Wow, what a week! (for same-sex marriage)

[gimmethesimplelife]

Wow, what a week this has been! States in which I never would have thought two men or two women would ever be able to legally marry - Utah, Oklahoma (I still can't believe that one!) and North Carolina - are now issuing marriage licenses. I live in Arizona where such is still not legal but the "experts" are saying it is a matter of time before the ban falls here, too, and in Montana and Wyoming, two other Western states that still have the ban. I now live in a state completely surrounded by other states in which same sex marriage is legal.....I'm not at all surprised that this state is a holdout, as I have said before, Arizona is endlessly interesting as it tends to be very conservative and then out of nowhere will be extremely liberal on you and then at the drop of a hat....the regularly scheduled program. But I do believe the ban will fall here, too - the momentum sure has built for it.

I had the chance to watch on youtube the first gay marriage in North Carolina - between the some deputy sheriff I believe it was in Wake County (Raleigh) to his partner and I felt myself wanting to cry and this is a big deal for me as not much moves me to cry. You could seriously just feel the love between these two men and I am so thankful that they FINALLY are deemed worth the human right to deem it a legal marriage in North Carolina. As much as I complain, now this is real change and something I am very grateful for. I lived in the South once years ago - far northern Georgia - in 1982 - and I know how the thinking can be in this area of the country (not that every last person is like that, let me state that here and now) but to have this happen in the South is just amazing to me, at the same level to have this happen in Oklahoma is amazing to me.

I honestly believe now that a day will come when same sex marriage is legal in all 50 states and we can join other countries such as Uruguay (had to pick a less developed country to make a point) that deemed same sex relationships worthy of legal marriage on a nationwide basis before the US did. Never thought I'd live to see this - I have to admit I'm very pleasantly surprised. Rob

[Alan]

From a libertarian point of view, it's a very good thing as it represents one less government imposed restraint on the individual. Of course the same ends could have been met with civil unions which are identical legally and would not require the re-definition of marriage, but I suspect legal rights are only part of the equation.

In my mind, it's just another reason to limit governmental control over our lives although it's opened the door for even more control in other areas such as the recent successful legal proceedings against private businesses who dared not offer their services to same sex weddings due to their religious or personal beliefs.

Apparently it's not possible for government to grant one liberty without restricting others.

[Lainey]

One legal professor commented that the U.S. Supreme Ct. has "waved the white flag" by declining to hear challenges to gay marriage laws.
Rob, you're right, the dominos are falling and it's only a matter of time before AZ is with the majority of other states.

[RosieTR]

Yay, Rob! I was happy for my friends here, too. I think the first couple in my county to marry were an older lesbian couple who had been together for *decades* but now finally got to legally recognize their partnership.

[ToomuchStuff]

From a libertarian point of view, it's a very good thing as it represents one less government imposed restraint on the individual. Of course the same ends could have been met with civil unions which are identical legally and would not require the re-definition of marriage, but I suspect legal rights are only part of the equation.

In my mind, it's just another reason to limit governmental control over our lives although it's opened the door for even more control in other areas such as the recent successful legal proceedings against private businesses who dared not offer their services to same sex weddings due to their religious or personal beliefs.

Apparently it's not possible for government to grant one liberty without restricting others.


My view certainly isn't going to be popular. (asbestos underwear)
Marriage for as long as I can remember (what I learned) was mostly a religous thing. Yes there were political marriages (princes and princess'es for treaties, etc), but divorces/annulments had to be approved by religous leaders (Bishops, Pope, etc). The church of England was founded, so one could get a divorce, without greasing the palm of some religous leaders.
So I have a problem with the whole language of marriage, where a preacher/priest, etc can marry you, and a Judge can divorce you. You want separation of church and state, fine, make an equivalent of marriage by a Judge/ships captain/ etc, have some other name then marriage (civil union would be fine as an example), so the religous one (till death due you part) keep its traditional one.
Then the legal one could encompass same sex marriage, without forcing someones religion on others. This also means since marriage is basically a contract, some other aspects of contract law could apply. (why not have a marriage license that expires, unless specifically renewed? Saves the hassle of divorce and contract terms would have to be spelled out)

This endless fighting over church and state, stuff, just ticks me off.