Question to our homosexual members...

[BUDDY]

...with the recent development in Washington (i.e. the courts decision regarding gay marriage), and other recent decisions, do you believe that the gay marriage issue has suffered irreparable damage as to be decided in the way that you are fighting for? Is this going to be something that you continue to fight for regardless of legislative and judicial decisions? Will you continue to fight for the gay marriage regardless of the decisions made by elected officials? Would you give up the fight if in fact the issue was put to a vote and a majority of Americans decided not to allow it?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4073386.html

 

[Green Gaia]

I will continue to fight for marriage equality until it is won or I am dead.

 

[standing_alone]

I will continue to fight for marriage equality until it is won or I am dead.

I concur, however, everytime I see a case like what's happened recently in Washington I just want to cry and give up. It certainly makes me doubt that I'll ever be allowed to marry. But I'll continue to fight for marriage equality anyways.

 

[Green Gaia]

BUDDY, question: I'm curious why you directed your question only towards gay members of the forum and not just anyone who supports and fights for marriage equality? As you know, we do have many, many straight allies as well who fight for and believe in this as much as we do.

 

[Mike182]

part of the "fight" as you put it, is in my oppinion, to change peoples attitudes towards the LGBT community, as well as the equal rights we as fellow humans deserve.

 

[evearael]

I'm bi and I will continue to work for equality under the law for same sex couples. I do feel that it will take time before tolerance prevails.

 

[Tigress]

...with the recent development in Washington (i.e. the courts decision regarding gay marriage), and other recent decisions, do you believe that the gay marriage issue has suffered irreparable damage as to be decided in the way that you are fighting for? Is this going to be something that you continue to fight for regardless of legislative and judicial decisions? Will you continue to fight for the gay marriage regardless of the decisions made by elected officials? Would you give up the fight if in fact the issue was put to a vote and a majority of Americans decided not to allow it?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4073386.html

I will continue to support and fight for the rights of my peers, even if it kills me. That being said, I don't think the issue is one that should be voted on in the first place, as minority rights should be upheld and protected. The idea that human rights should be determined by majority rule is, quite simply, asininity.

 

[kreeden]

What Tigress said . Somethings are worth fighting for regardless of what the " majority " think . Human rights is one of those things .

 

[Pah]

I hope you didn't mean to close off the thread to striaghts who support full civil rights for the LGBTI community. I'm going on the assumption that you didn't.

I work hard for the organizations in Virginia and while the recent state court cases seem a setback, it is something for which we are prepared. Virginia, of course, has a ballot question to define a marriage and to remove relationship rights from all unmarried couples.

Should we lose the vote, the work will be harder and long much like the constitional question of Prohibition. But we are building an organization that will be in a good postion to respond. Should we win the ballot question, you can bet your yearly income that the Religious Right will not roll over. We can expect re-introduction of an amendment and our organization will respond to that. We can also expect that the current laws about adoption will be proposed as a state constitution amendment as well to prohibit all adoption by the LGBTI community. I also fear, but have no direct reason to fear it, that marriages of transexuals will be voided and perhaps sole custody of children held by LGBTI folks will be challanged. Hate knows no bounds in suppressing the others of a non-heterosexual orientation.

Should we win, there will be a concerted effort to remove the laws from Virginia Code that the amendment seeks to solidify

I have very few illusions about the "kindess" and "Christian Love" of the Religious Right. I, while breath lasts and being ready for the long haul, plan on being busy for 10-15 years to cleanup the hatred in Virginia law and polititions and churches.

And that would still occur shoud the Federal courts declare state law unconstitutional. As an example, the sodomy laws of Virginia are still liable to be enforced in spite of the final curtain to those laws which was decided in Lawrence v Texas.

 

[Quiddity]

I hope you didn't mean to close off the thread to striaghts who support full civil rights for the LGBTI community. I'm going on the assumption that you didn't.

I work hard for the organizations in Virginia and while the recent state court cases seem a setback, it is something for which we are prepared. Virginia, of course, has a ballot question to define a marriage and to remove relationship rights from all unmarried couples.

Should we lose the vote, the work will be harder and long much like the constitional question of Prohibition. But we are building an organization that will be in a good postion to respond. Should we win the ballot question, you can bet your yearly income that the Religious Right will not roll over. We can expect re-introduction of an amendment and our organization will respond to that. We can also expect that the current laws about adoption will be proposed as a state constitution amendment as well to prohibit all adoption by the LGBTI community. I also fear, but have no direct reason to fear it, that marriages of transexuals will be voided and perhaps sole custody of children held by LGBTI folks will be challanged. Hate knows no bounds in suppressing the others of a non-heterosexual orientation.

Should we win, there will be a concerted effort to remove the laws from Virginia Code that the amendment seeks to solidify

I have very few illusions about the "kindess" and "Christian Love" of the Religious Right. I, while breath lasts and being ready for the long haul, plan on being busy for 10-15 years to cleanup the hatred in Virginia law and polititions and churches.

And that would still occur shoud the Federal courts declare state law unconstitutional. As an example, the sodomy laws of Virginia are still liable to be enforced in spite of the final curtain to those laws which was decided in Lawrence v Texas.

I've never understood why talk show hosts on both sides (liberal and conservative) feel the need to use slurs such as "liberal left" and "religious right".

Can one fight battles on the grounds of the arguments rather then isolating whole groups such as the religious right or the liberal left?

Do all religious right folks oppose same sex marriage?

Or is targeting the group a way of trying to win the battle?

Personally, I think the issue is far to complex to lump them all together. Far more productive dialogue and results would come from not using such slurs.

 

[Engyo]

...with the recent development in Washington (i.e. the courts decision regarding gay marriage), and other recent decisions, do you believe that the gay marriage issue has suffered irreparable damage as to be decided in the way that you are fighting for? Is this going to be something that you continue to fight for regardless of legislative and judicial decisions? Will you continue to fight for the gay marriage regardless of the decisions made by elected officials? Would you give up the fight if in fact the issue was put to a vote and a majority of Americans decided not to allow it?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4073386.html

Just as it took many years beofre a majority of voters would support equal rights for all Americans regardless of skin color, or to support the rights of women to vote, so will this issue take time. In the end, though I believe it is inevitable.

 

[Fluffy]

Do all religious right folks oppose same sex marriage?

Being pro gay marriage is generally a liberal attitude and anti gay marriage is generally the attitude of the religious right. It is a generalisation but not the same as generalisations such as "all gay people wear pink" since in this case, the opposing philosophies on the political spectrum do predispose a person to one side or the other thereby justifying the generalisation.

I do not see it as trying to win a battle since saying "the religious right are against same sex marriage" would be generally true with a few exceptions.

To address the OP, I am not homosexual but I would continue to fight for same sex marriages across the planet regardless of what the majority wanted.

 

[Quiddity]

Being pro gay marriage is generally a liberal attitude and anti gay marriage is generally the attitude of the religious right. It is a generalisation but not the same as generalisations such as "all gay people wear pink" since in this case, the opposing philosophies on the political spectrum do predispose a person to one side or the other thereby justifying the generalisation.

I do not see it as trying to win a battle since saying "the religious right are against same sex marriage" would be generally true with a few exceptions.

To address the OP, I am not homosexual but I would continue to fight for same sex marriages across the planet regardless of what the majority wanted.

Of course it's about winning, what else can it be for?
Most all generalizations have exceptions, what makes this one any different?

 

[kreeden]

I agree with Victor on this point . Most people have a degree of liberalism as well as a degree of conservativism . Can one fairly make a judgement based upon one issue ?

 

[Green Gaia]

Anyway, back to the OP... I think it's safe to say that those in support of same sex marriage, be they gay or straight, aren't going to give up until the fight is won because we do not see this as a gay issue, but as a human and civil rights issue.

 

[jamaesi]

No matter how long it takes I will fight for mine and everyone else's rights, all rights, gay rights included.

 

[Sunstone]

...with the recent development in Washington (i.e. the courts decision regarding gay marriage), and other recent decisions, do you believe that the gay marriage issue has suffered irreparable damage as to be decided in the way that you are fighting for? Is this going to be something that you continue to fight for regardless of legislative and judicial decisions? Will you continue to fight for the gay marriage regardless of the decisions made by elected officials? Would you give up the fight if in fact the issue was put to a vote and a majority of Americans decided not to allow it?

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/nation/4073386.html

IF you were to substitute "Blacks" or "Women" or "Irish" for "Gay" I think perhaps it would be easier to see that this fight is not about majority rules, but about what's right and what's wrong. Is it right for people to be denied certain rights on the basis of their sexual orientation?

Some people say "yes". Some people say "no". But whatever your answer, this question is not one that will go away, any more than the Civil Rights for Blacks Movement would go away despite many setbacks from the time of the Civil War through to the victories of the 1950s and 60s.

I see this as an issue of right and wrong that transcends politics and even transcends Constitutional law. That is, I believe the Constitution is on the side of equality, but even if it wasn't, it would be worth changing it so that it was.

 

[BUDDY]

My question was toward those in the homosexual community, because that is whom it directly effects. I am well aware of those who fight for the rights of others, even though themselves do not fit into the same category of those being mistreated. I was attempting to put a human touch on this legal battle, by pointing out that these rulings hurt people emotionally. I think to often that those in political power get so wrapped up in the administration and law of subjects, that they forget to look at the toll that is taken on those whom these type of subjects directly effect. I was not trying to leave anyone out, so please xcuse me if that is how it came across. I just wanted to make it clear to those who disagree, that this is a fight that will never and should never stop, regardless of how those of us who may not agree with the lifestyle may feel, this is a matter for secular governement to decide, while keeping in mind the human toll that ignoring the constitution takes.

 

[Booko]

Virginia, of course, has a ballot question to define a marriage and to remove relationship rights from all unmarried couples.

Wouldn't that have an effect on unmarried hetero couples as well? If so, wouldn't we expect to see mothers and children left with reduced legal protections? If so, that certainly seems short-sighted.