# So, would it kill you to accept same-sex marriage? Huh - apparently, it would. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 23, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115 "2013-05-23T13:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/1 "2013-05-23T13:39:11Z")
A far-right activist/writer in France was so upset over the adoption of same-sex marriage that he committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the high alter of Notre-Dame in Paris. Really. [Well-known French far-Right historian commits suicide at Notre Dame altar in gay marriage protest](http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/21/anti-gay-marriage-advocate-kills-himself-in-frances-famed-notre-dame-cathedral/) > [@](#): > > A well-known French far-Right historian committed suicide at the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral Tuesday by shooting himself in the mouth in an apparent protest against gay marriage. > > Dominique Venner, 78, a former Right-wing activist known in France for his political essays, posted a note on his blog dated yesterday, attacking a law passed by the Socialist government last week allowing same-sex marriage and adoption, which he called “vile.” > > Police also found a handwritten note by his body, the contents of which were not known last night. > > Mr Venner calmly walked to the altar in the choir area and shot himself with a Belgian-made Herstal automatic pistol, according to Europe 1 radio. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/2 "2013-05-23T13:41:49Z")
Buh-bye. Er, au reservoir. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/3 "2013-05-23T13:47:51Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > …shooting himself in front of the high alter of Notre-Dame in Paris. Well, so much for opposing SSM, so as not to shock the innocent sensibilities of the general public. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/4 "2013-05-23T13:48:00Z")
While I decry the frightening of tourists as a general rule, the net benefit to Mankind that comes from M. Venner canceling his slot in the population is a plus. He did it without making too much of a mess and he didn’t insist on taking anyone with him. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/5 "2013-05-23T13:56:14Z")
Gun in the mouth, eh? _Someone_’s got a fixation… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/6 "2013-05-23T14:06:23Z")
I guess now it’s time to pry stuff from his cold, dead fingers. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/7 "2013-05-23T14:26:22Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > Well, so much for opposing SSM, so as not to shock the innocent sensibilities of the general public. And so much for opposing SSM as contrary to Catholic teachings. (Suicide is still a sin, last I heard). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/8 "2013-05-23T14:35:05Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > (Suicide is still a sin, last I heard). And a rather larger one than gay sex, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/9 "2013-05-23T14:40:26Z")
He will be missed. By someone. Probably? ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/10 "2013-05-23T14:42:05Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > And a rather larger one than gay sex, IIRC. Well, it’s a lot harder to confess and do penance, for one thing. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/11 "2013-05-23T14:49:00Z")
I approve of this type of activism. It should be taken up by the more strident voices on this side of the pond. That’ll show us! ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/12 "2013-05-23T14:51:46Z")
And then of course, one day later came a classy display from the opposition [Topless protest with simulated pistolsucking at the Altar](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/22/femen-mock-suicide-notre-dame) (Legitimate media, spoilered for potentially NSFW visual depending on how rigid your worplace’s rules.) Must give props to both sides for creativity, I suppose. And yes, at least he did not feel the need to take anyone with him. ---
**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 23, 2013, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/13 "2013-05-23T15:05:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > He will be missed. By someone. Probably? Not by himself at that range. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/14 "2013-05-23T15:16:57Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Not by himself at that range. I hate both that joke and the fact you scooped me on it :mad: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/15 "2013-05-23T15:52:29Z")
Uh… Well, that’s weird - I guess I have to approve of this protest. It would be nice if other opponents of same sex marriage would, uh, have the strength of their convictions to, uh, protest in this… Well, crap, I don’t know. Let’s just say it’s a way cleaner turnout than the rest of us shooting them would have been, and leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/16 "2013-05-23T16:21:03Z")
Eh, that’s a shame. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/17 "2013-05-23T19:16:43Z")
Well, that’ll learn us. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/18 "2013-05-23T19:44:04Z")
Does the Westboro Baptist Church know this is an option? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/19 "2013-05-23T19:56:13Z")
Damn. Way too late in life for a Darwin Award. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115/20 "2013-05-23T20:07:03Z")
I wonder what his last words were? “Don’t just stand there, help me find my _nose_…!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-would-it-kill-you-to-accept-same-sex-marriage-huh-apparently-it-would/659115.md?page=2)