I happen to like the Constitution very much. It’s served us pretty well for a few hundred years, I think it’s one of the most incredible documents around and the only changes that we’ve had to make have been pretty sensible ones:
The Bill Of Rights. 'nuff said.
Clean up the mechanics of our government (how long do people serve, how is the presidency handed down).
Forbid disenfranchising citizens from participating in the running of the country equally.
Outlaw alcohol and create massive criminal gangs and corruption on a grand scale. OK, maybe that one wasn’t such a good idea, see #21 for errata.
But now you think that the very fabric of our society is in such immediate danger from two men or two women wanting to get married that you think we need to amend the fucking Constitution and enshrine your mean-spirited, close-minded bigoted little viewpoint into the Rules That We Live By?
Fuck you Mr. President. Fuck you long, hard and painfully. Show me one good reason that our society or way of life is in such peril that we have to write discrimination right into the Constitution. “It’s icky” and “My religion says so” are not good reasons by the way. Hurry up though, evidently the country must be in imminent danger of total destruction because a few hundred gay couples have gotten hitched out here.
You’re just mean. To the people that you swore to protect. And you have absolutely no sense of shame about it.
I heard the announcement this morning and decided for good: There is no fucking way I’m voting for this asshole or any of his cronies. Enshrining bigotry (or attempting to) in the Constitution is beneath contempt.
There’s a village in Texas that seriously needs to have it’s idiot sent back.
IMO the amendment will never be passed - just look at the trend in the U.S. regarding opinions on gay mariage over the past 10-15 years (Trend toward acceptance).
The thing about the amendment is that it will generate countless encounters with people seeking to garner support, create more division in an already divided nation and will draw attention and energy away from “real” issues that this nation must deal with. In short, this shit sucks.
The proposed Amendment could never make it through Congress. If it did it could never get anywhere near the support it needed for ratification and would indentify by name and state any fool who voted in favor of it (and boy, would I love to see the backlash from voters on that one, especially with the Democrats who would have to vote for it by necessity to get it out of Congress). This is simply pandering.
I think it has a shot. If California – a pretty liberal state – only a couple of years ago passed a “marriage = 1 man + 1 woman” law, I think you definitely could find 3/4 of the states (39) that would support a similar type of Constitutional amendment. Then look at what happened in Congress with the DMA, and all of the major Dems (including most of the presidental candidates) who voted for it. Major battle will be the Senate. They’ll likely get enough votes in the House.
It’s obviously political pandering, trying to “center” the debate on some hot-button issue by proposing an unpassable and unconstitutional amendment. He got the idea from his dad, who proposed an amendment forbidding the desecration of the American flag.
The President of the United States is one of the few people on this earth that cause my blood to boil. I don’t think the word “hate” is inappropriate in describing my feelings towards this bigot. He is a horrible representation of the American people, and I can only take comfort in the fact that I know you aren’t all like him. I only hope that, as a country, Americans can show their displeasure and NOT vote him in again. No one should tolerate hatred and discrimination, especially not if it comes from someone who is in a position of power. That power needs to be taken away from him.
I know an actual amendment will not happen, and I know it’s all cheap, disgusting politics to try and avoid other issues leading up to the elections, but OOOOOOHH it just makes me so mad. I wish I was more articulate and a better writer, because I know this post isn’t very good.
To all the gay and lesbian couples (and the straight ones!) getting married - I wish nothing but the best for you! Long life and happiness, and a prosperous marriage free of bigots and assholes who will try and tell you that your love is not real. In many cases, it is more real than most!
I agree with Airman Doors & everyone else that it’s blatant pandering and frankly I think it will get a lot of “support” because it’s an election year and anyone who isn’t in favor of this amendment will get identified as “In Favor Of Gay Marriage”. While I don’t think that’s a bad thing, we all know damn well that it will be presented as on level with kicking puppies, using the flag as toilet paper and raping nuns (simultaneously). This will be presented in attack ads showing some ludicrous footage from a leather bar or a some flamboyant participants in a gay pride parade. Maybe they’ll even work “Save the children” into it.
I also agree with Airman Doors that it’ll be interesting to see what the Democrats will do and say about this - on the one hand they want to keep their jobs while on the other they may honestly feel it’s a lousy thing to be voting for. And I’ll point out that there will undoubtedly be many Republicans who feel the same way. I will have an enormous amount of respect for any politician who stands up and opposes this amendment, the not-quite-the-same booby prize of civil unions and actually says “You know, I have no problem with gay marriage. Knock yourselves out.”
Wonder how the Log Cabin Republicans feel about this? At some point they may notice that they are only allowed to be toilet attendants in the Big Tent (insert bad joke here).
Oh, yes, it is pandering. It is pandering to a declining dynamic, too. It’s desperation and it is a hamster dropped onto the chess table early in the game. Straight where that metaphorical hamster came from I won’t deign to comment upon, but I just saw Karl coming back from the bathroom before he made his move, eh?
I’ve held back until now except to help confirm that this was the reprehensible plan of the Bush Administration since at least the late spring of last year.
I’ve already given my opinion as to how this cambrian-era maneuver is going to fuck Bush, the Republicans, and all conservatives who are associated with him.
Briefly stated: in twenty years, homosexuality will be as accepted as pizza on a Friday evening. But none of you will forget which party tried unsucsessfully to make it a campaign issue.
At least we can hope that is the case. The future is now: vote 'em all out.
I never said (and I’m not under the impression) that all Democrats were opposed to this amendment or that all Republicans are in favor of it. I would say as a whole the Democratic party has been more in favor of gay rights so that’s why it’ll be interesting to see how they react - walk the walk or just talking the talk?
And Jesse Jackson can kiss my butt with that argument. If all homosexuals had purple skin you can be damn sure that “purples” would haven’t counted for much historically, and purple people would have been swinging by the neck from trees, and there’d be laws against purples teaching school, etc. I would say that people who have been identified as gay have suffered plenty of abuse and discrimination historically.
Regardless of this stuff I’m still pitting Bush and his pack of slobbering zealots and anybody else who supports this idiotic exercise.
In addition to what schple said, keep in mind that the DoMA passed in the Senate with only 14 nay votes (and 1 abstension). Kerry didn’t vote for it, and Edwards was not in the Senate then. But Clinton signed it, so one can infer that Hillary would vote for it if it came up again. Those Dems who voted for it were well aware of their constituencies.
I don’t know about this. I want to say that I don’t think it would pass, but I atually do think it has some chance. Let’s just say it ain’t no snowball in hell… yet.
I am glad Bush came out for the Amendment so early…by the time the election comes around, this will be seen for what it is - lame-ass pandering for votes. There will be a backlash as people get fed up with $3.00 per gallon gasoline, a war that won’t end and is costing everyone their social security check, and a lot more backroom tricks…my guess is that they captured Osama months ago and are just waiting to haul his ass out in chains on the floor of the Republican Convention as a grand finale.
Bush has the morals of a slug. He probably doesn’t give a flying fuck if Gays get married, but he’ll do anything to get those “NASCAR daddy” votes, and if it means stepping on some civil rights and Constitutionally legalizing hatred, well - so be it.
Geez, and I thought I hated Nixon back in those days…just goes to show ya, you never know what asshole is waiting for you down the pike.