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Gay marriage in Utah put on hold

Congrats on your wedding kicky, and thanks for the legal input. Helps bring the anecdotal back to reality.
 
Sirkickyass said:
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The "why should I have to?" is not crap.

I've been married for almost two weeks so it's totally appropriate for me to have an opinion about this sort of thing now.

We got married in Southern California because the Madame's elderly grandparents live there and, to be honest, there was no way that they could attend a wedding in any other location. She really wanted them to be there and my family has a three-generation tradition of eloping so it was no skin off my back. Those are the kinds of decisions you get to make when you can walk into any state in the country and pay the $60 fee for a marriage license the day before the ceremony. As an added bonus, it's so easy to do things the way you want to do them when you're straight that we had the internet certify my best friend as a jedi knight, flew him out, and had him perform the ceremony itself as the priest.

Life is much harder if the person you happen to love is the same sex as you. If the Madame was a Monsieur and his elderly grandparents were in Arkansas we would have been out of luck. Grandpa's just got to die without seeing his grandson get married. That's not "crap." That's the kind of thing people don't forget for their entire lives. And that is total ******** that this happens to people.

If I can fly anyone out that I want to any location I want to perform a ceremony on 24 hours notice and he can write my wedding vows to be all about jaegers and kaijus then there is no reason that two people of the same sex should have to jump through any hoops whatsoever if they want to get married too.

I agree with everything you're saying (and feel strongly about it as well). What I'm saying, is that for me personally, I would do what I needed to do to marry the person I love. Regardless of whether or not the state I live in officially recognized it. I would know it happened and was real. **** everyone else.
Maybe saying it's "crap" wasn't the right phrase, but that's just the way I talk
 
Oh thank goodness!

I'm so grateful for Senator Lee. Looking out for the real victims of the gay marriage debate. I would hate for my fellow American brothers and sisters to be discriminated against.....

https://m.heraldextra.com/news/loca...553a-9f36-1ad3f1846d75.html?mobile_touch=true

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has introduced a bill that is seeking to protect religious institutions from facing government backlash if they choose not to support gay marriage.

Lee, along with 11 other Republican co-sponsors including Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch, introduced the bill. It is a companion bill to similar legislation being considered in the House sponsored by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho. The bill simply seeks to bar the government from denying any person or group tax-exempt status for exercising their religious conscience rights.

"This bill protects the rights of individuals and organizations from religious discrimination by the federal government," said Lee in a released statement. "Those who believe in the traditional definition of marriage deserve respect and tolerance. It is critical that we clarify the law to ensure that their fundamental civil liberties are not at risk."

For being such a Constitutional Expert, Lee sure does seem to know nothing about it. Aren't churches and individuals sort of protected already?
 
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Sorry, I didn't realize that there had to be a certain number of gays for them to be eligible for civil rights.

What does "significant" mean to you? Can it only be quantified numerically? Even if it's only 1% of the population, you're talking 3 million and change. That isn't a significant group?


Sent from the JazzFanz app
 
Pure paranoia and fear-mongering. Legislation that serves a valid, secular purpose will always be justifiable based on that purpose, including the number of marriages and the age of the participants. The is no right to discriminate or harass, and the acceptance of gay marriage affects no other religious behavior. No religion has ever been forced by the US government, at any time, to recognize any marriage. For example, there are still churches that refuse to recognize interracial marriages some 45 years after Loving vs. Virginia.

At no time in U.S. history has homosexual marriages been forced on a state against its will...and yet here we are setting all kinds of new "precedents" in Obamanation.

For some unknown reason I was asked to provide what I think the negative effects of homosexual marriage will be. I don't have any delusions that they matter enough to even be considered "fear mongering," seeing as I wouldn't have supplied them unless asked.

I do find it interesting that all of the sudden feminazis support marriage as a positive and valuable thing, when their doctrine is that marriage is a form of slavery for women.
 
I wrote my last post in a state of exhaustion, and it didn't even occur to me that talking national numbers is not really germane to this discussion. So before anyone jumps all over me for that, I goofed and I apologize.


Sent from the JazzFanz app
 
At no time in U.S. history has homosexual marriages been forced on a state against its will...and yet here we are setting all kinds of new "precedents" in Obamanation.

In 1967 13 states were forced to accept interracial marriage against their will. Because marriage laws vary by state, and the influence of the Full Faith and Credit clause, many states are forced to accept marriages that they would not permit.

I do find it interesting that all of the sudden feminazis support marriage as a positive and valuable thing, when their doctrine is that marriage is a form of slavery for women.

Do let me know when you can point to one of the mythical feminazis. I think they hang out by the unicorn herds.
 
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Oh thank goodness!

I'm so grateful for Senator Lee. Looking out for the real victims of the gay marriage debate. I would hate for my fellow American brothers and sisters to be discriminated against.....

https://m.heraldextra.com/news/loca...553a-9f36-1ad3f1846d75.html?mobile_touch=true



For being such a Constitutional Expert, Lee sure does seem to know nothing about it. Aren't churches and individuals sort of protected already?

I could really give a s**t less about his education on the constitution. But if this is all it takes, let's make sure it's worded correctly and pass that thing.
 
At no time in U.S. history has homosexual marriages been forced on a state against its will...and yet here we are setting all kinds of new "precedents" in Obamanation.

For some unknown reason I was asked to provide what I think the negative effects of homosexual marriage will be. I don't have any delusions that they matter enough to even be considered "fear mongering," seeing as I wouldn't have supplied them unless asked.

I do find it interesting that all of the sudden feminazis support marriage as a positive and valuable thing, when their doctrine is that marriage is a form of slavery for women.

lol @ playing the Obama card. lolololololol

umad.jpg
 
This reminds me of a point I thought about bringing up before (but then forgot). There are actually two completely separate questions that are going on with this train of thought: (a) Should laws be passed to enable gay marriages? (b) Is there a fundamental right to gay marriage? Default's sentiment is an argument for (a), but not for (b).

In my opinion, as I've strongly opined in this thread and elsewhere, (b) is invalid. There is no fundamental right to gay marriage (again, speaking about my own opinion). And nothing short of a Supreme Court decision will convince me otherwise. However, if the discussion were about (a), I'd be much more open. I'd still be against gay marriage, but I recognize that there are reasons for supporting it that fall short of "fundamental right", but which are compelling. Loggrad's story, for example. Hopefully I said that clearly enough, but let me try to restate. If a proposition for gay marriage were on a ballot here (Utah) like it was in California some years ago, I'd vote against it, but I'd be content to live with the outcome if my side were outvoted. It's the whole "courts overruling the will of the people because of some perceived civil right which doesn't actually exist" thing that gets under my skin.

First, the Federal Government should have nothing to do with marriage. If you look at the history of civil marriage in this country, it was enacted to stop interracial marriages, and to define property. And property at the time was the wife, as women were considered property. This went on for hundreds of years. With our current interpretation of the constitution and additional amendments, the whole purpose for civil marriage would not survive constitutional muster.

This is not just a fundamental right issue. Because the Federal Government has decided to afford different benefits to married people, by not availing gay couples of those same benefits, it is an equal protection issue. If you are married you get different income tax benefits, estate tax benefits (estates passing to a spouse are not subject to estate tax) insurance benefits, etc. I personally think the Federal Government has no business regulating marriage, or providing different benefits to those that are married, but because they do, they need to provide those benefits under a constitutionally acceptable standard.

Under U.S. v. Windsor, the standard used under a equal protection claim for sexual preference was ruled to be a quasi-suspect classification that required intermediate scrutiny (When intermediate scrutiny is involved, the courts are more likely to oppose the discriminatory law when compared to a rational basis review, particularly if a law is based on gender, or sexual orientation. Romer v. Evans 116 S.Ct. 1620 (1996), Lawrence v. Texas, 123 S.Ct. 2472 (2003), Windsor v. United States,133 S.Ct. 2675 (2013).

So there you go, there is a Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional because laws that classify people (and benefits) on the basis of sexual orientation could not survive constitutional muster.

Based on the Windsor ruling, I don't see how the 10th Circuit could overrule Judge Shelby's decision based on current case law. To overturn the case, the 10th circuit must find legal error. Based on Windsor, I don't think they can.
 
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So there you go, there is a Supreme Court decision that struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional because laws that classify people (and benefits) on the basis of sexual orientation could not survive constitutional muster.

Actually, I thought the main reason the Supreme Court struck down DOMA was due to state's rights--they ruled that the federal government had no right to not recognize a marriage solemnized by a state. That's why I think there's an excellent chance that the Supreme Court *will* find that states have rights to define marriage as heterosexual only.
 
SO honest question.

Aside from the term marriage, does anyone have a problem with same sex couples having the same rights and privileges under the law as hetero couples? Such as medical decisions, life insurance benefits, social security benefits...?

Also if a couple has those benefits in one state (gay marriage allowed) and they move to a state that does not allow gay marriage do they lose those benefits? Even if they are federal benefits such as Social Security?
 
Someone please respond to Stoked's post.

In the mean time:

https://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_9092.shtml?wap=0

(CNN) -- The Justice Department announced Friday it will recognize -- for federal purposes -- same-sex marriages performed for a short period in Utah.

The state on Wednesday said it would not recognize the approximately 1,000 marriages or marriage licenses issued for gay and lesbian couples, at least until the issue is fully resolved in the courts.

Suck it, Utah!
 
Actually, I thought the main reason the Supreme Court struck down DOMA was due to state's rights--they ruled that the federal government had no right to not recognize a marriage solemnized by a state. That's why I think there's an excellent chance that the Supreme Court *will* find that states have rights to define marriage as heterosexual only.


Yes, the decision focused on the rights of gay couples that were married in a state, and were not recognized by federal law due to DOMA (it had to, because DOMA dealt with State's Rights). You are right, much of Windsor discussed the rights of states and state autonomy, but if you read the majority, a main concern was the way the law discriminated against gay couples (equal protection under the 5th amendment). The main question presented by the DOJ was "Whether Section 3 of DOMA violates the Fifth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection" for same sex partners. But the big piece, was the affirmation of intermediate scrutiny review for sexual preference. ""It is easy to conclude that homosexuals have suffered a history of discrimination." Thus they were part of a quasi-suspect class that deserves any law restricting its rights to be subjected to intermediate scrutiny. Because DOMA could not pass that test, Judge Jacobs wrote (court of appeals), it is unconstitutional under the equal protection guarantees of the Fifth Amendment.

Kennedy writing for the majority: "Our straightforward legal analysis sidesteps the fair point that same-sex marriage is unknown to history and tradition, but law (federal or state) is not concerned with holy matrimony. Government deals with marriage as a civil status—however fundamental—and New York has elected to extend that status to same-sex couples."


The case ruled that DOMA was a violation of the equal protection clause under the fifth amendment, so the ruling was based only on federal law. However, the 14th amendment applies those same rules to the states. Based on Windsor's use of intermediate scrutiny to determine a law that involves a quasi-suspect class---the case defined sexual preference as such---I think the 10th circuit will have to uphold the lower court's decision.


Edit: The case in New Jersey used Windsor as a springboard to overturn gay marriage in that state. Christie dropped his appeal because the state supreme court signaled it would likely agree with the lower court.

The Judge in the present Utah matter also used the equal protection and other precedent from Windsor.
 
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SO honest question.

Aside from the term marriage, does anyone have a problem with same sex couples having the same rights and privileges under the law as hetero couples? Such as medical decisions, life insurance benefits, social security benefits...?

Also if a couple has those benefits in one state (gay marriage allowed) and they move to a state that does not allow gay marriage do they lose those benefits? Even if they are federal benefits such as Social Security?

Where does freedom of religion and non-discrimination meet? In abstract of all the medical benefits etcetera seem obvious thinks to extend to all people.
 
Where does freedom of religion and non-discrimination meet? In abstract of all the medical benefits etcetera seem obvious thinks to extend to all people.

How does providing any of those benefits infring on religion?
 
Where does freedom of religion and non-discrimination meet? In abstract of all the medical benefits etcetera seem obvious thinks to extend to all people.

In the same place they do now, for churches that oppose interracial marriages.
 
SO honest question.

Aside from the term marriage, does anyone have a problem with same sex couples having the same rights and privileges under the law as hetero couples? Such as medical decisions, life insurance benefits, social security benefits...?

Also if a couple has those benefits in one state (gay marriage allowed) and they move to a state that does not allow gay marriage do they lose those benefits? Even if they are federal benefits such as Social Security?

Someone please respond to Stoked's post...


My answers
to the first question: nobody has any problems with extending those benefits, rights, privileges, whatever to same-sex couples
to the second question: if they move to a state that does not allow/endorse gay marriage (or whatever you choose to call it) they should keep the federal benefits. Benefits granted by the state might be treated differently if the federal government allows this to stay a "states' rights" issue.
 
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