Comments on: My Own Gay Marriage Evolution http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/ Reality-based political commentary Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:06:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: nypoet22 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/#comment-34705 nypoet22 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:35 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7133#comment-34705 my evolution on gay rights in general started in college. i grew up pretty insulated in suburbia, where anything "gay" was rarely if ever seen publicly. then i started my undergraduate work smack dab in the middle of greenwich village, NY. to say the least, it was a bit of culture shock. i adapted to a new set of friends and when confronted with real people who were being treated unfairly, began to cheer the cause of gay rights. but sometimes for "pragmatic" reasons i have still been slow to come around to positions that now seem obvious. although for most of my adulthood i've thought that full marriage rights would be ideal, i thought society was too resistant and saw stronger civil union laws as a more "workable" solution. maybe i've been slow to notice as we've progressed far enough on this that full marriage equality is a real possibility. ~joshua my evolution on gay rights in general started in college. i grew up pretty insulated in suburbia, where anything "gay" was rarely if ever seen publicly. then i started my undergraduate work smack dab in the middle of greenwich village, NY. to say the least, it was a bit of culture shock. i adapted to a new set of friends and when confronted with real people who were being treated unfairly, began to cheer the cause of gay rights.

but sometimes for "pragmatic" reasons i have still been slow to come around to positions that now seem obvious. although for most of my adulthood i've thought that full marriage rights would be ideal, i thought society was too resistant and saw stronger civil union laws as a more "workable" solution. maybe i've been slow to notice as we've progressed far enough on this that full marriage equality is a real possibility.

~joshua

]]> By: michty6 http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/#comment-34618 michty6 Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:12:18 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7133#comment-34618 I guess it depends, like many things, in the environment you grew up with and the people you came (or were lucky) to associate with. Almost all of my friends were of the 'meh' opinion on gay marriage - as in who cares - so that became my opinion too. Consenting non-related adults should be free to marry whoever the hell they feel like basically. There isn't even any debate as far as I'm concerned, it's such a simple issue. I guess it depends, like many things, in the environment you grew up with and the people you came (or were lucky) to associate with. Almost all of my friends were of the 'meh' opinion on gay marriage - as in who cares - so that became my opinion too. Consenting non-related adults should be free to marry whoever the hell they feel like basically. There isn't even any debate as far as I'm concerned, it's such a simple issue.

]]> By: akadjian http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/#comment-34615 akadjian Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:25:34 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7133#comment-34615 <i> Predicting outcomes from oral SCOTUS arguments is always a sucker bet, keep that in mind! </i> Hahahah ... very true. I was surprised too to hear that there won't likely be an actual decision in this until June, right before they break for summer recess or something like that. What's good to see from all of this is: 1) The amount of attention this case is getting 2) The strength of the argument for equality All the conservatives trying to argue against this seem to be doing a lot of beating around the bush. Listening to Justice Roberts, for example, saying: “You don’t doubt that the lobby supporting the enactment of same-sex marriage laws in different states is politically powerful, do you?” This is ridiculous. Because the lobby against gay rights has been more powerful for decades. So powerful, in fact, that it was able to enact laws like DOMA and get Democratic presidents to sign them. It's not about lobbies, John. Quit equivocating. It's about the right for two people who love each other to be treated equally before the law. Regardless of whether one is white and one is black. Or both are gay. -David Predicting outcomes from oral SCOTUS arguments is always a sucker bet, keep that in mind!

Hahahah ... very true. I was surprised too to hear that there won't likely be an actual decision in this until June, right before they break for summer recess or something like that.

What's good to see from all of this is:

1) The amount of attention this case is getting
2) The strength of the argument for equality

All the conservatives trying to argue against this seem to be doing a lot of beating around the bush. Listening to Justice Roberts, for example, saying:

“You don’t doubt that the lobby supporting the enactment of same-sex marriage laws in different states is politically powerful, do you?”

This is ridiculous. Because the lobby against gay rights has been more powerful for decades. So powerful, in fact, that it was able to enact laws like DOMA and get Democratic presidents to sign them.

It's not about lobbies, John. Quit equivocating. It's about the right for two people who love each other to be treated equally before the law. Regardless of whether one is white and one is black. Or both are gay.

-David

]]> By: Chris Weigant http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/#comment-34613 Chris Weigant Thu, 28 Mar 2013 06:37:30 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7133#comment-34613 David - Predicting outcomes from oral SCOTUS arguments is always a sucker bet, keep that in mind! :-) -CW David -

Predicting outcomes from oral SCOTUS arguments is always a sucker bet, keep that in mind!

:-)

-CW

]]> By: akadjian http://www.chrisweigant.com/2013/03/27/my-own-gay-marriage-evolution/#comment-34606 akadjian Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:55:12 +0000 http://www.chrisweigant.com/?p=7133#comment-34606 <i> Marriage is a fundamental human right, and it should be seen as an "unalienable" right -- meaning that no government should be able to take that right away. </i> It's been interesting listening to the Supremes arguing. A consensus against the law seems to be forming w/ Justice Kennedy and the liberal justices. Unfortunately, Kennedy seems to only be interested in a "States rights" ruling. Basically, that the definition of marriage should be up to the states. This seems like it would still leave the door open for things like Proposition 8 in California. Since he holds the swing vote, he would likely write the ruling. What I'd like to see them rule is that DOMA violates the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution. This would be more in line with your inalienable right argument, CW. We'll see ... Nonetheless, it's been really painful watching the defense and conservative justices try to argue that DOMA was something other than blatant discrimination. Defense of marriage my ass ... If you think your marriage is threatened by gay people, you've got deeper problems with your marriage. -David Marriage is a fundamental human right, and it should be seen as an "unalienable" right -- meaning that no government should be able to take that right away.

It's been interesting listening to the Supremes arguing.

A consensus against the law seems to be forming w/ Justice Kennedy and the liberal justices.

Unfortunately, Kennedy seems to only be interested in a "States rights" ruling. Basically, that the definition of marriage should be up to the states. This seems like it would still leave the door open for things like Proposition 8 in California.

Since he holds the swing vote, he would likely write the ruling.

What I'd like to see them rule is that DOMA violates the Equal Protection clause of the Constitution. This would be more in line with your inalienable right argument, CW.

We'll see ...

Nonetheless, it's been really painful watching the defense and conservative justices try to argue that DOMA was something other than blatant discrimination.

Defense of marriage my ass ... If you think your marriage is threatened by gay people, you've got deeper problems with your marriage.

-David

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