# Gay marriage **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622 "2012-05-11T16:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/41 "2012-05-13T00:53:15Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > So you have to be FOR or AGAINST it now? Why can’t you be a DON’T CARE, leave 'em alone type of guy? Sure. Just don’t vote. It’s not as though real ballots have a “Eh, I don’t care” spot – you just don’t pick an option. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/42 "2012-05-13T01:04:50Z")
I’m all for marriage equality when it comes to same sex couples. I also support civil unions (hetero and not) and polygamy\*. I’m OK if you disagree with me on polygamy or something, but anyone who’d vote against same sex marriage or civil unions is an A-hole in my book. It would be impossible for me to like them. \*between consenting adults ---
**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:** [May 13, 2012, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/43 "2012-05-13T05:57:49Z")
I’d like to see those who voted against to at least have the balls to post and explain why. (And duh, obviously for) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/44 "2012-05-13T06:09:43Z")
The two best things about being gay used to be: 1) didn’t have to serve in the military and 2) no pressure to get married. They are trying to destroy both of those benefits! Dumbasses. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/45 "2012-05-13T06:28:49Z")
See, it was the sex with men that sold me on it. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/46 "2012-05-13T06:44:57Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’d like to see those who voted against to at least have the balls to post and explain why. (And duh, obviously for) You see? That’s why I did the fucking poll! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/47 "2012-05-13T17:44:48Z")
> [@Nunzio\_Tavulari](#): > > I’m not opposed, but the crux of the matter is economic. Companies that have contracts based on marital status, such as Life and health insurance companies have to pay out to surviving partners if same-sex marriage is approved. They also lose the additional penalty that’s inflicted on single people’s rates. The IRS also loses the higher tax rates that apply to individuals. So gay people were put on thus earth to fund heterosexual tax breaks? That’s the most laughable argument I’ve ever heard. Presumably you wouldn’t have an ‘economic’ problem with it gay people all magically turned straight and got married. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/48 "2012-05-13T18:03:12Z")
I’m personally very much against gay marriage, and I exercise my opposition by refusing to marry another man. Other people can marry whoever the hell they want, though, so I guess that sticks me in the “for” camp after all. Shucks. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/49 "2012-05-13T18:05:37Z")
For it. For legalized polygamy, too. But it’s silly to say marry “anything”. Humans only, and consenting adults. After that, whatever. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/50 "2012-05-13T18:08:06Z")
And I find it even funnier that right now we’ve got 277 for to 7 against. Over 97% of the board is either for gay marriage or is against it but has the same way of showing it as I do. It’s not funny because it’s wrong, but predicting the results of this poll would be as hard as predicting the results of “Free Republic: Are you for or against Obamacare?” or “SDMB: Are you for or against tossing kittens into woodchippers?” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/51 "2012-05-13T18:37:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What are you rolling your eyes at? “If you let gays marry, you have to let anybody marry anyone or anything” is a very well-worn cliche. It’s been used by hordes of people opposed to gay marriage, from Rick Santorum to Bill O’Reilly on down. It’s not a very logically sound argument. If it was true then it would be an argument in favor of legalizing gay marriage. Because we let heterosexual couples marry - so, by the logic of the argument, we have to allow anyone to marry anyone. And I realize you’re just saying the argument exists (which it does) and not presenting it as a sound argument. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/52 "2012-05-13T19:43:34Z")
It’s not mandatory, is it? - Jon Stewart ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/53 "2012-05-13T21:08:56Z")
> [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](#): > > “SDMB: Are you for or against tossing kittens into woodchippers?” Of course not. You could damage the woodchipper doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/54 "2012-05-13T21:21:36Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s not a very logically sound argument. No, it isn’t. But neither is “Let anyone marry anyone or anything.” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/55 "2012-05-13T22:42:50Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’d like to see those who voted against to at least have the balls to post and explain why. (And duh, obviously for) By the lopsidedness of the poll, I can’t blame them for staying anonymous. Seems silly to ask them to take that beating. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/56 "2012-05-13T23:10:38Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > Quite honestly thats my opinion, there is so much serious stuff happening in the world this issue is, to put it mildly, very low down on my list of concerns. > > If I was forced to vote then I’d vote yes by all means let them get married. > > But if it wasn’t a compulsory ballot, I wouldn’t bother going to the polling station if it was opposite my house. I’ll never understand people who think that civil rights isn’t a serious thing. I find it hard to believe that you care overmuch about any of the other “serious” stuff happening in the world either, as long as it doesn’t affect you personally. After all, it takes a special kind of apathy to not bother spending an hour of your life doing something that would do away with legal institutional discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/57 "2012-05-14T00:24:58Z")
IMHO, if TPTB changed this whole thing to mean that such unions would allow equivalent rights in a lawful relationship for gay people (by whatEVER name they decided to call it), then the debate would likely be over and gay people would be joining in legal partnerships with the full benefits afforded those in marriage. The problem is that “they” (on both the pro and con sides of the issue), are trying to legislate the definition of the word “marriage”. I believe that if states started putting “civil union” (or insert other acceptable term here) on the ballet instead of SSM or Gay Marriage (or whatever is currently on these ballets, I haven’t seen one), that they’d be getting passed on a more regular basis and without several iterations of the vote. As long as it’s being called “marriage” on the ballets it’s going to be balked at by a percentage of the population. From what I see in the news, it’s enough of a percentage of the population to keep the vote from being passed. It seems that this has long been a standoff. One side wants to retain the word to mean only what they believe it means and the other side wants to have the word expanded to mean what they want it to mean. Supposedly the word “doesn’t mean anything” but both sides seem to be fighting for the rights of just that, a word. ---
**Author:** ![Visorslash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ee59a6/32.png) [@Visorslash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visorslash)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/58 "2012-05-14T02:03:43Z")
I voted no. _dodges thrown objects_ My views are probably badly stated, but I just want to say I have no problem with gay people getting the same legal rights as heterosexual people in regards to being together, just that I think marriage is a religious thing. Though if there are pastors that are willing to do gay marriages, I’m fine with that too, though I imagine the majority (of pastors) wouldn’t. People should be able to get both if they want, though I suppose it is also up to the religious instituiton as well. I’m not entirely sure. Though I’ll repeat that I am not against gay unions. So I suppose I probably should’ve voted for… oh well. So CU = legal = for everyone Marriage = religious = depends I suppose. Probably going to get bashed for this, but oh well. You wanted an opinion. Edits in brackets. ---
**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 14, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/59 "2012-05-14T03:03:10Z")
Well, I, for one, am encouraged that this bass-ackwards nation is finally, albeit slowly, coming to the realization that not allowing same-sex couples to marry or, almost as bad, foisting the weaselly, bigoted, discriminatory, and separate and unequal status of ‘civil union’ on same-sex couples who wish to be married, is not only unacceptable but insulting. I’m not for ‘gay marriage’ (stupid term). I’m for marriage, period, regardless of one’s sexual orientation. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622/60 "2012-05-14T03:09:09Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Well, I, for one, am encouraged that this bass-ackwards nation is finally, albeit slowly, coming to the realization that not allowing same-sex couples to marry or, almost as bad, foisting the weaselly, bigoted, discriminatory, and separate and unequal status of ‘civil union’ on same-sex couples who wish to be married, is not only unacceptable but insulting. > > I’m not for ‘gay marriage’ (stupid term). I’m for marriage, period, regardless of one’s sexual orientation. There’s always one of you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/621622.md?page=4)