# Thanks, Ohio legislature, now I know where not to go on vacation. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 4, 2004, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454 "2004-02-04T06:50:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/1 "2004-02-04T06:50:49Z")
[Ohio Legislature Votes to Ban Same-Sex Unions](http://nytimes.com/2004/02/04/national/04GAYS.html) (The New York Times, free registration required) Ah, yes, Ohio. Lovely state, that. And now, even lovelier, thanks to the soon-to-be-passed ban on gay marriage. Not only did they ban gay marriage. No, they’re smart cookies, and they thought of other bigoted restrictions they could make. They also barred any state agency from giving spousal rights or benefits, like health insurance, to same-sex couples. And they made it clear that they won’t honor any same-sex marriage or union created in another state. The legislature passed the bill by a wide margin in the House, and Governor Taft plans to sign the bill next week. He was politically expedient enough to ask the House not to vote on the bill until this week, so it wouldn’t tarnish his State of the State address last week. Yet another smart cookie. So, dear Ohio legislature, thank you very much for making my travel plans all that much easier. I know now not to spend one fucking penny in your state that might end up in your coffers to spend on more bigoted proposals. I hope you lose all interest from businesses and educated people and your economy suffers until you realize that the policies of the 19th century won’t help you in the 21st. ---
**Author:** ![CloudCar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@CloudCar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CloudCar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/2 "2004-02-04T14:01:56Z")
Do people still actually live in Ohio? ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/3 "2004-02-04T14:24:20Z")
What qualifies as a vacation spot in Ohio anyway? The Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame? The shores of Lake Erie? The original Etch-a-Sketch factory? (Hi \*\*Slainte! 😛 ) And yeah, this law sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Innanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecd19e/32.png) [@Innanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Innanna)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/4 "2004-02-04T14:26:43Z")
> [@CloudCar](#): > > Do people still actually live in Ohio? They’ve erected a force field so we can’t leave. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/5 "2004-02-04T14:28:37Z")
Why oh, why oh, why oh Should I move to Ohio? Why spend my days in a land that hates gays? Life is so nice in NY; Wondrin’ why I’d wander Why should I fly, where they’d want me to die? Oh why, oh why, oh should one see Ohio? Maybe I’d better not go O-H-I-O Maybe I’d better stay home . . . ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/6 "2004-02-04T14:33:15Z")
[This interview with the Cincinnati legislator has some interesting tidbits.](http://www.cincypost.com/2004/01/24/seitz012404.html) > [@](#): > > **Q: How does letting gay and lesbian couples marry or have civil unions threaten the institution of marriage?** > > A: “Because it is a fundamental redefinition of a term that has been well defined for a long, long time. The fundamental fact remains that only a heterosexual union is capable of producing children, without which the survival of the species is very much in doubt.” > > **Q: But if the “survival of the species” is your justification for marriage, then why allow straight couples who can’t have children to get married?** > > A: “Merely because some heterosexual couples are incapable of having children does not change the fact that only heterosexual couples are capable of doing so. At the time they get married, they do not know whether or not they are capable of having children or not.” > > **Q: They might know that.** > > A: “Well, a rare thing that would be.” ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/7 "2004-02-04T14:56:58Z")
“Because it is a fundamental redefinition of a term that has been well defined for a long, long time. The fundamental fact remains that only a heterosexual union is capable of producing children, without which the survival of the species is very much in doubt.” Is he saying the gay lifestyle is so appealing that if we poor heteros were exposed to it we’d immediately flee screaming and jubilant (and likely naked and wet) into homosexuality? That allowing same-sex marriage is not only immoral, but an immediate threat to the entire species? Man, who knew? Those homos are evil, I tell ya…pure evil. ---
**Author:** ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/8 "2004-02-04T15:00:51Z")
Well, moving here SEEMED like a good idea at the time. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/9 "2004-02-04T15:05:46Z")
Another reason Ohio sucks. (the weather mainly) And we live in the north! At least we have Harvey Pekar. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/10 "2004-02-04T15:05:58Z")
wait, there was a time when you considered vacationing in ohio? ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/11 "2004-02-04T15:07:26Z")
Well, they _do_ have Cedar Point. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/12 "2004-02-04T15:47:07Z")
It would be nice to think that the most egregious stupidity in Ohio is centered in the Cincinnati area, at least based on this comment: " The fundamental fact remains that only a heterosexual union is capable of producing children, without which the survival of the species is very much in doubt." But Cincy has no monopoly on wooden-headedness. Silly, though, to boycott Ohio for vacations. Alas, you will never know our purple mountain majesties (the Hocking Hills), our fruited plains (take your pick), our awe-inspiring lakes and rivers (which never catch fire anymore) and scenic road tours (I live on an official Ohio Byway). Eat your heart out. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/13 "2004-02-04T15:52:10Z")
I suppose a person could always [send an email](http://www.ohiotourism.com/visitor/contact.asp) to [Ohio Tourism](http://www.ohiotourism.com/default_f.asp), which seems to be the official, government funded tourist agency, and tell _them_ why a vacation in Ohio is no longer possible. For that matter, a person could contact [Cedar Point](http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/news/co_info/infopage.cfm) and point out that there are many other amusement parks in states with a more agreeable public policy on this issue. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/14 "2004-02-04T15:52:46Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > Is he saying the gay lifestyle is so appealing that if we poor heteros were exposed to it we’d immediately flee screaming and jubilant (and likely naked and wet) into homosexuality? That allowing same-sex marriage is not only immoral, but an immediate threat to the entire species? > > Man, who knew? Those homos are evil, I tell ya…pure evil. I’ve wondered about this before. Apparently, heterosexuality is so terribly unpleasant that the slightest hint of societal approval for homosexual activities will cause every heterosexual to instantly abandon their orientation and dive headlong into every homosexual debauchery ever imagined by mankind. Hell, I’m homosexual and I haven’t dived headlong into every homosexual debauchery ever imagined by mankind! ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/15 "2004-02-04T15:55:54Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > It would be nice to think that the most egregious stupidity in Ohio is centered in the Cincinnati area, at least based on this comment: > > " The fundamental fact remains that only a heterosexual union is capable of producing children, without which the survival of the species is very much in doubt." > > But Cincy has no monopoly on wooden-headedness. > Silly, though, to boycott Ohio for vacations. > > Alas, you will never know our purple mountain majesties (the Hocking Hills), our fruited plains (take your pick), our awe-inspiring lakes and rivers (which never catch fire anymore) and scenic road tours (I live on an official Ohio Byway). > > Eat your heart out. Actually, I lived in Cincinnati from 1988 to 1997, and got quite enough of Ohio then, thanks. (And it wasn’t my choice to move there. I was five at the time. It was, however, my suggestion to move.) ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/16 "2004-02-04T15:56:32Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > Is he saying the gay lifestyle is so appealing that if we poor heteros were exposed to it we’d immediately flee screaming and jubilant (and likely naked and wet) into homosexuality? That allowing same-sex marriage is not only immoral, but an immediate threat to the entire species? If I may speak for my tribe for a moment, honey, we have _seen_ heterosexuals and for the most part we don’t want 'em. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/17 "2004-02-04T15:57:26Z")
Er, to clarify: It was not my suggestion to move TO Cincinnati, but it was my suggestion to move AWAY. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc8723/32.png) [@coffeecam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecam)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/18 "2004-02-04T16:01:29Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > “Because it is a fundamental redefinition of a term that has been well defined for a long, long time. The fundamental fact remains that only a heterosexual union is capable of producing children, without which the survival of the species is very much in doubt.” > > Is he saying the gay lifestyle is so appealing that if we poor heteros were exposed to it we’d immediately flee screaming and jubilant (and likely naked and wet) into homosexuality? That allowing same-sex marriage is not only immoral, but an immediate threat to the entire species? > > Man, who knew? Those homos are evil, I tell ya…pure evil. erm… I’ll have to let that lesbian couple next door know that their children are in fact fakes. :rolleyes: C ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/19 "2004-02-04T16:10:29Z")
Actually, travel and tourism boycotts have been used in the past–not sure how effective they are, but states do love those out-of-state dollars that flow from visitors. Important, of course, to let the state know you’re not coming, and why. I believe several associations stopped holding any conferences in certain states whose laws offended them. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454/20 "2004-02-04T16:40:45Z")
I dunno. [The Pretenders](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/MY-CITY-WAS-GONE-lyrics-Pretenders/3AEF52888AC83F24482568A300285C9F) made Ohio sound pretty enticing: I went back to Ohio But my pretty countryside Had been paved down the middle By a government that had no pride The farms of Ohio Had been replaced by shopping malls And muzak filled the air From Seneca to Cuyahoga falls Said, A, O, oh way to go Ohio 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanks-ohio-legislature-now-i-know-where-not-to-go-on-vacation/227454.md?page=2)