Same-sex marriage ignites a fury across the U.S.

[Cannikin]

San Francisco's decision to issue same-sex marriage licenses by the hundreds is reverberating nationwide as gay rights groups celebrate, their adversaries hope for a backlash, and politicians wrestle with how to respond. Mayors in Chicago, Salt Lake City, and upstate New York spoke favorably of the weddings, but many politicians--including some liberal Democrats--are unsettled by the more than 2,900 gay and lesbian couples being wed over the past week at San Francisco's City Hall.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-California), an outspoken supporter of gay rights, issued a terse statement that offered no praise for San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts), one of three openly gay members of Congress, suggested Newsom's action could undermine long-term efforts to legalize gay marriage in Massachusetts and fuel support for a federal constitutional amendment banning such unions.

On the Republican side, President Bush said the San Francisco weddings troubled him and could influence his decision on whether to support the proposed constitutional amendment. Also, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urged the city to stop the same-sex weddings, saying, "Californians spoke on the issue of same-sex marriage when they overwhelmingly approved California's law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman."

Matt Coles, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project, said the Massachusetts case, rather than the San Francisco action, is more likely to survive legal challenges and lead to permanently recognized same-sex marriages. "However, this fight ultimately is about what America thinks is fair, and in that sense Mayor Newsom has done a great service," he said. "Americans watched on television as hundreds and hundreds of people stood in the pouring rain all night to get married, and a fair number of them probably thought, Gee, we didn't have to go through that."
http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp?ID=11396&sd=02/21/04-02/23/04

[AlinPA]

1. Some right-wing reporter at the WH press conference today asked

McClellan why Bush* has not sent the National Guard into SF to stop the marriages. (compared it to Little Rock in the 60's-"breaking the law")

[Options Remain]

2. bush*t

"President Bush said the San Francisco weddings troubled him and could influence his decision on whether to support the proposed constitutional amendment."

Yeah like that was ever in question.

TearForger

[efhmc]

3. Funny, to me that question seemed like a liberal lure to put your money

(troops) where your mouth is. Send in troops to terrorize those loving couples since they are so breaking the law by the thousands and then we will see how it plays out in middle American. The sight of those wonderful, brave, African-Americans children being spit on and cursed at and bullied by white "grown-ups" for trying to go to school in the 50's changed the apathy of many an American.

[arewethereyet]

4. the governor controls the National Guard

Besides Arnold is just having the registrara not register them. Its a three step process and only the last one counts.

[maggrwaggr]

5. didn't some of us predict this a few months ago?

that the media would make a huge fucking deal out of the "gay marriage" thing? As an issue for the 2004 election?

AS a goddamn DISTRACTION from the crimes of this administration???

It's right on schedule.

God I'm sick of this country.