Comments on: Vermont Legalizes Gay Marriage

By: Tully

Tully — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:39:36 +0000

The courts have done a bang-up job of motivating something like thirty states to elevate their opposite-sex-marriage-only statutes up to the level of state constitutional enshrinement. For every Massachussets or Iowa, there are 8 or 10 Nebraskas and Californias. The No on Prop 8 people blame the nastiness of Prop 8 supporters for the referendum’s passage, but the nastiness of the No on 8 crowd had just as much to do with it, by generating backlash among people who ordinarily might well have been persuaded to their side.

So please pardon me if I don’t worship the cram-down activist-court triumphalism coupled with the “you’re a homophobe bigot if you don’t support us 100%” approach, but do find the Vermont legislature’s actions a very welcome breath of fresh air on the subject. Good for Vermont!

By: Vast

Vast — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:04:28 +0000

It’s great to see Vermont grant equality through the legislature than through the courts, but the courts serve a purpose of protecting minorities from majorities when states try to legislate religious dogma into their statues and constitutions.

By: Allan

Allan — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:22:38 +0000

Guys there is a great LGBT civil rights organization called the Empowering Spirits Foundation. They are very creative in how they approach this hot topic issue of gay marriage, in that they engage in service oriented activities in communities typically opposed to equal rights to foster thought and change for LGBT equality.

A friend of mine told me about it and I thought it was a great, positive approach to the issue. We had so much fun at the last event and it was great to give back to the community. Plus it was great to converse with others on the other side of the table in a way that wasn’t confrontational.

Anyway, this can be such a heated issue and I thought this was a unique approach.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Empowering-Spirits-Foundation/49288966338

By: Jimmy the Dhimmi

Jimmy the Dhimmi — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:05:21 +0000

This is the right way to do it. Good for the Vermonters.

By: J. Harden

J. Harden — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:37:58 +0000

I love Gay Days at Donklephant. It is like a naughty cyber-parade. All you need is a giant transvestite on stilts with a habit and clown-suit dancing across the screen. Is there anyway you can give your readers some warning?…it’s like accidentally walking into the tent on Brokeback Mountain. Hang a sock on the door or something.

By: kranky kritter

kranky kritter — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:56:29 +0000

Depends. Will democrats be pushing a federal mandate, or supporting the ongoing right of each state to set its own policy?

If the former, then yes, it will be an issue. If the latter, then no.