North Carolina (in before MrFun!)

[notyoueither]

Asher, you should consider the fact that it was banned before, only now it's just Extra-Banned with a capital B. This changes nothing. It's basically symbolic.

EDIT: Actually, it changes one thing. It prevents judges from legislating on the issue from the bench. So you could see this is as voters asserting their rights and the rights of the legislature against the judiciary.

Won't SCOTUS punt the State amendment?

[Egbert]

Another classy state that'll try to forget this happened in 25 years.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/08/politics/north-carolina-marriage/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

What a draconian, freedom-hating state. It makes me simultaneously sad, and glad that I renounced my American citizenship and don't have to personally deal with backwater politics.

Long live Canada, and true freedom.

While you're at it, could you start a thread on land rights for gay whales please?
(Starting with a great big cut and paste article if you please).

Thanks in anticipation Asher.

[MrFun]

. . . and how the understanding of marriage changed.

Ben just admitted that the understanding of marriage has changed over history?

[MrFun]

Oh, and by the way - fvck the people in North Carolina who voted for the amendment.

[Ben Kenobi]

Ben just admitted that the understanding of marriage has changed over history?

Have I ever said otherwise? Christian marriage is Christian marriage. The concept that marriage is for life and that divorce is contrary to marriage was an innovation.

[Egbert]

Oh, and by the way - fvck the people in North Carolina who voted for the amendment.

I will go you halves in that enterprise. You can have the boys and I will attend to the girls.
Fair?

[DinoDoc]

Can someone explain why this was put up for vote in a primary and not a general election? If having the people decide the rights of a minority is so important shouldn't it happen in an election with high turnout?

So you wanted a ballot measure likely to draw people unlikely to vote for President Obama to the polls in a State that he needs to win to be in the general election?

[dannubis]

You could argue all day on this--I don't think there's one conclusively correct answer, but it's my opinion that the distinction between gay marriage and traditional marriage is a perfectly reasonable one.

What possibly could be a reason to distinguish between different types of marriage ? Unless of course you plant to do something with that type of information...

[Jon Miller]

Because most people consider them to be different things?

I mean, it is the same as saying that the word 'american' shouldn't be used....

JM

[Dauphin]

If Ben is a teacher, does he now know that 'matriculating' doesn't mean he has a degree?

Also, Ben, which gay charity did you donate the $10 that I asked you to donate after venart helped you out?

[Elok]

Because most people consider them to be different things?

I mean, it is the same as saying that the word 'american' shouldn't be used....

JM

It shouldn't. Nationalities should always be capitalized, at least in English. [/pedantic]

Anyway, arguments about "traditional marriage" are largely missing the point. "Traditional marriage" is, for good or bad, now something of an anachronism largely sustained by tax and other privileges. It's like you're arguing about whether the Post Office should hire homosexuals. The correct question is not "is this in keeping with our historical understanding of how mail delivery should function?" but "whoTF uses the Post Office anymore?"

[Fake Boris]

And if it's not a fundamental right, then it's perfectly ok for the state to discriminate.

You're such a douchebag.

Unemployment benefits probably aren't a fundamental right. You think it would be just fine to deny it on the basis of a "******ity" or "fagness" evaluation?

[regexcellent]

I think it would be fair to deny it based on the fact that it pays people to not work.

[Fake Boris]

I think it would be fair to deny it based on the fact that it pays people to not work.

Let's have a 100% inheritance tax too - it pays people not to work.

If only you knew how close to each other's our beliefs are.

[Kuciwalker]

Incentives matter. Maybe we should give the South another incentive to stop oppressing minorities. Who's up for razing Raleigh this time?