high-five to the governor
it turns out there actually is one state governor who has read the constitution. thank you mr. paterson, for making me proud to be a new yorker.
truth be told i honestly don't care what states allow gay marriage and which don't. my personal beliefs are below, but it is a state issue to be decided by state voters. what drives me absolutely crazy is all the bullshit about states (including ma) that refuse to recognize a marriage contract made in another.
that's unconstitutional and blatantly so. section 1 of article iv (the very first thing said about states, so... important!):
"full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof."
that means that each and every state must honor any and all contracts made by another. that's what marriage is as far as our gov't is concerned, a contract between two people, witnessed by the state.
now if you wanna bring god into it that's fine. go find somebody who talks to god to help you with that. i can assure you the town clerk who gives you your marriage contract doesn't give a shit about which god you think you're dealing with, and god likely doesn't give a shit about the piece of paper the clerk is giving you. so good luck with all that.
now can we please... for the love of god and everything else... get rid of civil marriages. if everyone want's marriage to be "between a man and a woman and god" than let them fucking have it. the state has no business in this religious arena and the term, definition, and implications confuse the shit out of a crapload of very stupid americans.
civil union contracts for all. leave marriage to the religious. this is a win-win situation. gays don't really want marriage, they want equality under the law. that is something they most certainly deserve. we do not have to call it marriage, and nobody needs to be "married" by the state anyways.
-hammer
truth be told i honestly don't care what states allow gay marriage and which don't. my personal beliefs are below, but it is a state issue to be decided by state voters. what drives me absolutely crazy is all the bullshit about states (including ma) that refuse to recognize a marriage contract made in another.
that's unconstitutional and blatantly so. section 1 of article iv (the very first thing said about states, so... important!):
"full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof."
that means that each and every state must honor any and all contracts made by another. that's what marriage is as far as our gov't is concerned, a contract between two people, witnessed by the state.
now if you wanna bring god into it that's fine. go find somebody who talks to god to help you with that. i can assure you the town clerk who gives you your marriage contract doesn't give a shit about which god you think you're dealing with, and god likely doesn't give a shit about the piece of paper the clerk is giving you. so good luck with all that.
now can we please... for the love of god and everything else... get rid of civil marriages. if everyone want's marriage to be "between a man and a woman and god" than let them fucking have it. the state has no business in this religious arena and the term, definition, and implications confuse the shit out of a crapload of very stupid americans.
civil union contracts for all. leave marriage to the religious. this is a win-win situation. gays don't really want marriage, they want equality under the law. that is something they most certainly deserve. we do not have to call it marriage, and nobody needs to be "married" by the state anyways.
-hammer