Amending the constitution

[TinyLolitaBunny]

I am sure that you all know that there is a proposal to change the words of the constitution into "a marriage is between a man and a woman" to prevent gays from EVER getting marriage rights in America.

My mother got a postcard in the mail to sign and send to a senator supporting this. :sad2:

I want to know what I can do to oppose this. Does anyone know of a movement of some type- any petitions, etc- I want to help.

Needless to say I got in a huge fight with my mom and I think she yelled something about me not coming back when I walked out the door...and made some crude gesture towards her...

:guilty: I cant believe my own parents are so closedminded and all I have to say is thank God Im not like them...

PS: sorry if theres a thread already but I didnt see any.

[Chuck S]

Don't constitutional amendments have to pass both the house and senate by 2/3, and be ratified by 3/4 of the states? That means if 13 states voted against it...no amendment. It could take years to pass, and may never make it, just like the ERA.

Of course, there's nothing to stop conservative political groups from using a "proposed amendment" to collect cash to go into someones pocket. It is the latest "rallying point" to divert voters attention from the real issues at hand.

[TinyLolitaBunny]

Don't constitutional amendments have to pass both the house and senate by 2/3, and be ratified by 3/4 of the states? That means if 13 states voted against it...no amendment. It could take years to pass, and may never make it, just like the ERA.

Of course, there's nothing to stop conservative political groups from using a "proposed amendment" to collect cash to go into someones pocket. It is the latest "rallying point" to divert voters attention from the real issues at hand.
I think with the way politicians are it's pretty likely to pass unless we do something about it. It could also pass immediately just like it could take a long time.

The point is if you care shouldnt you do something about it? If you have that attitude, dont be upset when it happens

Oh PS: it isnt putting money in anyones pocket to send a postcard is it? They really want it to pass obviously.

[donald...really]

Here is a first step. Go to hrc.org and fill out a form to have a postcard sent in your name, then tell 10 friends to do the same, and tell them to tell 10 of their friends, etc.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/fma_postcards

If you aren't already a member of HRC (Human Rights Campaign) consider joining.

[NewJersey]

This disgusting bill is only meant as a rallying point for conservatives to gear them up for the fall elections because the party in power is scared of losing control to the other party. I'm sick of both parties. But that coward Frist who is pushing for a vote in the Senate already acknowledges it won't pass.

Also, conservative groups will use this against Democratic candidates in the fall in the bible belt states as a way of getting voters turned off to the candidate because they didn't "stick up for conservative values."

What a sad country we live in today...

[NewJersey]

Here is a first step. Go to hrc.org and fill out a form to have a postcard sent in your name, then tell 10 friends to do the same, and tell them to tell 10 of their friends, etc.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/fma_postcards

If you aren't already a member of HRC (Human Rights Campaign) consider joining.


Just did that!

[Chuck S]

Oh PS: it isnt putting money in anyones pocket to send a postcard is it? They really want it to pass obviously.

I'll bet your Mom's postcard was included as part of a letter asking for $$$.

It is an old fundraising tactic. Something like...mail this card, but also help ConservativesRUs send cards to more people by making a tax deductible contribution today.

[ScottieDog]

I'm so happy you got turned on to the HRC.

They're a fantastic group. I've been a member for years now and can tell you they do GREAT work.

My advice is that everyone visit their site and join up.

Another group to look up is http://www.freedomtomarry.org/

Where I live (Boston) they're huge players on the state level....look for them when the marrige debate comes to your state. God willing, it's only a matter of time. :goodvibes

Cathryn~

[OrlandoMike]

It does boggle the mind, with everything going on in this country, this is what some of our elected leaders are working on. This alone should spark enough protest to get them out of office!

Has hunger been eliminated?

Poverty?

Are our boys and girls home from Iraq yet?

Geesh!

[dkostel]

This is just one of the shiney things they are using to draw attention from the real issues (Iraq, Iran, Spying on us, outing CIA agents, ...). Just like we aren't going to build the great wall of China West on the Mexican border. It is just a way to get zealots to vote against their own best interest. It's no coincidence that this is being trotted out again with a huge election coming up. Luckily the zealots really are in the minority, they are just a very loud minority.
I feel my time and contributions are better spent on getting some decent people elected. It's time to end the freakshow that is our government.

[iankh]

Because my dear, dear children, something is needed to divert attention away from the real issues that plague our country?

Just remember, a rather evil person whose philosophy was the "BIG LIE" If you tell a lie that's big enough and often enough people will believe you.

OK - a prize to the first person who can name this democratically elected politician.

[OrlandoMike]

Jolie and Pitt have a baby without getting married!

Now I dont have anything against this, but I just find it ironic that the Morality police have nothing to say about this. Guess they are too busy stomping on about gay marriage. Someone really needs to start a list of all of the great things straight people are doing to preserve the "sanctity of marriage" or lack of.......

Just a thought......

[Mandabella]

Someone really needs to start a list of all of the great things straight people are doing to preserve the "sanctity of marriage" or lack of.......

Does anyone have that much free time?!?! ;)

Thanks for the HRC link! At first when I saw those initials, I thought it was something related to Hillary Rodham Clinton.

[MrVisible]

This thread is really encouraging. It took one post for someone to point out that this is the same old tired "Oooh, look at the scary gay people" tactic that the Republicans have been using for the past few elections.

It worked well for them before. It plays to their conservative base, makes people vote against their own best interest, and is incredibly divisive. The only problem is that, thanks to discussions like these, it won't work this time.

Every time this is brought up in conversation this election cycle, it will be accompanied by the certainty that this is a diversionary tactic. I truly believe that the American people have started to see through the Emperor's clothes, and they'll have to find some new tricks to keep people from voting their butts out of the halls of government come November.

People care about our troops dying in an ill-defined, badly planned war. They care about our government spying on us without oversight. They care about a medical infrastructure that results in insurance executives and hospital administrators getting obscenely rich while solid citizens with responsible jobs can't afford to see a doctor. They care about prices rising while decent jobs disappear.

I don't think they're willing to be distracted anymore.

[DVC~OKW~96]

You know what? If you don't believe in gay people marrying then DON'T MARRY ONE!!!

Otherwise, leave us alone. No one is asking for anything that other people in this country do not already have.

Anything to keep attention from where it should be; on the issues that are really threatening this country and the global society. Gay marriage ain't one of 'em. :sad2:

[kaytieeldr]

I don't get it. How, exactly, does 'allowing' gay people to marry negatively affect ANYONE? And when did marriage become a Constitutional issue, anyway? As long as there can be a 'marriage of ideas' or a 'marriage of flavors', marriage can NOT be defined as being between a man and a woman. I'm not gay (not that anybody here cares), but when I saw the topic of this thread in the main list, I HAD to read the thread.
Thank you, donald....really, for the HRC link. And good luck to all of you who want to marry your respective partners.

[Psychometrika]

Ok, so aren't we supposed to be the beacon for freedom for the world?

They can marry in Canada, but they're all tree huggers there. They can marry, sort of, in the UK, but there's a queen at the helm. So what's the excuse for Spain??? If they can marry in the home of the inquisition (expected or otherwise) and NOT in the U.S., I think we need to rethink our beacon.

HRC, Lambda Legal, ACLU, GLAD - all organizations I have belonged to for years and support, even if their conservative stance doesn't agree with me. My HUSBAND and I were going to file suit in Ohio against my university, but the major groups were afraid we would lose and that would be bad. I can't completely disagree but waiting in my opinion isn't going to make it better.

But, take heart. Amending is a long process...It would however be ironic if we could include hate in the constitution but not equal rights for women (for those old enough to remember the ERA years).

Gregory

Oh...and PS...I'm a tree hugger too (have the bark burns to prove it).

:hippie: :rainbow: :tink:

[Meezers]

Straight person here....(cool one...I hope!)....

Raised in a staunch Republican family....the political party that now scares the heck out of me.....

Don't believe that the Constitution should be used to take rights AWAY from anyone...prohibition comes to mind....

Don't tell that I am a closet "liberal"....I work for a police department....think I am pretty much a minority!

[NewJersey]

Straight person here....(cool one...I hope!)....

Raised in a staunch Republican family....the political party that now scares the heck out of me.....

Don't believe that the Constitution should be used to take rights AWAY from anyone...prohibition comes to mind....

Don't tell that I am a closet "liberal"....I work for a police department....think I am pretty much a minority!

Secrets' safe here! :goodvibes

[dwheatl]

Did anyone see the political cartoon recently on this subject? I can't remember all the people in it, I know one was Newt Gingrich, the others were also conservatives who have divorced and remarried, and the caption said, "Marriage is between a man and a woman, then another woman..." or words to that effect. It's hypocritical for these guys to criticize others' significant relationships when they seem to have enough trouble managing their own. It takes a real strength of character to commit the rest of your life to one person and then stand by that commitment, and God bless anyone, gay or straight, willing to take the plunge. Marriage is under attack by people who don't take their commitment seriously, not by people who are willing to fight for recognition of their love. :love: :love:

[Rence]

Heterosexuals have been doing a damn fine job of messing up the sanctity of marriage all on their own.

The justification for not allow same-sex marriage is allegedly based on the Bible. The Bible is a pretty large book with only a small handful of references to homosexuality. Many of the quotes that are used to condemn homosexuality require a bit of a stretch. There are many other topics that the Bible goes on at great length about and no one seems to be fussing about them.

Now the Bible is composed of a large number of writings by a large number of authors. There are a couple of areas where points really stand out. For example, most Christians feel that the words of Jesus carry extra weight. Strangely Jesus was silent on the topic of homosexuality. He made points like “Love thy neighbor” and “Do not judge lest ye be judged” and other silliness like that, that the anti-gay marriage groups feel can be ignored. The other biggies are the few points where God speaks directly. Again God himself is silent on the subject of homosexuality. If this were such a big deal to God, don’t you think he would have said something? Or at least had his son bring it up?

Well the biggest of the big is God’s own top ten list. The Ten Commandments. Again, not a word on homosexuality. But the anti-gay marriage group apparently knows better than God and obviously God just forgot to include it.

Now God did include a number of things in the Ten Commandments. For example: “Thou shall not commit adultery”. So what has been happening with the legal status of adultery over the years? Why of course, the adultery statues are being repealed or declared null and void. Now God was pretty clear on this one, you would think that the anti-gay marriage folks would at least want to make sure that our constitution covered the basics like the ten commandments. We have adultery, which is pretty clearly tearing apart a number of marriages. Here is something that God was pretty clear about that is pretty clearly having a hugely negative impact on the state of marriage in America today. So why aren’t the anti-gay marriage folks focusing on this?