Almost an entire region of the country has legalized marriage equality.

[cali]

5 out of the 6 New England states have chosen to legalize same sex marriage and three out of the 5 have done so through the legislative process. that's quite an accomplishment and quite a blow to the fundies.

[billyoc]

1. NY State Senate is debating now. Assembly already passed it and Gov. Patterson will sign.

[shadowknows69]

3. I don't know what the hell they're debating

As a New Yorker I find it embarrassing that we didn't help lead the country on this instead of lagging. I wish I could say I'm 100% confident it will get to Patterson.

[billyoc]

9. Probably "why the hell do we have so many Republicans in the NY State Senate".

It's 32-30 Democrats. :(

[shadowknows69]

22. Because a lot of uptstate is filled with Wingers and towns like mine

That still exist solely because there is a military base near it. We have no more manufacturing jobs but we have every damn chain resturant you can think of. We probably have 50 different pizza places for a city of 40,000

[MADem]

2. The trend reminds me of something else....

1861: The "Free States" are in blue!

[shadowknows69]

4. edited: Yeah but New York should have been one of the first states to do it

[cali]

5. I'm just happy they're doing it now.

This is a good time to be doing it. There's power in numbers.

[ejpoeta]

7. and there seems to be a momentum building as each new state includes

same sex marriage. oh, what a happy day it would be if we could have this everywhere. how long did it take with interracial marriage to be accepted? i know there were a lot of people who didn't like that idea either. i wonder where we would be today if voters got to decide everything..... civil rights? women voting? how many controversial things do we take for granted now? it makes me sad that this discrimination is still allowed at all... that people don't just see that we all should have the right to be who we are and live our lives without others trying to infringe. they always think that WE are infringing on them somehow. is this THEIR country and we are just allowed to live in it or something by their good grace??? I may not be gay, but I was able to go down to the town and get myself a license and get married with not even batting an eyelash. That people have to jump through hoops just to be treated equally makes me very sad and angry at those out there who want to regulate THEIR beliefs, when they would throw a fit if anyone tried to do it to them.

[MADem]

19. Well, the voters do get to decide everything, eventually.

The irritation regarding this issue is that the state-by-state process is slow, and fraught with danger if fashions change and people lose enthusiasm for the effort. People who are old, like me, remember the ERA. That was a firestorm that failed.

That's why some would prefer that the Congress take it up in a "top down" manner, but frankly, "The Congress" doesn't have the guts--yet, anyway. Why? Not enough states have signed up.

I think the biggest Up check for Equality is the fact that Massachusetts made a freaking BUNDLE from it in increased business for weddings, hotel stays for family and friends, food sales, tourism, etc.--it's a MAJOR cash cow. That should move even the coldest Republican--they may not love Equality, but they sure love their money.

[MADem]

6. Five years ago Pataki was still governor. He wouldn't have signed. I forgive them.

Spitzer entered office in 2007, and we know what happened with him. They've been busy, cleaning house. Now they're taking care of business!

[-..__...]

11. Progress and change is a good thing... even if it does come slowly.

Unfortunately MA and RI have fallen behind and have some catching up to do...

[cali]

12. wtf do concealed carry laws have to do with marriage equality?

[-..__...]

13. WTF do slave states vs free states have to do with marriage equality?

[cali]

14. say what?

where do I mention slave states v. free states in the OP?

[-..__...]

15. Not you... the post I originally responded to...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5676131&mesg_id=5676229

[Bill McBlueState]

21. so the fact that one person went off topic

makes it A-OK for everyone else to talk about whatever they want?

Ain't the internet great?

[MADem]

24. I didn't go "off topic" though. There is a parallel to be made with the

issues of slavery and denial of marriage equality.

Both deny basic human freedoms. Opposition to both took hold first in the north and on the west coast.

So you see, if you stand back and look at MY canvas, I didn't go off topic at all. I am just painting a mural, here, not crafting a piece of cameo jewelry.

The gun bit is different--in MA, we could overturn concealed carry with a referendum. We choose not to do so.

[Tesha]

31. To a gun nut, *EVERYTHING* is about whether they can fondle their piece. (NT)

[MADem]

18. I live in a state where the consensus is "no" on that score. It's not a

government mandate, we could overturn it by referendum at the drop of a hat--like we did with Equality.

It's a choice of the citizenry in this state.

[Sebastian Doyle]

29. Fucking gun nuts think everything is about them

First the NRA forces their bullshit into a credit card bill, now this? :eyes:

[Bill McBlueState]

8. did it become law in New Hampshire?

Last I heard the governor had some reservations about signing the bill.

[cali]

10. He said he'd sign it if some changes are made

the changes are really insignificant bullshit. they'll be made. he'll sign.

[MADem]

25. The governor wants language to tell churches specifically that if their religion doesn't buy off on

gay marriage, then they don't have to do it.

The wingnuts are running ads on NH TV griping that the governor broke his word, and that everyone should call him and complain. Waaah!

[Jennicut]

16. I live in CT and was so happy when it was legalized.

And it has not ruined any normal marriages yet nor made my children immoral. LOL.

[Hepburn]

17. I do not understand fundie thinking on most issues ...

... and in particular about the marriages of others.

If they feel they are "right with their gawd," what business is it of theirs if others feel differently about the same issues?

I totally question their bullshit about how gay marriage will and does destroy traditional marriage. I find that ANY legally cemented relationship promotes a more stable society and therefore gay marriage aids straight marriage.

Maybe I just don't see how Jesus would protest about this...:shrug:

[MADem]

20. Well, these are the idiots that persist in a fiction that a thirty three year old Jew

was SINGLE when he was hung up on a cross. I mean--come ON. If he wasn't married, he was gay. You just didn't STAY single in that society--widows married their husband's brothers, widowers went out and got new wives. There were no "bachelor pads" back then.

ETA the key word "husband's!!!"

[Hepburn]

23. Ummmmmmmmm....

....Jesus as a gay. Seems quite possible to me. :hi:

[indigo32]

27. you have a point about that society

I tend to think he was married.

[indigo32]

26. but but but

how can they persist in indoctrinating their children into thinking I (and others of course) am an abomination if other folks just up and live and let live. I mean God forbid a school teacher might have to tell their children to treat some child decently even though he has two mommies. That would be AWFUL.

[jgraz]

28. Hmmm... "fundie thinking". I think I see your problem here.

[Hepburn]

32. OMG....

...I put "fundie" and "thinking" in the same sentence without the word NOT!

Mea culp, mea maxima culpa! :hi:

[Tesha]

30. New Hampshire hasn't done it yet, and we might still screw it up.

Right now, in NH, John Lynch, our Allegedly-(D) Governor has promised
to veto the marriage equality bill unless it is reworked by our House and
Senate to incorporate language promising that people with religious
objections can get a free pink pony instead of having to associate with
the conduct of a gay marriage.

This means the bill has to be re-voted in our House and Senate; it only
narrowly passed before and after it initially was voted down so there's
some risk in this re-vote.

Because of this, you can't yet consider New Hampshire to be a "done
deal" by any means, only "Signs point to yes".

Tesha

[Kievan Rus]

33. The fundy anti-gay bigotry is just a losing fight

The fundies will lose the "culture war" that they started in the first place.

[Tesha]

37. The *REAL* problem for the fundies is that once gay marriage becomes widespread,

then the ordinary people will realize that 1) marriage
equality is no big deal 2) Dog isn't going to strike anybody
dead over the issue and 3) those two very nice men who
live next door, the ones they thought were brothers, are
in fact, GAY, and didn't they just have the nicest wedding!

Once the fundies can no longer demonize gays and gay
marriage, they'll have lost one of the main pillars of their
political power!

Tesha

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

34. We will probably be voting on a people's veto over here in ME in Nov

I expect that. Who knows how that will turn out. I think it will be close.

[Arugula Latte]

35. It's strange how the West Coast is lagging.

Fucking Prop 8 and also Measure 36 (in 2004) here in Oregon... :grr:

You'd think we'd be right up there with New England. So frustrating. :banghead:

I can only hope that the "antis" die off at a sufficient clip and we have enough change-of-hearters for us to get marriage equality sooner rather than later.

[LanternWaste]

36. Even ten years ago, I would have thought you were dreaming...

Even a mere ten years ago, I would have thought you were dreaming had you predicted this as the current state of affairs. And to be honest, I'm still a bit surprised that it's taken off as quickly as it has.

I imagine the recent vote on California's prop 8 was but one step back in a game of two steps forward-- the swan song of a dying interest group.

Equal marriage, an African-American pres, a groundswell of support for single payer... never, ever thought I'd see it happen in my lifetime. I'm glad I'm seeing it. :)