Same sex marriage decision on Monday!!! (MA SC will rule)

[arcos]

Massachusetts court to rule on same-sex marriages

The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts is expected to rule Monday morning on whether gay marriage should be legal in the state.

Seven same-sex couples have sued Massachusetts for denying them marriage licenses, arguing the state's constitution prohibits discrimination because of sex.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/07/14/same.sex.marriages/index.html

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MercutioATC]

2. "Marriage" is a religious institution..."civil unions" are legal

What do you have against civil unions? I completely agree that there should be no legal difference between "married" hetersexual and homosexual couples, but all we can legislate is legal status.

[sfecap]

3. As Merc said...

Marriage is a religious ceremony. It has absolutely nothing to do with the legal aspects of a union between two people.

Gay couples are free to "marry". There are many ordained clergy that will perform the ceremony. Unfortunately in most states the ceremony still does not convey legal status upon the union, because most states only recognize heterosexual "marriage".

Legally recognizing civil unions between same sex couples is the only way to achieve the same recognition under the law.

You can call it what you like, the two are the same end result. Fortunately one Governor had the courage to sign the matter into law.

[arcos]

4. I agree...

And I think post #1 is just a thinly veiled attack against Dean.

[sfecap]

5. Of course it is....

That's all he does here.

[soleft]

6. Thinly?

[goddess40]

7. CNN poll on same sex marriages

I posted this under the civil Rights area also, but it fits in here so well.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=113&topic_id=166&mesg_id=166&page=


http://www.cnn.com/
Should same-sex marriage be legal?
Yes 36% 7994 votes
No 64% 14072 votes
Total: 22066 votes

I don't understand the objection to same-sex marriage. People that don't want this are interested in running and ruining other peoples lives.
What two consenting adults do is no ones business, as long as those adults are free of commitments to others.

[GayboyBilly]

8. My two cents

Well as a gay man. Civil Union vs. Marriage, Civil Union, lets call it what it is, a 2nd class citizen!

People keep complaining that Homosexuals want special rights. thats not true. Heterosexuals have the special right to be mairried not Homosexuals. We just want whats being denied us.

[Mari333]

11. Exactly,

2nd class citizens as long as they are denied the right to marriage , period.
simple as that.

[goddess40]

12. As an atheist I was married in the court house

does this mean any less then if I was married in a church. I guess I don't see the difference, can someone explain?
I think a civil union is a step in the right direction, I don't see the churches coming around any time soon as they are based on myths and not facts and common sense.

[Terran]

13. Listen up

You are being fooled by semantics. You *already* have the right to be married, by any clergy person who will perform that service for you. Marriage is a religious and spiritual ceremony exclusively to which anyone is entitled, and it cannot be regulated by any government because of its religious nature.

Civil unions are the same for both heterosexuals and homosexuals. You have to get a marriage *license* to get married--there is a civil law aspect to the process totally separate from the ceremonial aspect. All you need is the right to get that marriage license, and be covered by the same state *and* federal laws that apply to straight unions. When you have that, you are equal in every way. It doesn't *matter* whether you call the process a "marriage" or "civil union." Being in a civil union does not in any way make you a second-class citizen. The only difference currently between the Vermont civil union law and any given heterosexual union is the applicability of federal laws to the union--the federal laws don't apply to the Vermont unions because the federal governemtn doesn't recognize the Vermont Civil Union law.

[arcos]

9. At what time can we expect the ruling?

anyone... ?

[Liberator_Rev]

10. Civil Unions suffers flaws of all COMPROMISES.

If homosexuals are entitled to THE SAME rights as heteros, then we believe in http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org/about/equality4gays.html "Civil Unions" is a new ambiguous legal entity. It might well be totally useless in many states / countries. But "marriage" is a known entity and THAT is what gays need in order to have its rights WHEREVER they may travel or move.


at http://www.LiberalsLikeChrist.Org .
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