Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jerica O'Hagan on February 4, 2012 at 8:50am

My question (and somewhat challenge) is- why doesn't USA Ministries urge Christians to boycott ALL of the supporters of the bill? I'd love to see people who believe in a fairy god toss their PCs to the curb to boycott Microsoft lol! 

Not that I don't like Microsoft- I love and own a PC. And I bow to those 100 firms who showed support for the bill. I just love watching religious zealots go to crazy measures to appease their god(s). 

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on February 4, 2012 at 9:01am

I think this is what is called taking advantage of a "target of opportunity." Starbucks announces that they support gay marriage and some hotshot preacher decides to climb up on his soapbox and take a public piss at it.

Seems to me people like this have very little awareness of the larger picture. Otherwise, they would probably get bent at Microsoft and others, as you suggest. Being FULLY informed, however, is not what you would call their strong suit.

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on February 4, 2012 at 9:29am

In WA, as your article states, other companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Nike, Microsoft, and Group Health support Marriage Equality. Of course it's going to be a contentious battle with Christians taking every opportunity they can find to fill their coffers and get attention.  So expect a referendum where voters decide, after the legislature is done.  And that could go either way.  Washington is one of the least religious states. Also, both Seattle and Portland (next door to Washington) have been listed as among the 10 most promiscuous cities in the country - it's those gloomy rainy winters and everyone jazzed up on caffeine, I'll wager.  Although Dallas and Houston are also on that list.....

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on February 4, 2012 at 9:39am

Yeah, a referendum wouldn't surprise me ... and it'll go the same way that every other referendum has gone on gay marriage - against it.

This is why I have stated repeatedly that Rights Should NOT Be Put to a Public Vote. It seems to me that blacks got their rights without a public referendum, and so did interracial couples when that was being fought over.

Could someone PLEASE explain to me then why it is that the GLBT community is constantly being forced to face public approval to marry, rather than having it legislated or decided in the courts?

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on February 4, 2012 at 9:45am

I'm just wondering how much freaking longer it will take to get to the Supreme Court. It would be nice to finally put an end to all of these stupid state-constitutional marriage-ban amendments.

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on February 4, 2012 at 9:56am

Will the Supreme Court side with Marriage Equality?  

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on March 1, 2012 at 1:03am

This court? I don't think so. 

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on February 4, 2012 at 11:39am

Well, in theory, Prop 8 will be up before the Supremes sometime this year. If (and I don't take this at all as a given) ... IF Prop 8 goes down, anything going on against gay marriage at the state level is going to have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, an event devoutly to be wished.

If SCOTUS approves Prop 8 ... I fully expect the shit to hit the fan ... for the reason that, for only the second time in American history, the Supreme Court will have ruled that certain American citizens do not share the same rights as other American citizens, the first time being the Dred Scott Decision. I do not expect the ruling on Prop 8 to be an automatic because of all the catholics on the court, and especially right-wing dicks like Scalia, Alito and Thomas.

This could get very hairy.

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on February 4, 2012 at 11:50am

I hate to be a pessimist, but your point about the Supreme Court being somewhat of a Catholic stronghold, with a couple of doofuses in particular, makes me wary of thinking they will not come down against equality.  I don't know how shit will hit the fan - just seems like more just more same old shit status quo.  people like us might bitch and moan, but in the end it is what it is.  It's all speculation of course.  The next generation sounds more reasonable, but the problem with waiting for them to come of age is that, along with the old guard being dead, so will I and I will not have lived to see equality.  Bummer.  Bad mood today. :-)

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on February 4, 2012 at 12:03pm

Here's how I see it, SB:

If Prop 8 becomes law because SCOTUS passes it through, consider where Prop 8 was spawned - California - which has to have one of the largest GLBT populations in the US. I would fully expect protests to go up there to rival the whole civil rights business of the 60's. Expect any other state with a large gay/Lesbian contingent to follow suit.

Meanwhile, all the anti-gay-marriage advocates would see that Supreme Court decision as open season on the GLBT community. Expect moves to rescind gay marriage in those states which approved it at minimum. At maximum. state legislation against homosexuality in general and attempts to force us back into the closet.

One serious problem will be the weight of the decision. A 6-3 or 7-2 or better decision in our favor would all but quash the issue, except for those in the Religious Reich who would call it the work of satan or something equally nonsensical. A 5-4 decision either way only perpetuates the problem. With any sort of luck, The Nine know this and may be able to work to deliver a just ruling on this matter.

I'd like to hope so ... but I'll believe it when I see it.

Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on February 4, 2012 at 10:17am

To be honest, I'm really sick of the whole thing.  This election cycle seems worse than the last, and that was terrible.  The bigotry, the lies, the conflation of religious hypocrisy with "what god wants", the scape-goating, the orwellian use of language, the stupidity.  I just want to move into the wilderness and raise goats.  My parents got 60 years together in marriage.  These bigoted assholes don't want me to have one day.  It doesn't hurt straight people one iota to allow gay people to marry.  That being said, if any state is going to allow same sex marriage on a referendum, WA might.  maybe.  They allowed full domestic partnership on the last referendum, and everyone pretty much got used to that and no one thinks about it any more, and except for the word "marry", it's legally the same animal here.

Permalink Reply by Joseph P on February 4, 2012 at 9:04am

Try their Sumatran coffee. Americans have been brainwashed by Juan Valdez into thinking that South American coffees are the best, when they're actually acidic shit, compared to African and Asian coffees. Starbucks is one of the few national brands that sells the decent stuff. There are probably others that I'm unaware of, though.

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