frist to introduce same-sex marriage ban on June 5th

[BOSSHOG]

mehlman blathered on about how weak dems are and frist, the idiot said the following at the conservative political action committee (sounds like an ominous organization, led and followed by ignorant haters)

"The same-sex ban is needed to PROTECT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS whom he said oppose same-sex marriage from the whims of a few activist judges."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/10/AR2006021001856.html

Keeping people who love each other from getting married will PROTECT Americans?? I guess conservatives are just cowardly chickenshits instead of the manly badasses they'd like us to believe.

If christian conservatives were sincerely concerned about the sanctity of marriage they would push for ban on divorce but that would really fuck with their christian lifestyle.

[IndianaGreen]

1. Wedge issues have worked well for the GOP

particularly when the weenie Dems support them in their zealotry.

[kurth]

2. Melhman, the self-hating gay

What's with these gay fascists?

[zanne]

3. If they do this, they lose.

They're losing supporters by taking things too far. Republicans have to worry about "swing" voters, too.

[BR_Parkway]

4. A reminder of what a courageous leader had to say

From Hannity's interview of all places, when Lowery was interviewed, trying to stir up more outrage that Dear Leader had been insulted at the funeral, he made a comment that really stuck with me:

LOWERY: Let me tell you what else was said decades ago. "It's not the appropriate time."

When we started the bus boycott in Montgomery, it was not the appropriate time. When we went to Birmingham to fight segregation and public accommodations and brutal oppression on the part of the police department, the preachers said to Martin, it's not the appropriate time.

And Martin wrote this letter from the Birmingham jail, which I brought as a gift to you, Sean, that will enrich your life.

HANNITY: Yes, sir.

LOWERY: In this letter from the Birmingham jail, he said to those eight preachers, rabbi, priests, Protestant, Roman Catholic. He said to them, "Gentlemen, they always told us it was not the appropriate time, but I say to you, it's always the right time to do what's right."

And I had to do what's right the other night. It's what I was asked to do and what God, I believe, wanted me to do in my conscience, in my heart, and I cannot recant.

Link:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,184470,00.html

That's a reminder to those who wish to lead us, that the right time to say that something is wrong is now. And if you don't beleive in equal rights for all Americans - regardless of who they love or what's actually inside those pants they all put on one leg at a time - if you don't believe that, then you are no leader and don't deserve our support. No ifs, ands or political expediency.

King, and other great leaders like him accomplished change because they knew what was right and they did it - even if it wasn't popular. They wind up in the history books for the courage of their convictions, they wind up admired by the majority of this country for their courage.

Those current politicians (and those who advise them how to win LOL) don't seem to understand this. But look at what Dr King did with his life, look at Paul Hackett's swift rise to stardom for speaking out and calling it like it is.

Don't worry about the 20-30% complete bigots you're going to lose - you were never going to get them in the first place. But the 20-30% 'independents' that you pick up, along with your loyal base is what will put you in the seat you so covet. Independents are looking for a message, a conviction, a platform - and even if they don't 100% support everything that you stand for, they are Americans - and we're known to have a lot of respect and support for those strong enough to stand up and take a stand.

[BOSSHOG]

10. The also like to fire the lemmings up with "Dems have no ideas"

I propose an alternative to banning gay marriage to maintain the sanctity of marriage - BAN DIVORCE! That's an idea I cannot imagine christian conservatives "publicly" objecting to. If there is a God, the intensity of their hate will consume them.

[BR_Parkway]

12. Exactly - I think we should propose that one, along with starting our

own lawsuits that failure to recognize what one churce does vs another is totally unconstitutional.

If my church will join 2 partners, but your church wont - and all the recognition/benefits go only to your church's approved joinings - that's religious discrimination.

If I, as a guy, can marry a woman, but not a man - that's discrimination based on the sex of the individual.

But you're right - I'd love to see them come out against banning divorce. Like the 2 GA Democrats that introduced a Bible study class in schools, only it's a history/literature type class - steals the whole RePug line about how liberals are trying to ban God from the schools.

[BOSSHOG]

14. I strongly urge all gays in America

to chuck the tea into harbors from coast to coast on 5 June. Equal protection my ass. I'm a fucking luny tunes wacko liberal veteran who just so happens to cherish our constitution; something no conservative in this country can say today.

[Debi]

5. The only way to get the MSM off of ALL the GOP scandals

Blame the gays!

[Todd B]

6. Huh? What ever happened to the GOP being the party of states rights?

:shrug:

I think I read somewhere that the majority of American's *don't* want a constitutional amendment. Ah, America, why are we so backwards? I hear the next bill that they'll introduce is a bill proclaiming that it's alright to club females over the head and drag them back to their caves.

[Debi]

8. You must know my ex-husband n/t

[BayCityProgressive]

9. All I have to say

is as a gay man if the Democrats do not fillibuster this and wimp out like they have on everything else....I will never give the party time or money again. I can barely stomach helping them now since they oppose marriage but if they agree to writing it in the constitution they will never geta dime of money or any volunteer work from me again. In fact i will actively work agaisnt them.

[rzemanfl]

7. Delete.

[Telly Savalas]

11. The Democrats need to hang them with this.

No more silly "nuanced" positions on this like "I'm against same-sex marriage, but am for civil unions that carry the same rights." Who the hell does that appeal to? That's like a conservative hoping to woo responsible Americans by saying "I'm against the war in Iraq, but if we call it a 'police action' and conduct it the same way then I'd support it."

The two points the Democrats need to hammer on this are:

1. This is a shameless distraction from the failures of our Republican government. They're being cowards by dodging real issues and bringing this up.

2. I support the GLBT community, but understand that many of you were raised differently and don't agree with me. While I personally think you are wrong, I'm not going to take away the right for you to have your opinion and to live and believe the way you want. In turn, I ask you to reciprocate and not deny the GLBT community the right they have to live and believe the way they want. That's what freedom is all about.

[OzarkDem]

22. Its a wedge issue, they should ignore it

I grow weary of seeing people die for lack of health care because we insist on making these stupid, divisive issues the focus of public debate.

[Telly Savalas]

28. Ignoring it won't make it go away.

So instead of offering some dorky tepid response that doesn't please anybody, why not go on the counter-attack?

Wouldn't it be better if Democrats responded by borrowing some of your language and saying "I grow weary of seeing people die for lack of health care because the Republicans insist on making these stupid divisive issues the focus of public debate. It's pandering to our nation's worst elements and it's cowardly. Since the Republicans lack the courage and vision to tackle the real problems our nation faces, why not park your vote with a party that does?"

[populistdriven]

13. this is all done to control the RW religious zealots again in 06 so that

I have to put up with these Ann Coulter look-like heroin blondes walking around my neighborhood claiming that John Kerry and the Democrats want to make Gay Men Boy Scout Troop leaders.

Sadly in 01, 02 & 04 The american people had their heads too far up their anus's to know any better.

Why should 06 be any different?

[Mythsaje]

20. It's not the openly gay men they have to worry about...

though they'll never recognize this fact. It's the ones deep in the closet who can't afford to risk exposure to the community at large who try to take advantage of their influence within the confines of a dark tent deep in the woods on a summer night.

Pinheads.

[terrya]

15. If I were Ken Mehlman, I'd steer as far away from that issue as I could.

If I were Ken Mehlman.

[xchrom]

16. controlling the hearts and minds of the american people.

hate is a great motivate -- and the repukes are going to try to ride that horse as far as it will take them.

i can't see how being ''soft'' or ''weak'' on this issue will help democrats -- republicans will paste them with hate rhetoric no matter what.

[gratuitous]

17. They got down to gay marriage pretty quickly

They really are out of ideas, if this is all the GOP has left, and it's only February.

[ninkasi]

18. How does such a mean spirited

thing protect Americans? It's about equal rights for all. If I, as a heterosexual woman, have the right to marry the man of my choice, then every other person in American deserves to marry the person they love. It's insane that we have to have discussions about this. What's so hard to understand about acknowledging that we are all equal under the law, and should have equal rights?

Even if a majority of Americans opposed same-sex marriage, the only right they have is the right to not marry someone of the same sex. That's where their rights begin and end. They do NOT have the right to dictate what other people choose to do, because entering into a same-sex marriage does not in any way cause them to lose their rights as heterosexuals.

I'm just so sick of these ignorant, hateful people who want to be able to impose their own moral beliefs onto the rest of us. Why can't they just lead their own pathetic, narrow-minded, spiritually stunted lives, and leave the rest of us alone? My own theory is that they are miserable, and have made it a goal to be sure that everybody else is miserable, too.

[Lefty48197]

19. I thought June/July was the time to ban flag burning?

I think December is the time they ban gay marriage.

[Bryan]

21. No, December is the War on Christmas.

You get better turnout for gay marriage in the warmer months, anyway.

[Lefty48197]

27. Well, I know about the June Brides and all, but...

I think it would be wasteful to have TWO right wing divisive issues celebrated in the same month, and I think we are married to having the month prior to July 4th to be celebrated as "anti-flag burning month". Maybe anti-Gay marriage month should be held in October, just in time to inflame the Christian right prior to elections?

[LittleClarkie]

23. Protect them how, I wonder

Do they think they will be forced to marry people? Protect them from what? What peril does same sex marriage present to your average breeder?

[zulchzulu]

24. Another "Hey, look over here!" argument to hide the truth...

Pay no mind to the inside trader Frist...whose conviction is coming in due time...

How anyone can still say they are a "proud" Repug at this point is totally beyond me. It indeed is a scathing character flaw at this point.

[Skittles]

25. pandering to their hateful, ignorant base

truly disgusting

[Todd B]

26. Oh my god, has it been two years already?

I mean, gay marriage has been legal here in Massachusetts for nearly two years.. I *thought* I felt the Earth shake a bit, but I'm still waiting for the full on freezing over of Hell.

Dammit, they said it was supposed to happen right away... bastards.

Seriously, I can't even get frickin' decent health coverage, our education system is, well, crap, and Ford is closing up shop and laying off thousands of workers - if congress spends more then two seconds on this bill, I swear.. I'll lose all hope.

[NMMNG]

29. Such BS

A ban on Same-Sex Marriage protects nobody except the bigots who want to impose their narrow-minded views upon the entire nation. As you said Bosshog, if they were really worried about preserving the sanctity of marriage and protecting children they would call for a ban on divorce (after all, divorce is forbidden by the Bible, which they are so fond of quoting). However they certainly wouldn't want to put in effect any laws that would screw with their hypocritical lives, only ones that destroy the lives of others.