QuoteFor the first time in history, voters have chosen to legalize same-sex marriage on the ballot. Gay rights advocates are already celebrating this development as a critical victory and a turning point in the fight for marriage equality.
Since the late '90s, a total of 32 states have held votes on same-sex marriage, and each time, voters have opposed the measure. For opponents of same-sex marriage, this string of victories has been a crucial talking point. As Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, the nation's leading group opposing gay marriage, said in a press release this summer: "The American people know in their heart what marriage is, and they have expressed that in the form of over 70 million votes cast in 32 consecutive state elections to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
But on Tuesday night, voters in Maine and Maryland chose to legalize gay marriage, according to exit polls and early returns. In Minnesota and Washington, the results were not yet clear as of this writing.
Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, an organization that has long advocated for same-sex marriage, spent more than $5 million in support of gay marriage in these states.
"This is a landmark election for marriage equality and we will forever look back at this year as a critical turning point in the movement for full citizenship for LGBT people," he said in a press release Tuesday night. "Voters in Maine came to the common-sense conclusion that all people deserve the ability to make loving, lifelong commitments through marriage."
Marc Solomon, national campaign director for Freedom to Marry, another prominent advocacy organization, said in a press release: "Today, a majority in Maine voted in favor of loving and committed same-sex couples seeking the freedom to marry. Now the commitment gay and lesbian couples have made in life will be respected equally under the law, celebrated before their loved ones, and called what it is: marriage."
For gay-rights advocates, the Maine vote is particularly heartening. Just three years ago, a popular vote overturned legislation that would have legalized same-sex marriage in the state.
"Securing marriage equality at the ballot box in Maine is especially appreciated the second time around," R. Clark Cooper, head of the Log Cabin Republicans, the largest Republican group that supports same-sex marriage, told The Huffington Post in an email.
Although six states and Washington, D.C. legalized gay marriage before Tuesday night, they did so through the votes of state legislators or court decisions. The new victory undermines the conservative premise that those early wins were merely the result of liberal bias in state legislatures and the courts, and it reflects what recent polls have shown to be a shift in Americans' views on the issue.
"It's hard to overstate the national significance of this vote," Solomon said. "For years, our opponents have argued that we could not win a majority vote at the ballot. Today, Maine voters proved them wrong, standing up for the Golden Rule and for freedom for all Mainers."
Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage could not immediately be reached for comment.
:cheers:
:cheers:
Jumped the gun a bit here Mart imo. Best wait and see what the other two say.
I voted for it despite you, Martinus. You supremely annoying fag.
I did it for Sheilbh instead. :P
Quote from: Martinus on November 07, 2012, 07:37:40 AM
Brian Brown
Not to be confused with Bryan Brown. Or Michael Caine.
Quote from: Tyr on November 07, 2012, 07:42:35 AM
Best wait and see what the other two say.
Minnesotans voted down their proposed constitutional amendment to outlaw same sex marriage, so a double-negative = win.
Washington's results aren't in yet, but the measure was in the lead early this morning at 52%, so it looks like it was a clean sweep in all four states.
It's hard to support the gays when Poland's Perez Hilton is reminding you of his presence.
Quote from: Ed Anger on November 07, 2012, 08:35:38 AM
It's hard to support the gays when Poland's Perez Hilton is reminding you of his presence.
Much like Timmay, he's safely on the other side of the fucking planet.
That would have been good enough 50 years ago.
The people who supported Martinus are being noted. I'm looking at you, Money.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on November 07, 2012, 07:43:03 AM
I voted for it despite you, Martinus. You supremely annoying fag.
I did it for Sheilbh instead. :P
This.
Quote from: Neil on November 07, 2012, 09:35:57 AM
The people who supported Martinus are being noted. I'm looking at you, Money.
Gay marriage being legal makes Martinus a lot more likely to lose lots of money.
It'll be interesting to see what happens in Minnesota; the Dems regained control of the legislature, and the governor wants to pass a gay marriage bill. I guess the GOP would argue that even though the voters don't want to make it illegal, they don't want to legalize it?
Quote from: Faeelin on November 07, 2012, 10:49:28 AM
It'll be interesting to see what happens in Minnesota; the Dems regained control of the legislature, and the governor wants to pass a gay marriage bill. I guess the GOP would argue that even though the voters don't want to make it illegal, they don't want to legalize it?
Well the true situation is that it is and still is illegal, but that they didn't want to put in place an amendment that made it much harder to revisit the discussion on whether it should be legal.
So never mind this. What about pot? I hear it's legal now in Washington State? Gotta plan my next holiday.
Quote from: Josephus on November 07, 2012, 11:34:59 AM
So never mind this. What about pot? I hear it's legal now in Washington State? Gotta plan my next holiday.
Just to be clear Federal Drug Laws are still in effect so be careful. The local cops might light your joint for you though.
Quote from: garbon on November 07, 2012, 11:31:12 AM
Well the true situation is that it is and still is illegal, but that they didn't want to put in place an amendment that made it much harder to revisit the discussion on whether it should be legal.
This seems like an awfully nuanced view of what Minnesotans were doing.
Quote from: Faeelin on November 07, 2012, 11:40:01 AM
Quote from: garbon on November 07, 2012, 11:31:12 AM
Well the true situation is that it is and still is illegal, but that they didn't want to put in place an amendment that made it much harder to revisit the discussion on whether it should be legal.
This seems like an awfully nuanced view of what Minnesotans were doing.
In the absence of other evidence, I think it would be a mistake to say Minnesota wants gay marriage. After all, that's sort of the point of all these anti-gay marriage amendments. They are an attempt to lock in place the prevailing view that gay marriage is awful so that even when a state gets to a point that the populace would support gay marriage - it is now very difficult to reverse position. Trouble for the bigots in MN was of course that people apparently don't view it as awful. I'm not sure that means that they want it - though I'd gladly be proven wrong. :)
Quote from: Josephus on November 07, 2012, 11:34:59 AM
So never mind this. What about pot? I hear it's legal now in Washington State? Gotta plan my next holiday.
CBC did a man on the street type interview with people down in Bellingham. When asked about the pot initiative one man said "the economy is bad enough and now we are going to have a bunch of high people looking for work." When asked about the gay marriage initiative he said "now we are going to have a bunch of gay high people."
God Bless America and the 49% that supported Romney.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on November 07, 2012, 10:01:26 AM
Quote from: Neil on November 07, 2012, 09:35:57 AM
The people who supported Martinus are being noted. I'm looking at you, Money.
Gay marriage being legal makes Martinus a lot more likely to lose lots of money.
Maybe, but it won't degrade him, and that's the goal.
Quote from: garbon on November 07, 2012, 11:42:48 AM
In the absence of other evidence, I think it would be a mistake to say Minnesota wants gay marriage. After all, that's sort of the point of all these anti-gay marriage amendments. They are an attempt to lock in place the prevailing view that gay marriage is awful so that even when a state gets to a point that the populace would support gay marriage - it is now very difficult to reverse position. Trouble for the bigots in MN was of course that people apparently don't view it as awful. I'm not sure that means that they want it - though I'd gladly be proven wrong. :)
Agreed on all counts. The farthest I'd go in speculation is that if a bill to legalize it outright were introduced today, it would fail, while a bill to recognize marriages performed in other states would go through by a narrow to moderate margin.
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on November 07, 2012, 10:01:26 AM
Quote from: Neil on November 07, 2012, 09:35:57 AM
The people who supported Martinus are being noted. I'm looking at you, Money.
Gay marriage being legal makes Martinus a lot more likely to lose lots of money.
This.
Quote from: Martinus on November 07, 2012, 02:09:08 PM
Quote from: Peter Wiggin on November 07, 2012, 10:01:26 AM
Quote from: Neil on November 07, 2012, 09:35:57 AM
The people who supported Martinus are being noted. I'm looking at you, Money.
Gay marriage being legal makes Martinus a lot more likely to lose lots of money.
This.
Yeah, but you would lose even more money if the state seized all your assets, revoked your law license and citizenship and cast you out into the street to starve. Surely that would be worse, right?
Washington called for homos. :cheers:
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 07, 2012, 11:45:37 AM
Quote from: Josephus on November 07, 2012, 11:34:59 AM
So never mind this. What about pot? I hear it's legal now in Washington State? Gotta plan my next holiday.
CBC did a man on the street type interview with people down in Bellingham. When asked about the pot initiative one man said "the economy is bad enough and now we are going to have a bunch of high people looking for work." When asked about the gay marriage initiative he said "now we are going to have a bunch of gay high people."
God Bless America and the 49% that supported Romney.
:lol:
Wonderful ignorance.
"I wasn't sure about being gay before but now they can get married I'm in!"
On similar news, Spain's Constitutional court upheld our gay marriage law two days ago, despite the challenge of our incumbent conservative party.