# 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:** 2
**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, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/21 "2006-02-14T19:48:43Z")
I agree that it’s political grandstanding. I also think it’ll work. Because we’re caught up in a war and a slumping economy, the Republicans want the next election to be about how the Republicans want to keep you safe from homosexuals and Mexicans. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/22 "2006-02-14T19:50:17Z")
> [@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. > > 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. They aren’t taking away anyone’s rights, they don’t have the votes. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/23 "2006-02-14T19:56:36Z")
> [@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”. > > 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. From a realpolitik standpoint gays are better off when stuff like this happens, it polarizes people and I think tends to drive away support from certain people on the right. Effectively undermining their efforts and strengthening the gay cause. Obviously of course they’d have to maintain their facade of outrage. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/24 "2006-02-14T19:58:45Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > I agree that it’s political grandstanding. I also think it’ll work. Because we’re caught up in a war and a slumping economy, the Republicans want the next election to be about how the Republicans want to keep you safe from homosexuals and Mexicans. Actually Bush has been more supportive of Mexicans than any president before him. ---
**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, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/25 "2006-02-14T20:00:10Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Read the above, tard. Wasn’t there when I posted, asshole. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/26 "2006-02-14T20:04:30Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > From a realpolitik standpoint gays are better off when stuff like this happens, it polarizes people and I think tends to drive away support from certain people on the right. Effectively undermining their efforts and strengthening the gay cause. Were you here for the last presidential election? ---
**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, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/27 "2006-02-14T20:04:52Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Wasn’t there when I posted, asshole. The timestamps say otherwise. ---
**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, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/28 "2006-02-14T20:08:07Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > From a realpolitik standpoint gays are better off when stuff like this happens, it polarizes people and I think tends to drive away support from certain people on the right. Effectively undermining their efforts and strengthening the gay cause. > > Obviously of course they’d have to maintain their facade of outrage. No facade here. The end doesn’t justify the means. I’m no less outraged by the actions and attitudes of those who wish to write discrimination into the Constitution, even if it might very well backfire on them. ---
**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, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/29 "2006-02-14T20:09:43Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > From a realpolitik standpoint gays are better off when stuff like this happens, it polarizes people and I think tends to drive away support from certain people on the right. Effectively undermining their efforts and strengthening the gay cause. On the other hand, as it’s been pointed out already, this is likely a tactic to secure the anti-gay marriage vote. Sort of a way of saying to their supporters “We may have done things you don’t like, but look, we’re still the anti-gay marriage side! Vote for me!”. It’s just a way of keeping and regaining those voters who (inevitably, with any politician) have disagreed with some part of their platform and action history. > [@](#): > > Obviously of course they’d have to maintain their facade of outrage. Facade? Because there’s a snowball’s chance in hell it’ll pass, their actions should be written off as acceptable? They’re making political points by making a big show of trying to stop the inevitable tide of gay marriage. Regardless of whether we, the voters, or even _they_ know it won’t help anything, it’s still a pretty shitty way of building up your 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, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/30 "2006-02-14T20:15:41Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > The timestamps say otherwise. That’s not even to mention that my stance on this is pretty well known, and the substance of the post combined with the OP indicates what my feelings on the matter really are. This is just another fine example of knee-jerk reactionary posting over something quite innocuous. Ooooh, he’s so SELFISH! :rolleyes: It would be selfish if this had any chance whatsoever of passing, which it doesn’t. It would be selfish if I said “I got mine, TS for you”. But I didn’t. It’s pretty typical in these types of threads that if someone posts anything but “Ooooh, I’m so outraged, even though it doesn’t matter” you get pounced upon and torn apart. I’ll try to remember that in the future so we can allow the knee-jerkers to save their froth for more important things. ---
**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, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/31 "2006-02-14T20:21:20Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > It’s pretty typical in these types of threads that if someone posts anything but “Ooooh, I’m so outraged, even though it doesn’t matter” you get pounced upon and torn apart. I’ll try to remember that in the future so we can allow the knee-jerkers to save their froth for more important things. I agree with you here, and am sorry I was among the knee-jerks in this case. ---
**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, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/32 "2006-02-14T20:22:39Z")
> [@Martin Hyde](#): > > Actually Bush has been more supportive of Mexicans than any president before him. I was thinking of “the wall” between the US and Mexico, another idea that will never succeed, but some people will surely want a roll-call around election time so they can be for it and their opponents against it. ---
**Author:** ![liberty3701](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@liberty3701](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liberty3701)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/33 "2006-02-14T20:33:58Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > I agree that it’s political grandstanding. I also think it’ll work. Because we’re caught up in a war and a slumping economy, the Republicans want the next election to be about how the Republicans want to keep you safe from homosexuals and Mexicans. And the dreaded _homosexual Mexicans_. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/34 "2006-02-14T20:49:38Z")
Honestly, **Sampiro** , you don’t normally strike me as being naive. There’s a midterm election coming up within five months of that scheduled vote. And on preview, what **Walter Windchill** said (and **FinnAgain** implied). ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/35 "2006-02-14T20:56:11Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > The timestamps say otherwise. Oh. My. Fucking. _God_. The posts are four minutes apart. His post was not in the thread when I started my reply. I hit the reply button on his first post. It took probably 20 seconds for my computer to load up the reply window. It took me maybe a minute to insert a {/quote} tag after Doors’ first sentence and type my response. I took maybe another minute to put quote and unquote tags around his second sentence, start to type a response to it and then decide not to and delete it. I hit the post button and it took maybe another 15-20 seconds for the reply to appear in the thread. Do you really, _honestly_ think I would bother lying about his second post not being in the thread when I started my reply? Fuck you. For the record, my computer clock read 2:50 PM CST when I started typing this post. It now reads 2:56 PM. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/36 "2006-02-14T21:00:30Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > I agree that it’s political grandstanding. I also think it’ll work. Because we’re caught up in a war and a slumping economy, the Republicans want the next election to be about how the Republicans want to keep you safe from homosexuals and Mexicans. What about homosexual Mexicans? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/37 "2006-02-14T21:00:49Z")
> [@liberty3701](#): > > And the dreaded _homosexual Mexicans_. Ah! Las mariposas Mexicanas! Muy mal! ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/38 "2006-02-14T21:02:24Z")
So what happens when the Republicans gain more seats and the vote passes? ---
**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, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/39 "2006-02-14T21:06:24Z")
> [@mstay](#): > > So what happens when the Republicans gain more seats and the vote passes? Yeah, let me know when they get 67 votes on this one, willya? It will NEVER happen. Even if it does it requires the consent of 38 states to enshrine it into the Constitution, and since the trend is towards legitimization of gay marriage rather than away from it I feel quite confident in repeating that it will NEVER happen. See, people often complain about how hard it is to pass a Constitutional amendment. it is for precisely this reason that it is hard, so that stupid people don’t make their stupidity permanent for all to see for all eternity. That, and it saves people from dubious, questionable, and outright despicable laws. ---
**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, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501/40 "2006-02-14T21:15:48Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > What about homosexual Mexicans? You mean _homosexicans_? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/frists-gay-marriage-amendment-vote-why/344501.md?page=3)