Thanks for linking Sullivan's article, a good perspective. That story about the AIDS patient and his boyfriend was heartbreaking. No wonder it started him down that path.
Thanks for linking Sullivan's article, a good perspective. Now and again he goes overboard, but in instances like this he's very, very good. Especially considering how personal it is to him, as well as how long he's fought this particular fight. (And yes, I almost put a warning on the link due to the heartbreak. The human cost has been immense.)
I thinkk it's great that this has happened, but what makes me so bloody frustrated is that it actually has to come to this! My friend's church (united) is going through the motions of becoming an affirming church. Why is this even an issue? Why does anyone have the right to tell anyone else who they are legally allowed to marry based on sexual orientation or any other reason for that matter? I grew up, with my mom telling me stories about growing up in South Africa in the midst of Aparteid and how she left because (in her words) "I won't live in a place where the government can tell me that I'm not allowed to fall in love and marry a black man" to me, that's the same thing as a person's sexual preference, their faith, their ethnicity etc. I don't care who you marry!! I don't care who you sleep with! I don't care what colour your skin is adn I don't care who you pray to!! Are you a good person? Do you treat others with respect? Are you a lovign adn giving person? THAT's what matters! We as people under these governing folks, have handed over the authority to make these rules..........why? why have been allowed to go this far? why is some fat pocketed person allowed to tell my best friend he's NOT allowed to marry his long time lover? Why does my friend's church have to have a referendum to see whether they are allowed to have an affirming church? I always use the same analgy..........when Christ taught on the mount he didn't separate folks into different groups. "oh....your Jewish....come sit up frint, You're Catholic....over there.....you're Gay.....over on the left." He just spoke and those who wanted to listed did. Aren't we all supposed to be "one under God" (or who ever you chose to believe in)To me............we should all be equal. No separate laws based on gender, faith, creed or sexual orientation. Sorry.......I've ranted and vented enough. It just pisses me off. I realize that this is the way things are............but to me it's just wrong! OK..venting done.
It's a great sign for the future of my country IMO. Partisan politics has become so polarized that it's become very, very difficult for politicians of either party to publicly disagree. People following their consciences is a good thing!
I will maintain a certain cynicism that this is self-serving on the GOP's part because they've seen the way the wind is blowing socially in this country, and they can see their own likely future demise if they keep clinging to outdated morality.
The other part of me is LOL at the thought of yet more GOP infighting as the fanatical right-wing crowd goes up against the more pragmatic faction that's willing to at least mouth support of gay rights if it will garner them a few more votes.
If this support influences the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions, however, some good will have come out of it, no matter how cynically motivated.
I will maintain a certain cynicism that this is self-serving on the GOP's part because they've seen the way the wind is blowing socially in this country, and they can see their own likely future demise if they keep clinging to outdated morality. Oh totally. Like the Tories pushing to legalise gay marriage, cause they need some goodwill.
The other part of me is LOL at the thought of yet more GOP infighting as the fanatical right-wing crowd goes up against the more pragmatic faction that's willing to at least mouth support of gay rights if it will garner them a few more votes. Just like the Tories... >:)
If this support influences the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions, however, some good will have come out of it, no matter how cynically motivated. My thoughts too. It would be silly to detract from a step forwards, no matter the motivations.
Sadly the world is complicated and full of rules. But (thankfully) it seems as if we're now heading in the right direction. People are just always wary of the 'unknown'...
(Sorry this reply is so short, am half asleep by now, but I didn't want to leave it any longer. That is - it's already been days and days since you commented.)
Oh, I'm waaaay more cynical about their motives than you probably imagine. But even if it's totally motivated by wanting to "win back some votes" it indicates that the GOP is starting to swing back towards the political center and away from the extreme loony/ tea party/ WBC outliers for their political cues. The last few years has been a "How can we be even more extreme" fest from the GOP, or at least that's my perception. I'd kind of like my government to Get Stuff Done, and that seems much more likely when they aren't quite so polarized
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The tide has turned...
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Now and again he goes overboard, but in instances like this he's very, very good. Especially considering how personal it is to him, as well as how long he's fought this particular fight. (And yes, I almost put a warning on the link due to the heartbreak. The human cost has been immense.)
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I grew up, with my mom telling me stories about growing up in South Africa in the midst of Aparteid and how she left because (in her words) "I won't live in a place where the government can tell me that I'm not allowed to fall in love and marry a black man" to me, that's the same thing as a person's sexual preference, their faith, their ethnicity etc. I don't care who you marry!! I don't care who you sleep with! I don't care what colour your skin is adn I don't care who you pray to!! Are you a good person? Do you treat others with respect? Are you a lovign adn giving person? THAT's what matters! We as people under these governing folks, have handed over the authority to make these rules..........why? why have been allowed to go this far? why is some fat pocketed person allowed to tell my best friend he's NOT allowed to marry his long time lover? Why does my friend's church have to have a referendum to see whether they are allowed to have an affirming church?
I always use the same analgy..........when Christ taught on the mount he didn't separate folks into different groups. "oh....your Jewish....come sit up frint, You're Catholic....over there.....you're Gay.....over on the left." He just spoke and those who wanted to listed did.
Aren't we all supposed to be "one under God" (or who ever you chose to believe in)To me............we should all be equal. No separate laws based on gender, faith, creed or sexual orientation.
Sorry.......I've ranted and vented enough. It just pisses me off. I realize that this is the way things are............but to me it's just wrong!
OK..venting done.
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The other part of me is LOL at the thought of yet more GOP infighting as the fanatical right-wing crowd goes up against the more pragmatic faction that's willing to at least mouth support of gay rights if it will garner them a few more votes.
If this support influences the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions, however, some good will have come out of it, no matter how cynically motivated.
Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks for the links, lol.
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Oh totally. Like the Tories pushing to legalise gay marriage, cause they need some goodwill.
The other part of me is LOL at the thought of yet more GOP infighting as the fanatical right-wing crowd goes up against the more pragmatic faction that's willing to at least mouth support of gay rights if it will garner them a few more votes.
Just like the Tories... >:)
If this support influences the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions, however, some good will have come out of it, no matter how cynically motivated.
My thoughts too. It would be silly to detract from a step forwards, no matter the motivations.
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Sadly the world is complicated and full of rules. But (thankfully) it seems as if we're now heading in the right direction. People are just always wary of the 'unknown'...
(Sorry this reply is so short, am half asleep by now, but I didn't want to leave it any longer. That is - it's already been days and days since you commented.)
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/rant
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