# Five Down, Forty-Five To Go **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563 "2009-05-06T17:53:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/21 "2009-05-06T20:13:59Z")
Some googling of recent polling shows Mainers to be more or less split down the middle for support of gay marriage, so I guess it will be a function of who shows up to vote on the referendum and how much public opinion moves in the next few months. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/22 "2009-05-06T20:50:00Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Some googling of recent polling shows Mainers to be more or less split down the middle for support of gay marriage, so I guess it will be a function of who shows up to vote on the referendum and how much public opinion moves in the next few months. it boggles my mind how, in today’s world, discrimination of any sort, against anyone, can be championed and considered justifiable in any way. It actually makes me sick. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/23 "2009-05-06T22:01:57Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > it boggles my mind how, in today’s world, discrimination of any sort, against anyone, can be championed and considered justifiable in any way. It actually makes me sick. In this case it comes down to definining it as a choice, specifically an evil choice. There’s nothing wrong with trying to prevent people from choosing to do evil, right? And there’s nothing wrong with discriminating against evil people, right? ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/24 "2009-05-06T22:32:41Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > In this case it comes down to definining it as a choice, specifically an evil choice. There’s nothing wrong with trying to prevent people from choosing to do evil, right? And there’s nothing wrong with discriminating against evil people, right? Right. As a journalist in Seattle [wrote today](http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/05/06/james-dobson-coming-and-going): [QUOTE=Dominic Holden of the Stranger] It occurred to me that the only people who could convince themselves that homosexuality is a choice must be people who want to have gay sex but choose to pretend they’re straight. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/25 "2009-05-07T01:15:54Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > In this case it comes down to definining it as a choice, specifically an evil choice. There’s nothing wrong with trying to prevent people from choosing to do evil, right? And there’s nothing wrong with discriminating against evil people, right? Yes, there is, because the definition is subjective. Your evil doer may be my Gay brother, one of the most kind, caring, and empathetic people I know, living his life, not bothering anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/26 "2009-05-07T01:34:49Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Yes, there is, because the definition is subjective. Your evil doer may be my Gay brother, one of the most kind, caring, and empathetic people I know, living his life, not bothering anyone. That’s the entire point. How dare you lock up child molesters? They’re only loving each other, how can you discriminate against them? Discrimination isn’t a bad thing by itself. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/27 "2009-05-07T01:43:38Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > I don’t understand this whole debate. Anybody can get married in the eyes of God. What should you care if the government recognizes it? It’s all about love, isn’t it? Sure! Get married, have some kids, buy a house together, then have this God person handle the divorce too! What’s that you say? Now it’s a weeeeee bit more complicated and the courts don’t give a rat’s ass what God’s eyes think? ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/28 "2009-05-07T01:54:21Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > In this case it comes down to definining it as a choice, specifically an evil choice. There’s nothing wrong with trying to prevent people from choosing to do evil, right? And there’s nothing wrong with discriminating against evil people, right? Which is why those people who made the evil choice of rejecting Jesus and not being Christian can be discriminated against. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/29 "2009-05-07T02:50:11Z")
I predict that Alabama will be #6. Either that or Utah. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Cream\_Conquest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e480ec/32.png) [@Ice\_Cream\_Conquest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Cream_Conquest)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/30 "2009-05-07T04:25:13Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > I predict that Alabama will be #6. Either that or Utah. Would you be willing to put money on that? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/31 "2009-05-07T04:29:43Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Six down, if you count DC. The DC city council vote says that they’ll recognize same sex marriage performed elsewhere, but DC won’t do it there. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/32 "2009-05-07T04:30:14Z")
> [@Frostillicus](#): > > I predict that Alabama will be #6. Either that or Utah. Nah, Wyoming and Idaho will marry each other. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/33 "2009-05-07T04:50:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Nah, Wyoming and Idaho will marry each other. I dunno, Wyoming and Colorado have much more in common. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/34 "2009-05-07T05:36:58Z")
State marriage was intended to be between states of _different_ shapes! Same-shaped-state marriage is an abomination! (Congratulations, people of Maine.) ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/35 "2009-05-07T05:43:41Z")
I don’t know what NY is waiting for. We should really be hanging out with the cool kids in Maine, but we’re stuck behind enemy lines. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/36 "2009-05-07T05:49:49Z")
Crap, missed the editing window. [Holy crap, I was wrong.](http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/04/16/2009-04-16_gov_paterson_introduces_legislation_to_legalize_gay_marriage_in_new_york.html) So our governor proves he _can_ do something right after all. Yay! Let’s see how it goes. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/37 "2009-05-07T06:06:03Z")
CNN’s latest update is that the New Hampshire lege has sent a bill to Governor Lynch. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/38 "2009-05-07T06:45:02Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > As a liberal Californian I find it embarrassing that we aren’t toeing the line here. Agreed. To this day I can only shake my head that Prop 8 wasn’t voted against by at least 80%. Looks like the CA liberals moved to ME. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/39 "2009-05-07T11:22:54Z")
Interesting note in the article about New York: > [@](#): > > Paterson has said New York’s gay and lesbian couples are denied \*\*up to 1,350 \*\*civil protections - including health care and pension rights - because they cannot marry. Wow - I’d be interested to see that list in full. I had no idea - and I bet most people don’t either - that there were that many issues at stake. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563/40 "2009-05-07T13:14:03Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > Looks like the CA liberals moved to ME. :rolleyes: Well I did, anyway. Maybe they all followed me and I didn’t notice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-down-forty-five-to-go/495563.md?page=3)