# Frist's Gay Marriage Amendment Vote... WHY? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 14, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501 "2006-02-14T18:43:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/1 "2006-02-14T18:43:21Z")
Frist is going to call for another vote on an Amendment banning gay marriage [in June](http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/13/gay.marriage/index.html). > [@](#): > > Frist said he doesn’t know how many votes the ban will receive, but Republican and Democratic aides privately acknowledged the vote will probably fall far short of the 67-vote supermajority needed to advance a constitutional amendment. So why waste the frigging time just for a few people to thump their chests and rub their crotches and spit tobacky to prove their all men for the folks back home? Fuckers. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/2 "2006-02-14T18:49:28Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So why waste the frigging time just for a few people to thump their chests and rub their crotches and spit tobacky to prove their all men for the folks back home? Fuckers. Some people just like rubbing their crotches. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/3 "2006-02-14T18:49:44Z")
The idea is to force Democrats to vote against it so that the Republicans can paint the scarlet “H” on their opponents and run as the God-fearing gay-hating red-blooded Americans that they claim to be. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/4 "2006-02-14T18:50:05Z")
Would you prefer that they spend time doing something “useful”? _shudder_ As long as they waste time with this stuff they won’t be able to raise my taxes, take away my freedoms, or generally interfere with my life like they usually do. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/5 "2006-02-14T19:06:55Z")
But it’s OK if they take deny other’s rights and interfere with their lives, huh? It’s the “I’ve got mine, fuck you!” mentality that the Republicans have been running on for years. Bill Frist is a disgrace to the great state of Tennessee. I’ll apologize for him on behalf of the state, even though I voted against him every time he’s stood for office. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/6 "2006-02-14T19:15:57Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > But it’s OK if they take deny other’s rights and interfere with their lives, huh? It’s the “I’ve got mine, fuck you!” mentality that the Republicans have been running on for years. Give me a break. :rolleyes: This has no chance of passing. None. Zero. So how then is it interfering with anyone’s life? It’s not. And in the meantime they can’t do anything to further interfere with anyone’s life. They might as well try to stem the tide. Gay marriage is coming whether they like it or not. But hey, they can waste all the time they want, because that takes time away from pork-laden nonsense and other inane stupidity that they are wont to pass that seemingly always ends up hurting the guy on the street. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/7 "2006-02-14T19:19:01Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > As long as they waste time with this stuff they won’t be able to raise my taxes, take away my freedoms, or generally interfere with my life like they usually do. Golly, you are the selfish little prick, ain’t ya? ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/8 "2006-02-14T19:21:47Z")
Read the above, tard. God, you people are stupid. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/9 "2006-02-14T19:22:32Z")
I _think_ Airman Doors’ statement was made with the assumption that they would not succeed in getting a majority vote, and thereby would not be able to impact anyone’s freedoms, no matter how many times they tried to do so… My take on it is, the more they try, the more likely the country’s ambivalent (be they serving as elected officials, or serving burgers and fries) will realize what is at stake and climb off the proverbial fence. ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/10 "2006-02-14T19:23:57Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Would you prefer that they spend time doing something “useful”? _shudder_ > > As long as they waste time with this stuff they won’t be able to raise my taxes, take away my freedoms, or generally interfere with my life like they usually do. As long as they waste time taking away OTHER PEOPLE’S freedoms, and leave you alone, you’re OK? ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/11 "2006-02-14T19:25:00Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > As long as they waste time taking away OTHER PEOPLE’S freedoms, and leave you alone, you’re OK? Ack, I should have read to the bottom of the thread. I see it’s “asked and answered.” Sorry, Airman. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/12 "2006-02-14T19:26:00Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Golly, you are the selfish little prick, ain’t ya? To defend Airman, I don’t think he’s saying “Oh, they can do all they want to try and stop gay marriage, as long as it doesn’t affect me”. More along the lines of “There’s no way this’ll pass, so there will be no adverse affects - so, as an action which has no impact, it’s better than an action which harms me”. Actually, I tend to disagree with his view - I think that, no matter that it won’t be passed, the attempts themselves will send the message “Hey, we still don’t want gay marriage, and gosh, i’m just a good ol’ boy. Vote for me, friends, buddies, ok?” As long as elected officials are still willing (and happy) to make political gains by oppression (even attempted oppression) then the harder it will be to make actual strikes back against that oppression. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/13 "2006-02-14T19:30:37Z")
**Airman** , is there _any_ injustice you won’t root for if it means paying slightly lower taxes? You sicken me. [sub]Reading before posting is for chumps.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/14 "2006-02-14T19:30:42Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > To defend Airman, I don’t think he’s saying “Oh, they can do all they want to try and stop gay marriage, as long as it doesn’t affect me”. More along the lines of “There’s no way this’ll pass, so there will be no adverse affects - so, as an action which has no impact, it’s better than an action which harms me”. That’s exactly right. The very first damn post in the thread said that this has no chance of passing, so what’s the big deal? It’s bigots joining together in a big Congressional sausage fest. Fine with me. > [@](#): > > Actually, I tend to disagree with his view - I think that, no matter that it won’t be passed, the attempts themselves will send the message “Hey, we still don’t want gay marriage, and gosh, i’m just a good ol’ boy. Vote for me, friends, buddies, ok?” As long as elected officials are still willing (and happy) to make political gains by oppression (even attempted oppression) then the harder it will be to make actual strikes back against that oppression. That message does not resonate with the majority of this country. I actually hope that they do try to bring it to a vote, because that will further identify the bigots and thus will give the voters a roll call of who to vote out when the dam bursts and gays are finally given true equality. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/15 "2006-02-14T19:30:43Z")
I’m suprised that nobody mentioned [this.](http://www.pollingreport.com/2006.htm) It seems that Frist is just playing to the base. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/16 "2006-02-14T19:31:56Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > [sub]Reading before posting is for chumps.[/sub] You said it, ass. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/17 "2006-02-14T19:33:13Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > I actually hope that they do try to bring it to a vote, because that will further identify the bigots and thus will give the voters a roll call of who to vote out when the dam bursts and gays are finally given true equality. Sure,_now_ you try to backpedal your way out of it. Just admit there’s no freedom you won’t trample if it’ll save you a few bucks, all right? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/18 "2006-02-14T19:33:57Z")
(Did I need a smilie back there? Just in case, here ya go: :D) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/19 "2006-02-14T19:45:20Z")
It’s a wedge issue, the same trick they pulled in the 2004 elections. Either the Democrats vote for it and lose support among the left, or they vote for it and their Republican opponents can rile up the right by proclaiming that Democrats support gay marriage. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/20 "2006-02-14T19:46:04Z")
The obvious answer is what **Finnagain** mentioned…election coming up in November, so this vote is to help the Republicans then. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501.md?page=2)