# Gay marriage **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190 "2012-11-07T09:25:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [November 7, 2012, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/1 "2012-11-07T09:25:02Z")
Voters just approved gay marriage in popular referenda in Maine and Maryland. They also rejected a bid to write a ban on gay marriage into the state constitution in Minnesota. If the current lead for gay marriage in Washington state holds up, gay marriage will have run the table in 2012. (Also, Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin is the country’s first openly gay senator.) Before 2000 gay marriage had never been done, and would undoubtedly lead to rains of fire and brimstone and giant cracks opening up in the ground and swallowing up any place with the temerity to so defy God and Nature. After 2000, gay marriage had only been enacted in the Netherlands, that pot-and-hookers-legalizing hotbed of sin, where the dikes\* are undoubtedly going to give way any day now and wash the whole place clean away. At any rate, there certainly wasn’t any of that sort of thing going on here in the good old U.S. of A. \*The other dikes. The big things that keep the ocean from flooding half the country. After 2004, gay marriage was only legal in the United States in the People’s Republic of Taxachusetts, which is practically European anyway. What’s more, even in that godless socialistic state, **The People** didn’t actually vote for it; it was _imposed_ on them by unelected, activist judges. After 2009, gay marriage was legal in several states, but that was only due to unelected, activist judges and…um…activist legislatures. Nowhere had The People directly voted for gay marriage (in fact, The People had repeatedly voted against it). And as everyone knows, the United States is a Democracy, not a Republic, so [del]un[/del]elected, activist legislatures don’t count. I wonder where the goalposts will be moved to now? ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/2 "2012-11-07T09:29:58Z")
God didn’t vote for it? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/3 "2012-11-07T09:34:13Z")
I just want to say that other than Obama winning, these results make me happier than anything else this post-election day. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/4 "2012-11-07T09:35:06Z")
My wife and I held signs for Question 6 at a polling place for three hours last night here in Maryland. It was cold, damn cold. Waking up to find that it had passed made it all worth it. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/5 "2012-11-07T09:35:31Z")
“This goddamn activist electorate is what’s wrong with this country!” ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/6 "2012-11-07T10:32:23Z")
I’m very pleased with these results, and am glad to see that the country’s continuing its trend towards legalizing gay marriage. I doubt this will do anything to quell conservatives’ call for a national constitutional amendment banning it, however. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/7 "2012-11-07T12:53:14Z")
Thrilled. My church (UU) worked VERY HARD to contribute to a No vote in Minnesota - I’m sure the entire congregation was celebrating last night - we were on pins and needles on Sunday over it. And my facebook feed is full of celebration. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/8 "2012-11-07T13:07:08Z")
Every morning for the last month I’ve had to drive by a VOTE YES FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE billboard in Minnesota. This morning, I gleefully drove by it ready to smile in its stupid face only to see it was (finally) defaced. The legislation wouldn’t have changed anything per se in Minnesota, but the fact that it was defeated shows that there’s hope out there. That the tide is shifting and that the [Catholic](http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=minnesota%E2%80%99s%20archbishop%20john%20nienstedt&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.twincities.com%2Fci_16263244&ei=cFyaUIj3MJKa8gS5g4H4Bw&usg=AFQjCNEHyF5BNvjB9as9yl0YJPudlR852g) Archbishop [Nienstedt](http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/10/09/976841/minnesota-archbishop-told-mother-to-reject-her-gay-son-or-go-to-hell/)has a f\*ckload to answer for for spending a [TON of the church’s money](http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/249085/)just to lose only makes it more sweet. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/9 "2012-11-07T13:08:24Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Every morning for the last month I’ve had to drive by a VOTE YES FOR TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE billboard in Minnesota. This morning, I gleefully drove by it ready to smile in its stupid face only to see it was (finally) defaced. No pix? For shame… ---
**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:** [November 7, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/10 "2012-11-07T13:14:50Z")
The BBC says the gay marriage bill has won in Washington. It’s a great day for the forces of decadence, godlessness and sodomy. Party at Dan Savage’s place! Woooooo! ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/11 "2012-11-07T13:37:06Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > After 2009, gay marriage was legal in several states, but that was only due to unelected, activist judges and…um…activist legislatures. Nowhere had The People directly voted for gay marriage (in fact, The People had repeatedly voted against it). And as everyone knows, the United States is a Democracy, not a Republic, so [del]un[/del]elected, activist legislatures don’t count. In Iowa in 2010, they kicked 3 of our SC judges who had made that decision. In 2012, they attempted to boot more, but failed to do so. It seems the decision has been made here as well, albeit in a roundabout fashion. Perhaps people noticed that nothing actually changed. ---
**Author:** ![emoticorpse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@emoticorpse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emoticorpse)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/12 "2012-11-07T13:58:31Z")
Damn, grow up people (Conservative Republicans), practice what you preach tolerate things, don’t judge. If people are gay and getting married then you’re sure they’re going to hell right let em bury themselves they’ll pay the price because the lord has got it under control, he knows what he’s doing (ha ha). It doesn’t make you gay that someone else is getting married. It’s people like y’all that wanted to keep slavery around. It’s a democracy, what’s voted for is voted for, if you’re here living in a world you hate blame you’re god, he’s the one runnin shit. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/13 "2012-11-07T14:08:11Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > I just want to say that other than Obama winning, these results make me happier than anything else this post-election day. Ditto. Now California can aspire to catch up to these more progressive states. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/14 "2012-11-07T14:11:50Z")
When do the gay marriage laws go into effect in Maryland, Maine and Washington? ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/15 "2012-11-07T15:20:42Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > When do the gay marriage laws go into effect in Maryland, Maine and Washington? In WA, the law takes effect on 12/6. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/16 "2012-11-07T15:28:55Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > I wonder where the goalposts will be moved to now? > [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > God didn’t vote for it? The [del]polls[/del] elections are skewed! They over-sampled Democrats!!! ---
**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:** [November 7, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/17 "2012-11-07T15:57:33Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Thrilled. My church (UU) worked VERY HARD to contribute to a No vote in Minnesota - I’m sure the entire congregation was celebrating last night - we were on pins and needles on Sunday over it. And my facebook feed is full of celebration. Well, there’s a big internet hug and high-five from me to you and everyone else who voted no. I appreciate from the bottom of my heart every sign you’ve posted, every call you’ve made, every door you’ve knocked and every conversation you’ve had. I’m proud as hell to be a minnesotan and an american today and it’s because of all of you. Fuck, where are my tissues, someone must be chopping onions in the office. ---
**Author:** ![sachertorte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sachertorte/32/3727_2.png) [@sachertorte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sachertorte)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/18 "2012-11-07T16:04:00Z")
Its nice to know that my marriage will be recognized in three new states. I don’t go to Maryland often, but we do go to Maine and Washington occasionally. I remember Maine’s referendum from several years ago, that hurt. Its nice to see progress. For years we all kind of knew that the referendums were a bit of a last ditch effort to cement in old thinking and that the shift would turn to our favor. Time was and is on our side. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/19 "2012-11-07T16:08:33Z")
I was mostly interested, in my professional capacity, in Maryland, because my company provides benefits to same-sex spouses in states where they are legal. We don’t have any locations in Maine or Washington yet, but we are in Maryland. It looks like the MD law will be effective 1/1/13. ---
**Author:** ![velveeta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/13edae/32.png) [@velveeta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velveeta)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190/20 "2012-11-07T16:12:44Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > My wife and I held signs for Question 6 at a polling place for three hours last night here in Maryland. It was cold, damn cold. Waking up to find that it had passed made it all worth it. I just wanted to thank you Lightnin’. My husband (who used to be completely against gay marriage) and I voted for question 6. I am so happy that it passed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gay-marriage/640190.md?page=2)