Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2006 > July > 06 > Entry
Send back the grooms
The Gay Life: This morning, Kip and I are still married in just one North American country and one of the 50 United States. The New York’s highest court handed the contentious issue of gay marriage off to the state legislature, citing various legal and social traditions.
Altweb.com
That leaves the decision up to the people and their representatives. Which is, I think, a good place to be in years to come. I sense a bitter backlash, especially among young people, against the anti-gay-marriage crowd. It may take a while longer, but social change at the legal level always lasts longer when it is accomplished through representative government.
“We do not predict what people will think generations from now, but we believe the present generation should have a chance to decide the issue through its elected representatives,” Judge Robert Smith wrote.
Hours later, the Georgia Supreme Court reinstated its state’s gay marriage ban
Meanwhile, Canada and Massachusetts will have to do. Feel free to disagree.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Categories: By Michael Barnes
Comments
By Scott Pelham
July 6, 2006 11:42 AM | Link to this
So often I find comments and conversations pass right over what to me is "stating the obvious". Out of all this argument over Gay Marriage whatever happened to the obvious? Constitutional Rights are NOT SUBJECT TO MAJORITY RULE! So says the CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES! Homosexual citizen taxpayers have all the rights of heterosexuals. We are protected by the Constitution of the United States to live in marriage and be spouses in every way that Heterosexuals are regardless of state law. It is unconstitutional and "taxation without representation" to ban gay marriage! Enough said!
By Alma Jackson
July 6, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this
Its hilarious when anti-gay marriage espousers throw out the "marriage is for procreation" jab. That means if the woman is past menopause, infertile for whatever medical reason or simply chooses to be child free; LOOK OUT, girlfriend, your rights are next! Reminds me of the (up until recently) constant barrage of antigay arguments based on the biblical text in Leviticus. That is, until its pointed out that Leviticus also has 13 versus that support slavery, OOPS! I strongly believe that proud Gay Americans such as Michael, Kip, myself, my wife of 24 years and many others will see the day when equality for us will take place. It wil simply take patience and persistance. And trust me, I ain't going any damn where.
By Sean
July 6, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this
As you know, the "people" (or at least their representatives) are rarely sympathetic to the rights and needs and humanity of those who are different. The job of the court is to keep the "people" honest and consistent. The nonsense that the court included in its ruling about a "rational" link between marriage and procreation, about the lack of sex discrimination in current marriage laws, etc. suggest they have failed in their charge. Although public opinion polls do demonstrate a slight shift in views on marriage equality, the elected representatives of NY State and certainly Texas are unlikely to make sympathetic law. So, I'm not sure what's next.