Nationwide protest against Proposition 8 tomorrow.

[Ben Kenobi]

If democracy means the majority can take away the rights of a minority group I do not want that kind of democracy.

Then why does the state issue marriage licenses? Marriage isn't a right. You don't need a 'happiness' license. You don't need a 'religion' license. You don't need a 'liberty' license, and you sure as heck don't need a 'speech' license.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Naked Gents Rut


You don't want democracy then.

You're completely comfortable with the majority taking away another group of people's rights?

wow

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Then why does the state issue marriage licenses? Marriage isn't a right. You don't need a 'happiness' license. You don't need a 'religion' license. You don't need a 'liberty' license, and you sure as heck don't need a 'speech' license.

I'm going to keep asking this question until someone answers me.

If marriage is not a right, why did the Supreme Court rule against prohibition of interracial marriage in United States?

[Lancer]

Originally posted by MrFun


Yeah - many blacks and Hispanics who voted for Obama in California also voted for Proposition 8 even though Obama opposed this prop.

Right. So why have a protest in front of the government buildings? You should go to black communities and protest.

[MrFun]

Blacks and everyone else will get the message when the protests make national news.

[Lancer]

Dude, I hope that doesn't happen until Tuesday night.

[Tuberski]

I honestly don't see how protesting in San Antonio is going to change anything in California.

Protest Mormon temples all over the country.

The Mormon church hates bad publicity. They will back off of something that doesn't concern them.

ACK!

[Ben Kenobi]

If marriage is not a right, why did the Supreme Court rule against prohibition of interracial marriage in United States?

It's the same as saying that laws against incest were wrong. The state saw no reason why marriages between black men and white women or black women and white men ought to be prohibited.

It did not declare marriage to be a right, otherwise the granting of marriage licenses altogether would be abolished.

[Seedle]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Then why does the state issue marriage licenses? Marriage isn't a right.

Depends on how you define marriage. Anyone can get married in a social/religious sense whenever they want. Well, whenever they can go through their culture's/religion's rituals. Legal marriage is obviously a different kettle of fish. I'm definitely with those who say the government should stick to civil unions only, and get out of the marriage business.

You don't need a 'happiness' license. You don't need a 'religion' license. You don't need a 'liberty' license, and you sure as heck don't need a 'speech' license.

The right is working on it. The right is working on it.

[Naked Gents Rut]

You're completely comfortable with the majority taking away another group of people's rights?

Depends on the issue. I'd wager you're also comfortable with the majority limiting the freedom of minorities on certain issues.

At any rate, the majority rules in a democracy. Liberal democracies make it more difficult for the majority to exercise control, but they still hold ultimate power if they're united enough. This is as it should be. A country that creates law on the basis of judicial fiat rather than the will of the majority is no democracy at all.

If marriage is not a right, why did the Supreme Court rule against prohibition of interracial marriage in United States?

Gay marriage isn't the same thing as marriage. Marriage offers several desirable benefits to society that gay marriage doesn't.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Lancer


Right. So why have a protest in front of the government buildings? You should go to black communities and protest.

That's a very good point.

[Ben Kenobi]

The right is working on it. The right is working on it.

The only time I have ever had my speech regulated is at the university, and somehow I doubt that is a haven for the right.

The right believes in natural law, and that the state can merely recognise rights, rather then granting them from whole cloth.

If in fact there are no natural rights, then it is perfectly legitimate for the state to grant things like speech licenses and liberty licenses.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
It did not declare marriage to be a right, otherwise the granting of marriage licenses altogether would be abolished.

You have the right to do something if that right is not taken away from you. In a free society rights have to be taken away for good reason. Your personal religious belief is not a good reason.

[Wittlich]

Originally posted by Naked Gents Rut

Gay marriage isn't the same thing as marriage. Marriage offers several desirable benefits to society that gay marriage doesn't.

Ok, I want to hear what these "desirable benefits" are before flying-off against this post.

[Naked Gents Rut]

Ok, I want to hear what these "desirable benefits" are before flying-off against this post.

Marriage encourages heterosexual couples to procreate and ensures the children grow up in a stable family environment.

Gay marriage can do a little of the latter (thanks to adoption) and much less of the former (thanks to artificial insemination), but it's clearly not as socially beneficial an institution as marriage.