Gay Couples File Suit for Marriage Licenses in Broward County

[guajira]

There is also a poll at this website showing 91% in favor of marriage for gays!!

snippets:
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A Miami attorney said he will sue the state at midday Wednesday on behalf of 175 gay couples, seeking to change the law prohibiting them from obtaining marriage licenses.

Attorney Ellis Rubin said he would be accompanied by a large number of couples when he files the suit at noon in Broward County Court. The suit is believed to be the first formal legal challenge to the state law specifying that marriage licenses be issued only to parties consisting of one male and one female.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-225gaywedbroward,0,3910803.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

[Imajika]

1. Everytime this happens..

...it will infuriate the majority of the American public further. Californians voted against gay marriage fairly overwhelmingly - yet it is happening against their wishes. The issue is now in Mass, New Mexico, Florida and increasingly elsewhere.

Bush will appear to be the guy to take action against it, Democrats will appear to waffle - unable to support gay marriage but not willing to come out against it.

The American public is nowhere near ready for gay marriages. The GOP is going to absolutely pound us on this issue.

Sadly, I don't know what the answer is. I am for gay marriage - I don't really care who gets married. I am obviously against this silly constitutional amendment Bush is pushing. The problem is that the American people are not anywhere near where I am on this issue. The DU echo chamber seems to collectively believe the issue will hurt Bush, but the problem is DU is pretty much tonedeaf when it comes to gauging where the US population really is on major issues of the day.

I think much of the media will be appalled by Bush's ridiculous amendment, but I suspect that it will resonate well with a majority of the American public. Further, I don't think polls will be an accurate reflection on how people will vote on this issue. I think many people will lie about opposing gay marriage because they don't want to admit their homophobia and they will percieve it to be politically incorrect to tell the truth about their position on the issue, but when they actually vote they will look favorably on the candidate who opposes it.

I think the more this issue stays in the news, the more it helps Bush and hurts Kerry and the rest of the Democratic party.

Imajika

[callous taoboy]

2. As long as

Kerry sticks to his "civil unions" guns I think that this issue won't hurt him as much as it will draw the moderates away from the extreme right-wing calling for a constitutional amendment.

[JoFerret]

3. On the other hand

there is something irrestible and irreveocable about this tide that defeats and overcomes the arguments of those not directly concerned. It is something released into the atmosphere that overwhelms the trivia of the arguments back and forthj - a tidal wave of reality that hits Americans gay and straight right in the face with its logic and reason. Let the wave keep going. It has a force of its own centerd on committed and loving relationships. How much better can it get?

[varun]

4. Let the facts come out....

Many Americans are ignorant about this issue. The debate of gay marriages, the images of gay couples, will only open thier hearts and minds.

[yellowcanine]

8. I agree. If not now, when?

I am not gay but I support the rights of gays and lesbians to get married as a basic human right. The "right time" to fight for a basic human right is always now. If Bush exploits it for partisan gain and manages to win he will be forever tarnished just as the segregationist governors of the South are. I don't think it will work this time. There is something liberating going on that is going to change people's minds about accepting gay marriage. I really believe that.

[adamblast]

5. None of what you say is untrue, yet...

..it pales before the rights of individuals to shape their own destiny.

I applaud gay couples fighting for their right to marry. That it might *hurt* our chances in the general election means we have our work cut out for us. It is not up to me to tell them to sit in the back of the bus until I give the signal.

[Imajika]

6. Or it could lead to...

..a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

No matter how right or just the cause, if we overreach and go too far too fast - the public reaction could set back gay rights for decades.

It is right to fight for gay rights and gay marriage. It is an equal rights argument and one which I support, but the public is not ready for what is now happening. Even Californians are not ready for it. Sometimes a population has to brought along slowly. What is happening now could cause a backlash that will do terrible damage to progressive causes for years to come.

Imajika

[guajira]

7. I Say the Bigger the Marriage Movement, the Better!

This is definitely a civil rights issue, and waiting for the majority of Americans to put a stamp of approval on it means it would never be resolved.

I think many Americans think there are a handful of gays in any city, and have no idea how large the gay community is. Take a poll in Key West, or South Beach and you will likely find the majority favors gay marriages!!

The media loves to say that a large majority of Americans oppose gay marriage, but I wonder if that is really true.

[Robb]

9. The country wasn't ready for integration, either.

But it was the right thing to do, and the President backed it. :shrug:

[Ms. Toad]

10. I suspect similar thoughts were expressed

to Mildred Jeter and Richard Loving.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/loving.html

Marriage is a personal choice that, unfortunately for same gender couples, it is also wrapped up in political implications. Some personal choices just won't wait for the perfect political moment.

Our family is responsible for "bad" law in the state in which we live, which makes it impossible in our multi-county area for a child to have a legal relationship with both of his or her same gender parents. Should we have waited for more favorable political climate or for one of the national groups to be ready to support our case at the trial level?

It might have turned out differently, but the state supreme court has only gotten more conservative in the years since the negative decision. In the mean time, our daughter was on Medicaid for several years because, without legal recognition of the parent working outside of the home, there was no other access to insurance to treat her chronic illness. She is growing closer and closer to adulthood, and the opportunity for legal recognition of her second parent may be barred because adoption of adults is not always permitted. Should our marriage terminate while she is still a minor, our daughter would have no legal right to even petition the court for continued contact with her de facto (from birth) parent.

Whether it is the politically correct time or not, we plan to have our marriage recognized - preferably in Massachusetts, but in Canada if that is not possible, because that is the only realistic hope we have of gaining state recognition for our daughter of both of her parents (short of moving to another state). Making that a reality will require challenging the state DOMA law at what may (unpredictably) turn out to be a bad political time.

I don't know the circumstances of any of the couples participating in any of the recent court challenges. These couples may well have been motivated by compelling personal reasons for bringing the case when they did, and they likely could not have predicted the Massachusetts court would issue its decision at such a crucial time.

The issues is in front of the public now, and agonizing that is not the right time cannot make it disappear - so your help would be greatly appreciated in at least beating back an anti-marriage amendment to the constitution, even if you can't wholeheartedly support affirmatively supporting marriage.

[Chovexani]

12. Welcome to DU!

And thanks for the wise words. I hope your situation turns out for the best. Your story just illustrates the fact that this is not about religion or "redefining marriage" it's about basic human rights, and real people's lives. Maybe I'm a Pollyanna but I think that the more people hear stories like yours, and see the loving couples in SF and other places, the more they will come around.

[newyawker99]

13. Hi Ms. Toad!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Terran]

11. That is simply not going to happen

It will never get the two-thirds majority it needs in the Senate to even get off the ground. Never. Not gonna happen.