's REAL sexy. lol
That's one of my favorite movies.....
And love is designed for ALL without distinctions !!!
Forgive me, Marianne, I'm not trying to call you out, or anything like that, but I happen to disagree with your previous comment.:) You're still one of my favorite people on Gather!
Each unto his/her own, I say. As long as it is not prescribed what I ought to do or like !! I love making love btw.
Ferosh, you are also dearly loved by ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are right....not for me to say for other people where what goes where.
I was saying my bit with tongue in cheek, baiting you and Ferosh !! And it worked....hehe.
Tongue to clit ????? Whatever gives pleasure , I guess :)
Love you too ~
First off: I am so tired of hearing that this is a "civil rights" issue. Civil rights are for people when they can't change who they are--- their skin color or gender, for example. NOT who they have decided to have sex with.
Ah, yes, it is clear you are a typical bigot as you only associate homosexuality with SEX. OH NOES, Sex is dirty, sex is naughty, sex is bad.......
You don't get laid a whole lot do you?
So while you might argue that they can choose not to have sex you fail to realize that what they can't choose is who they are attracted to. You are obviously attracted to the opposite gender. Does that mean you go out and fuck every guy you meet? No, because it isn't about SEX.
Now in regards to Civil Rights. Do you realize that a Civil Union is not the same as a marriage and does not grant the same rights? There are over 1,049 rights granted to married couples and while some apply to civil unions, there are many that do not.
For further reading on the differences I recommend the following
http://gaylife.about.com/od/samesexmarriage/f/civilmarriage.htm
But even if you take out the sex factor.... let's say there's two homosexual people who choose to be celibate, but want to be committed to taking care of each other like a heterosexual couple can, and simply desire all the perks and benefits that go along with being in a wholly committed relationship? Last I checked, sex is fully expected, but not required, in a hetero marriage, and is a justifiable basis for an anullment, should one person be dissastisfied with the no sex arrangement.... however, I think sex is thought of as the defining trait of a gay relationship, when in fact, it isn't. It is many other factors, but again.... if everyone wants to 'keep it in the bedroom', then why has the 'bedroom goings-on' been such a determining factor?
I am straight ( as a paper-clip, Misty pointed out once, because I love her so much...haha ). Why should I have more rights ?? Beats me !! A human being is a human being, full-stop. I don't think it is a matter of which title is given to the UNION, it is about equal rights, surely !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And kind of sexy too.