posted on September 18, 2004 10:02:29 PM new
Louisiana Voters Approve Gay-Marriage Ban
33 minutes ago
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By KEVIN McGILL, Associated Press Writer
NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment Saturday banning same-sex marriages and civil unions, one of up to 12 such measures on the ballot around the country this year.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, the amendment was winning approval with 78 percent of the vote, and support for it was evident statewide. Only in New Orleans, home to a politically strong gay community, was the race relatively close, and even there the amendment was winning passage. Turnout statewide appeared to be about 27 percent of Louisiana's 2.8 million voters, somewhat low for a state election.
Christian conservatives had conducted an intense grassroots lobbying campaign for the amendment, which had been expected to pass easily. The civil rights group Forum for Equality had already promised legal action against it.
"It's gratifying to see the people of Louisiana had an opportunity, as distinguished from judges, having the final say on the issue of whether traditional marriage will continue to be the fundamental institution in our state," said Darrell White, a retired state judge and consultant for Louisiana Family Forum, which pushed for the amendment.
John Rawls, a lawyer for Forum for Equality, reiterated the group's contention that the amendment does far more than stop gay marriage and that it could affect many private contracts between unmarried couples, gay or straight — a claim its supporters dispute.
"I am disappointed that so many Louisianians either did not read the amendment or are so afraid of gays that they voted for this amendment anyway," Rawls said.
Louisiana already has a law stating that marriage can be only between a man and woman, but supporters of the amendment want to protect that law in the Constitution. The amendment also would prohibit state officials and courts from recognizing out-of-state marriages and civil unions between homosexuals.
Rawls said there were many possible grounds for challenging the results in state and federal court. One appeared Saturday, when voting machines were delivered late to some New Orleans precincts, keeping some from casting ballots for hours.
State director of elections Frances Sims said at least 59 precincts did not have voting machines when polls opened because officials with New Orleans' clerk of court's office failed to meet drivers who tried to deliver the machines earlier that morning. The problem was solved by midday.
Julius Green, 58, said he went to his polling place in New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood about 10 a.m. and found no voting machines — just a crowd.
"This is ridiculous," Green said. "It makes people feel that their vote don't count."
Advocates of the amendment and its opponents agreed it will be up to the courts to decide exactly what the measure does and does not do.
Similar amendments to ban same-sex marriage are on ballots in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. Petitions in Ohio are still being verified.
posted on September 18, 2004 10:13:07 PM new
Let'em move to Canada... not welcome here... maybe they are finally getting the hint... another state voted to ban the marriage... and more to come...
People here, unlike canada, do know what is right and wrong and homosexuality is wrong.
posted on September 18, 2004 10:27:29 PM new
Twelve, do you have a pull-string on the back of your neck? Who put you in charge of defining what's right and wrong? How old are you now? 80? Surely by now you've seen it all and can understand how important it is to accept each other unconditionally. Your judgement of others is only weight on your shoulders, which for some sick reason, you seem to enjoy.
posted on September 18, 2004 10:34:09 PM new
As if. The will of the people based on what the Bible tells them. Normal people aren't that closed minded.
posted on September 18, 2004 10:42:17 PM new
Nothing wrong with the Bible... you should try it, you may find some happiness...
Who are you to decide what is normal for people? have you ever lived in Louisana? Do you know if all of those people that voted are church goers? You and yeager like to dismiss and discount people's beliefs... yet you don't want yours discounted...
posted on September 18, 2004 11:10:29 PM new
I live here in the US. I don't find happiness in the bibble, (rhymes with dribble) either. I find contradiction, exclusion of others, and hate in the bibble.
It's a good book for people who like to control others. And for those who like to find answers for a lack of their own thinking. It should be renamed A Guide for Superstitious Weak Minds.
Bigots are miserable people. Prevent Bigotry through Education.
posted on September 19, 2004 06:17:25 AM new
Homosexuals are not normal... they are deviants... that is what you truly do not understand... and therefore derserve no equal treatment under the law.
But then you don't have a problem with beastiality, necrophilia or child molestation do you kraft...
posted on September 19, 2004 06:34:54 AM new
Good...glad to hear it. I believe that now makes 40 states who have passed similar laws.
And I'm hopeful the activist judges are getting the message. The people don't want them making law...just following the laws they [the people] vote in.
I also notice that anyone who disagrees with the way this vote goes, claim it's because 'people are afraid'. Has absolutely nothing to do with fear.
What they appear unable to comprehend is that it's that these people are against this behavior or against these types of unions being approved of, for many different reasons. And that includes this very small group of citizens who keep trying to force their agenda on the majority.
posted on September 19, 2004 06:37:41 AM new
What also they do not want to see Linda is that this was a landslide victory... not even close... 78% of the vote...
I see one state on the list that probably will allow homosexual marriages and that is Oregon...
posted on September 19, 2004 06:43:35 AM new
I know, twelve. Pretty strong message there.
But I don't know about Oregon. I've got two sisters there who think there's enough people there who wish to see it ban there also. I know that's not what we read in our news papers...but what they get from living there and talking to people. Maybe in the big cities there's more support for gay marriages...but Oregon's full of small towns where people feel much differently. I'm not writing them off until I see the final results.
posted on September 19, 2004 10:37:57 AM new
"Only stupid people want to get rid of things they don't understand"
Kraft...the people of Louisiana are NOT stupid and they do understand what they voted on. They are also NORMAL.
If you are so tolerant and sensitive to the feelings of others, why did you find it necessary to insult an entire state just because the people happen to disagree with you?
Are you saying that only your views are the right ones and anyone who dares to disagree are stupid and not normal?
There are over 4 million people in the state of Louisiana who think you are wrong. You can do whatever you want in Canada, but don't think you can dictate to the people of Louisiana what we should do or believe. The people of Louisiana have the same rights and freedoms as the gay people.
Saying that our opinions are wrong, stupid and not normal is just a bad as what you claim is being done to people you defend. You can't have it both ways. You can't shut up one group in an effort to defend another, without doing the very thing you are fighting against, surpressing someone's right to disagree. We all have a right to our opinions and beliefs. The people of Louisiana have voiced those opinions and beliefs. That is what freedom of speech and democracy are all about.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on September 19, 2004 01:01:48 PM new"But then you don't have a problem with beastiality, necrophilia or child molestation do you kraft..."
You're just making things up now Twelve.
YOUR interpretation of things tells you gays aren't normal, Twelve. You talk about this subject ad infinitum yet never explain WHY you think they're so bad, other than "the Bible says so", which is just an interpretation itself. That's what's so ridiculous about the nay sayers.
Gtootie, I understand what you're saying but I can't agree. Even if everyone in the universe disagreed with me, I'd still feel the way I do, which is, God loves everyone equally, including gays. For straight people to have that much of an ego to think they are any more special than anyone else is sick. Especially the ones that think they are covered under God's insurance policy if they follow some of the nonsense in the Bible. We should be looking for ways to get along with each other, not trying to separate ourselves from more and more people. What kind of God wants people to act like this? Not mine, that's for sure.
posted on September 19, 2004 01:18:35 PM new
I'm not clear on your statement, KD.
Are you saying that since you believe God loves everybody they won't/shouldn't be held responsible for their actions. Like mentioned....gays will be excused by your God because he loves them...but child molesters, murders, rapists, etc. aren't loved by your God and so also don't need to have any concern about what actions/behaviors they take?
Or maybe you're saying your God loves them all...so no one needs to have any silly restrictions on their behavior? I'm not clear where you're drawing your own line on what behavior is acceptable and what's not.
posted on September 19, 2004 01:38:31 PM new
Linda, when you think of a straight person, do you automatically associate him/her with child molesters, rapists, people that have sex with dead people and animals, etc., etc, even though straight people do these kinds of things more often than gay people? What purpose does this type of propaganda serve?
Being gay or wanting equality is not breaking the law, but in some people's minds, it's breaking God's law which is only an interpretation. Does the Bible explain anywhere why being a gay person is bad? No. And so far, like I said, nobody else has been able to explain it either... because it doesn't make sense.
posted on September 19, 2004 01:47:48 PM new
Still can't quite understand why the politicts of American states is ANY concern to you dam Canadians. If you want to promote a more deviant lifestyle in your own country fine.
Hetero sexual unions are the prefered lifestyle of Americans,
Hey, hey Ho, ho Kerry - sign the 1-8-0
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The person who has nothing for which he is willing
to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
--John Stuart Mill
posted on September 19, 2004 01:58:40 PM new
Bear, so you're of the opinion if something doesn't directly affect me (U.S. policy) it should be none of my business? Why can't you apply that to gays?
posted on September 19, 2004 02:24:19 PM new
“God loves everyone equally, including gays”
He also loves heterosexuals, Bible-thumpers, republicans, conservatives, southerners, and rednecks.
I believe God loves everyone. I also believe everyone has rights. And no matter how much I believe in something I am smart enough to know that none of us will know who is truly right until the end. We may find out we are all wrong. But in the meantime we have to live by what we believe. And everyone has that right.
The best way for me to explain my position on the gay lifestyle is to tell you a story about Mike and Jerry.
Mike is a hairdresser. He is very good at his profession. I always loved the way he cut my hair. He was very nice and funny. He worked out of his house and it was a very comfortable atmosphere. Mike is also gay. I knew he was before I started going there. I didn’t care. I was paying him to cut my hair. It made no difference to me about his sex life. I always say if I am not a participant, I don’t want to hear about it. If it doesn’t involve children or rape, I don’t care.
Then Mike starting to drop little hints, like he was trying to tell me. Then he started to make comments about religion, politics and straight people. I started to feel like I had to defend myself for being a straight, Baptist Republican. I wanted to but I was afraid. He was holding scissors. I didn’t think he was going to stab me or anything like that, but he was wacking away on my hair. I didn’t want to get in an argument with him. The last time I went to Mike, he got upset about something on the news and pointed those scissors at me in the mirror and said, “All you straight people are trying to change all of us gays.” I had never said anything to him about the gays. I knew he was gay and would never insult someone like that. I never went back.
Now, I go to Jerry, who is also gay. Jerry is sweet and funny. We talk and laugh and I have a great time when I go there. I truly love him. Jerry talks about his partner who died of AIDS and some of his friends. But he tells it in the same way I talk about my partner and friends. It is not a gay issue, just a conversation. He even told me a story about being elected queen at some function he went to. I have never laughed so hard in my life. I have no intentions of leaving Jerry.
The difference is Jerry is not in my face with it. I don’t want to hear or watch what he does with his partners any more than I do with my neighbors or JaLo. I don’t want him trying to change me any more than he wants me to change him. And I certainly don’t want him to tell me his rights and beliefs are more important than mine.
There are issues that I feel very strongly about. Some have been voted down on Election Day. When that happens I try in a calm and informed way to change minds and hope things turn out different next time. Calling people names, insulting them, trying to shut them up and acting irrationally only inflames those people to the point that they dig in their heels and would rather die than change. When I say that I am talking about both sides on every issue.
Would any of you ever expect to win an argument with your spouse if you called your mother-in-law stupid, immoral, unfit and every other vile name you could think of? Would you expect them to stand meekly and quietly while you trashed everything they believe in? Would you expect them to come around to your way of thinking or tell you where you can shove it and walk out?
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on September 19, 2004 02:34:28 PM new
My point is that homosexuals will not stop spending money because they cannot get "married"...
Sorry I had to spell it out for you...
Gtooie, You don't think that one day Jerry may start in on you the same way? I don't know if you are male or female... however homosexuals are bringing this backlash on themselves... if Jerry had started talking to you about the election that just took place, how would you of answered?
It sounds as if Jerry does realize his choice in life and is willing to live with that choice... and not push some agenda on others.
posted on September 19, 2004 02:41:12 PM new
Twelve
If he does and in the same way I will do the same thing. Leave and not come back. Maybe he is smart enough not to mix his business with his personal life.
If he wants to discuss the election, I am willing. I won't back away from what I believe. And I don't think he will either. So, it is best for both of us not to discuss it.
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
posted on September 19, 2004 02:47:12 PM new
Thanks for your thoughts, Gtootie! I understand what you mean and the only thing I can say about your hairdressers, is you might not be able to control the people around you but you can control how you react to them. Your first hair dresser obviously had unresolved issues and you were a sounding board. But you must have had issues too because you couldn't be honest and tell him how uncomfortable you felt when he talked that way, especially with scissors in his hands. He was a threat to you so you went to someone else. So, was it Mikes fault for being too forward or your fault for not saying anything?
Prevent Bigotry through Education.
