Are you for or against gay marriage. This is a yes or no question. This relates to another thread whereby Dive and Charles believe 'some' conservatives are against it as opposed to most/majority are. I submit that the majority are...
Much as you would like to think otherwise, it's not a yes/no question. 1) I'm against the state being involved in any marriages...The state-issued marriage license is what people pimping for gay statutory marriages are after. 2) If gays wish to draw up their own common law marriage agreements, it's no skin off my ass.
I voted yes, But I must clarify That I want to see it done right. Either by States making it legal individually or by A federal Constitutional Amendment, and not by Judicial Fiat.
you don't need an amendment to permit equal protection under the law. equal protection is already guaranteed. and appropriately defining the term equal protection to include gays is not 'judicial fiat' it is constitutional construction and its what the court is supposed to do. why should anyone wait around for a constitutional amendment to enforce a right they already have under the law.
States restrict marriage for lots of reasons. If you're already married, and want to get married again, you're not entitled to "equal protection under the law."
Gay marriage is pointless. The only reason they are into it is for the gravy of how the tax structure is set up. Allowing gays to marry makes sense like allowing ducks to eat pork makes sense. Marriage is about guaranteeing the interests of any children produced of the union. (Not all heterosexual couples have or want children, of course , but they are a possibility. ) It is also there to protect the interests of the parties involved because of financial things. Wives do give up a lot to get married. Gays don't need the protections of marriage, they won't produce kids in the marriage, and the only point is to score tax gains. Not a good enough reason, really.
Sorry I simply do not think the Fed is suppose to have the power to dictate to the states on issues they were not given power over in the Constitution. That is why I favor the Amendment route. With an Amendment we can clarify not only that Gays can Marry and all states have to recognize that. But we can insure that Gays victory is not then used to fight for Polygamists rights or Incest rights for example. After all if you prove that People can marry each other despite sex, with out clarification. You have to know that that Polygamists at least will be next in line demanding equal protection.