h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It is really sad in this day and age that *anyone* would propose an amendment to the Constitution legalizing bigotry.

Amen to that.

I agree with dave. Completely divorce the legal aspects of marriage from the religious ones. Every couple, gay or straight, should have a civil union with all the tax breaks, inheritance and next of kin rights, etc. Then, if they so chose, they can go to a church and get married there.

I have an aunt who is to be civilly joined to her girlfriend in March. I am very happy for the 2 of them.

Seperation of Church and State wasn't that what you guys in the States already had, supposedly.

Supposedly. Looks like the government needs to be reminded of that. Although the suit to get the word "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance was unsuccessful even though the word was added as recently as the 1950's.

They also have 'In God we Trust' on their money.

Some sort of lack of separation here. They can stop prayers in school. Now they are attempting to stop civil weddins which is suppose is within their remit.

I find the whole idea that a pinciple based on religous teachings should be enshrined in the constitution to surely go against the separation of church and state.

It seems to be to be quite strange that gay marriages is such a political hot potatoe stateside. I am pretty sure it would not cause the same furour over here; right wing types might get their knickers in a twist down the pub or in the Conservative asscocistion bar. But it would not be part of the mainstream political and media debate.

Well, that brings us round to the media. Who's defining "mainstream"?

Fox News, the Republican Party and right-wing talk radio over here. They define "mainstream" as anyone slightly to the left of Genghis Khan. All Democrats are socialists and *real* leftists are terrorists and security threats who hate America.

I have been told that I am "UnAmerican", for questioning the acts of the shrub, by someone I served with in the Marine Corps. It was very disheartening because I thought we had a very close friendship. He, so far, refuses to speak to me.

That sucks GDZ. Ironically, I would think that suppression of your right to express your views is what is UnAmerican.

I think people are losing the distinction between "republic" and "empire" when they start saying things like that.

FG
In their eyes your probably a threat to national security for even using such a commie web site as this, our loony right wing refer to the beeb as Bu**ers Broadcasting Communisum.

I'm a threat for so *many* reasons it is not even funny, BB.

Let's see, I'm female, intelligent, vote leftist, question authority, dislike the Administration, speak my mind, sign petitions, donate money and hell, actually *care*.

Yah, the extremists have a tranlation like that for NPR (National Public Radio, properly), but I forget what it is. Nature is kind that way.

Well no surprise there another three states to Kerry.

Here's some anecdotal evidence that Bush has crossed the line (hopefully the Rubicon) with his banning gay marriage amendment. I have a friend from texas, fairly moderate, who hadn't abandoned Bush. But then Bush proposed his constitutional amendment. That was it for him, the eye opener - it's changed his opinion on Bush, he'll vote against him now.

Another estimate I heard was that 100,000 gay republicans voted for Bush in the last election, and he can basically counts those out this time.

That constitutional amendment stuff is more politics of fear, which I suspect is the only card the GOP intends to play.

I like to think that the American public is more educated for this election. Shrub's approval ratings are dropping and there appears to be a lot of resentment aimed at the adiminstration in general.

This just came out in the Economist, on an article on gay marriage.

opening line:
"SO AT last it is official: George Bush is in favour of unequal rights, big-government intrusiveness and federal power rather than devolution to the states"

The economist has supported many of Bush's radical government changes, or at least held back from being a harsh critic, but it appears the gay marriage issue crossed a line with them as well. Some more juicy quotes from the article:

"The weakening of marriage has been heterosexuals' doing, not gays', for it is their infidelity, divorce rates and single-parent families that have wrought social damage. "

"Indeed, in America the constitution expressly bans the involvement of the state in religious matters, so it would be especially outrageous if the constitution were now to be used for religious ends."

http://www.economist.com/printedition/displaystory.cfm?Story_ID=2459758

Good article.