posted on May 14, 2004 08:18:09 PM newSupreme Court Won't Bar Start Of Mass. Gay Marriages
High Court Denies Emergency Appeal By Conservative Group
BOSTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court refused Friday to block the nation's first state-sanctioned gay marriages from taking place next week, in Massachusetts.
The justices declined without comment to intervene and block clerks from issuing marriage licenses to gay couples in the state, whose highest court had ruled in November that the state Constitution allows gay couples to marry, and declared that the process would begin on Monday.
Conservative groups appealed Friday's ruling from the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court refused to overturn a lower judge's order that allowed gay marriages in the state go forward, beginning Monday.
The Florida-based Liberty Counsel had asked the Supreme Court whether the Massachusetts judges had wrongly redefined marriage. The conservative group said that task should be handled by elected legislators.
Even though it denied the injunction, the federal appeals court Friday did agree to hear arguments in the case, but not until June. By then, several weeks of legal gay marriages will have taken place.
The leader of the conservative group Liberty's Counsel called Friday's action "a bump in the road."
A federal judge Thursday refused to grant an injunction stopping the marriages. The judge said the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court acted within its authority to interpret the term "marriage" in the state's constitution and order the issuing of marriage licenses to gay couples, starting Monday.
The foes of gay marriages say the highest state court in Massachusetts overstepped its bounds when it ruled that the marriages were legal.
Massachusetts Prepares
Meanwhile, same-sex couples are getting ready to ring wedding bells Monday.
For centuries, the Arlington Street Church in Boston has been the center of the abolitionist movement, the women's suffrage movement and for the last 40 years, the gay rights movement. Robert Compton and David Wilson will be the first to be married at the church under the new law Monday.
"This really represents the latest chapter in the history of the civil rights movement in America and the history of the civil rights movements in this particular congregation starting with the anti-slavery movement here in this congregation, moving right up to some of the antiwar movements," said Jeff Quinlan of the Arlington Street Church.
But the biggest day comes later in the week, when couples that did not seek a waiver of the three-day waiting period for all marriage license holders walk down the aisle. In all, 37 couples will do so.
"Thursday is the big day," said Jeff Bouchard of the Arlington Street Church. "Every 20 minutes there will a couple coming up, they will be meeting with the clergy, they will speak with them, sign their license, walk out with a picture of themselves and a rose."
Across the city, caterers, florists and wedding planners are hoping for a boost in business this spring. At the Copley Marriott, Michael Horgan and Ed Balmelli will marry Monday night, followed by a casual celebration that won't include some of the traditions of other weddings.
"You certainly won't find some of the things you would normally find, even a champagne toast, no cake, and the ceremony will be very simple and straight forward, very quick," said Kurt Brown of the Boston Marriott Copley.
Many same-sex couples marrying next week have lived together for years, even decades, but they are realistic and know that not everyone who shows up on Monday will be celebrating their unions.
"In any situation of this magnitude, something like that is always there. Yes, it does concern us, but we are prepared for anything of that event and this is life. We expect it to be that way," Bouchard said.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney called on protesters to be respectful and hospitable to those getting married on Monday. The state's most prominent opponent of gay marriages, Romney said he might attend same-sex wedding ceremonies in the future. But he declined the first invitation from radio personality Darrell Martini, known as the Cosmic Muffin. Romney said he had a scheduling conflict.
posted on May 14, 2004 08:55:51 PM new
amazing....
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When a dog howls at the moon, we call it religion. When he barks at strangers, we call it patriotism. - Edward Abbey
posted on May 14, 2004 10:25:50 PM new
So does this mean the debate is over and we've all heard the last of this, or is this just the start of 20 years of appeals, etc.?
If this were truly the final word on the matter, I'd think it would be more heavily reported.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on May 14, 2004 10:36:51 PM new
Gov Romney was on TV tonight saying that there will be no MA same sex marriages in other states !! LMAO !!
I'll give it maybe two weeks before there are same sex LEGAL marriages moving out of MA into nearly every state in the union. I'll wager that there are 30 to 40 couples that will pack this weekend, marry on Monday and move to other states by Wednesday.
6 weeks until the first Federal lawsuits are filed to force these other states to recognize the marriages.
I could be wrong, but the gay community will not set idle and miss a Supreme Court case opportunity that seeks recognition in all the other states. If they wait too long they have the possibility that all 50 states will have amendments in place not to allow same sex marriages.
posted on May 15, 2004 08:19:39 AM newhttp://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=5153933
Gay Marriage Is in the Cards - the Greeting Cards
Sat May 15, 2004 09:19 AM ET
...he titans of the $7 billion U.S. greeting card industry, Hallmark and American Greetings, offer hundreds of different cards for every holiday and occasion, but they have not specifically targeted gays and lesbians.
It is the smaller players -- gay-themed businesses like 10 percent.com, Pink Rainbow Galaxy and Heygirl -- who are exploiting the market segment.
The niche may actually be quite large, as gays make up between 6 and 7 percent of the consumer market. Multiply $7 billion in U.S. greeting card sales by 6 percent, and the result is $420 million.
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We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -- John F. Kennedy
posted on May 15, 2004 05:16:15 PM newSo does this mean the debate is over and we've all heard the last of this, or is this just the start of 20 years of appeals, etc.?
It's legal for now in Mass. At least until the voters make a choice two years down the road.
I am sure there will be more appeals in Mass to prevent the marriages from taking place. Eevntually the Supreme Court will decide on the Caifornia marriage as well.
This issue is from from being settled, but at least it is a good start.
posted on May 16, 2004 04:36:15 AM new
I am glad that this is happening in Massachusetts. I have a couple of gay friends and I really don't care what they do in the privacy of their bedrooms. Nor do I care what any straight couple does in theirs. In either case, it's none of my business. I have other things to worry about.
What I would like to see for them is the chance for them to participate in every way in society. That would include being married if they wanted to.
As another poster said, there will be people getting married in Massachusetts and then moving back to their home state. They will then ask for the same benefits as married straight couples, and when they are denied them, the floodgate of individual lawsuits will result.
Also, here in the US, we are at a historic time as we celebrate the 50th anniversary ruling of Brown vs The Board of Education. This being the Supreme Court ruling that separate but equal is not constitutional. This is why I think that marriage for gays will be allowed as opposed to just civil unions. I am sure that the attorneys for the gay rights lobby will use this same case for gay marriage.
True Americans do not exclude anybody. They recognize that everyone should have the same rights. Bigotry, intolerance and hatred are cancers of the mind.
You bring up good points. It's sure a shame that people can't stay out of other people's business. What goes on in the bedroom is no business of the government's or mine. I've seen gay unions last a heck of a lot longer than heterosexual ones. Who knows, once it is legal in all the states, maybe they will face the same problems that hetero marriages do. At any rate, they are human beings who deserve the same social rights as everyone else. It's not our place to judge - the Bible tells us that. With as much as Bush touts the Bible, you'd think he'd know that by now. You can be sure of one thing, while he goes around judging others, he's being judged himself and by powers greater than he.
Cheryl
[ edited by cblev65252 on May 16, 2004 05:27 AM ]
posted on May 16, 2004 09:50:11 PM new
taken from Boston.com
Kerry aims to keep peace with gays
By Patrick Healy, Globe Staff | May 15, 2004
WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry met privately yesterday with gay-rights groups to fortify a tenuous peace between his presidential campaign, which is seeking to neutralize gay marriage as a political wedge issue, and gay leaders who share feelings of anger and resignation toward Kerry for opposing the marriages that will begin in his home state Monday.
Kerry, who plans to spend Monday at a civil-rights celebration in Kansas and then a rally in Oregon, asked for yesterday's meeting with leaders of major gay-rights organizations to underscore his support for most of their agenda, such as AIDS/HIV funding, hate-crimes protections, and antibias measures in employment, education, and health care. His campaign also wanted to affirm the gay political community's support for Kerry should an outcry arise over his opposition to gay marriage.
Gay marriage has proved a sensitive and complicated issue for the presumed Democratic nominee, and his advisers are divided about whether these unions -- and the mix of controversy and celebration they are likely to engender -- present political dangers, or opportunities, for a Democratic presidential nominee from Massachusetts.
The complexity of the issue was evident yesterday when a Globe reporter asked Kerry whether he had personal wishes to offer gay couples who will be married in two days.
''It's not my job to start parceling out advice or saying things to people who make a decision that's very personal like that," Kerry said, before reiterating his opposition to gay marriage and support for full, marriage-style benefits for gay couples who enter civil unions.
''Obviously, I wish everybody in America happiness, and I want people to be who they are and respect who they are, but I happen to believe personally that marriage is a status between a man and a woman," he added. ''I want everybody to feel fulfilled and to be able to be happy and live their lives. I happen to think there's a way to do that respecting rights under the Constitution and also respecting traditional value that's attributed to marriage in this nation."
In Massachusetts, Kerry has endorsed legislative moves to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and create civil unions.
You seem to like the Bush Cheney adminastation so well. I have a big surprise for you! Dick Cheney has a daughter named Mary. And guess what? She is GAY! Yes, GAY!!!
True Americans do not exclude anybody. They recognize that everyone should have the same rights. Bigotry, intolerance and hatred are cancers of the mind.
posted on May 17, 2004 12:40:58 AM new
yeager - Most everyone has known that for quite a while.
Doesn't change the fact that KERRY doesn't support gay marriages...and that his straddling the fence on this issue IS going to cost him some of the gay votes.
posted on May 17, 2004 01:26:25 AM new
How is he straddling the fence. He says he opposes it. That seems rather clear to me Linda.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on May 17, 2004 01:59:53 AM new
fenix - kerry has been a very strong supporter of gay rights - his votes are 'for' all the gay measures. But he doesn't support them on 'gay marriage'...he has been quoted as saying it should remain 'between one man and one woman'.
And in the article I read he wouldn't answer their [gays] questions about his position on gays in the military either. Again too touchy a subject....when you know after all his years in the Senate he HAS to have made a decision about that issue.
I personally believe he wants it both ways [that's why he's straddling the issue]. He wants the votes of the gay/lesbian/transvite/etc group but he doesn't want to lose the votes of the people who want to see marriage stay as it is.
posted on May 17, 2004 04:16:26 AM new
I think he said he "believes personally", personally being the operative word. No where did he say he'd change the Constitution to ban it like someone else we know. You can personally not believe in something and still not do anything to outlaw it. Personally, I think bigots should be locked away. That doesn't mean I'm going to work to pass a law for it, although I'd like to.
I happen to think there's a way to do that respecting rights under the Constitution. . .
Cheryl
[ edited by cblev65252 on May 17, 2004 04:17 AM ]
posted on May 17, 2004 04:53:10 AM new
Again, he never said he was going to manipulate the Constitution to conform to what he believes. Again, unlike someone else we all know.
posted on May 17, 2004 04:57:35 AM new
Just for you Cheryl - a kerry quote taken from the website 365gay.com
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage: "While I continue to oppose gay marriage, I believe that today's decision calls on the Massachusetts state legislature to take action to ensure equal protection for gay couples. ... I believe the right answer is civil unions. I oppose gay marriage and disagree with the Massachusetts Court's decision."
posted on May 17, 2004 06:29:40 AM newDoesn't change the fact that KERRY doesn't support gay marriages...and that his straddling the fence on this issue IS going to cost him some of the gay votes.
The same can be said of Bush's decision to introduce a constitutional amendment to legally define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Linda, did you forget about the 1 million+ GAY REPUBLICANS that voted for Bush in 2000. Bush's proposition for the amendment has outraged all those GAY REPUBLICANS that once supported him.....
This will cost Bush some of the gay vote.
posted on May 17, 2004 06:37:51 AM new
True, logansdad - the biggest difference being that Bush's base support [the largest/most faithful group] doesn't support gay marriage - while kerry's largest base does.
kerrys's going against his what his largest group of supports wants to see.
