Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage

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I probably just should have reported the post because it contained a factually inaccurate title and instead of approaching a hot button issue from as neutral and respectful a position as it could... it chose to celebrate, and in a manner that was disrespectful towards those in disagreement.
Report it. I dare you.

Which brings me to my next point, how exactly does this matter affect your life fundamentally?
 
It's a step in the right direction, but the smallest scent of a minor victory is no reason to drop your weapons and end the fight. There are sooooo many more issues we need to work on, some that have come to light BECAUSE of this recent revelation. That little f*ck up with Obama when faced with a trans woman of color who questioned a contradiction made by our lovely president himself, to which he replied with telling her to shut up and kicking her out. This is the s*it that needs to be worked on. Trans people everywhere are denied rights at every turn, trust me, I know this all too well. I jumped down quite a few pegs going from teenage straight white male to teenage trans lesbian white female. It's been beyond brutal for me, and many face the issues I face and go completely unnoticed or even flat out ignored. Hell, this society can't even find an end to racism, so while a celebration is in order; make it quick. Raise a toast for this victory, take up your arms, and join in the fight once again.

Don't give up, this isn't over yet.
 
Report it. I dare you.

Which brings me to my next point, how exactly does this matter affect your life fundamentally?
I find it hilarious that this is the only point in Otaku's post you think is worth responding to. Especially with "I Dare You", a remark normally only found on primary school playgrounds.

The rest of his post is incredibly accurate, especially #GoodWins. It's the best written post in this thread in my opinion. No one wants to acknowledge it though because it's an unpopular, yet perfectly legitimate, opinion.

Does this matter affect your life fundamentally Rusty Sticks?
 
Ehem.

can we let people have their day in peace?

And that goes to everyone. Belittling this achievement with "there is still a lot to be done, this is small potatoes" is as deriding as "this was done the wrong way/I disagree with this so I will keep arguing".

People are happy for now, let's all be nice and leave it that way, shall we?
 
To be fair outside of following particular religious practices the only purpose of marriage equality is having the necessary legal rights and protections and benefits etc. Even then it's not like the ceremony has to take place in a religious institute. There is absolutely zero harm that comes from it unless you're an active bigot like the Westboro or KKK.

Not everyone's going to agree on marriage equality for varying reasons but people are entitled to whatever opinions they choose as long as they're not hurting anyone.
 
Does this matter affect your life fundamentally Rusty Sticks?
A little bit actually. Now I have to buy a suit so I can go to my best friend's wedding.

Damn progressive liberals, wanting to make the world a better place. Back in my day women couldn't vote, blacks had no rights, and being gay gave you AIDs. It's shameful is what it is. Screw the government for adapting to the country's changing viewpoints!
 
Otaku never once said anything disparaging about marriage equality. He's trying to tell you the apple is poisoned. That and, duh, pokebeach is not the place to discuss hot button issues like this. This is not facebook. This is a site dedicated to cute and ferocious monsters. The fictional kind.
I don't think so. I'm pretty sure Otaku's more just saying that this news isn't good for absolutely everyone. Us gays are chomping on our non-poisonous apples quite happily! n~n

And who's to say PokeBeach can't have series topics about real life matters? We have a subforum dedicated to this kind of discussion, and actually these threads generally go quite well judging from the other forums I frequent (all are Nintendo based, but some have similar subforums which work really well). Lots of good discussion is often derived from these types of threads, since this is the sort of thing which really everyone has an opinion on, though for most people it's just "go equality!"
 
A same-sex attracted person was already equal before the law prior this ruling: such a person had the same freedom to find an opposite sex spouse as anyone else. You can be treated equally by the law but in being treated equally, find you have options that you have little to no desire to actually exercise. That is why this has been about redefining marriage, an institution both civil and religious: there are people that don't like the options the definition of marriage affords and so have been pushing for the law to change the definition so that someone they would consider as a spouse would be a legal option. There have been those who wish to alter the definition to accommodate more than just same sex attraction as well. If that is the discussion someone wishes to have, then PM me. I didn't even start this thread.

That actually leads us to the two big points:

1) How often do these kinds of discussions go well on a message board, especially a message board not specifically set-up for general discussion but instead dedicated to a specific hobby? My experience is that they go quite poorly, whether I am in agreement with the majority or not. I would not have brought this up here, but someone did and the way the board is set up and the thread is titled, I was given a choice between ignoring something I knew to be wrong or pointing it out even though it would not be the popular opinion.

2) I have been trying not to focus on whether or not marriage should be redefined. Why?
a) It is a complicated issue and worthy of its own, separate topic... or would be if I thought this was a prudent venue in which to discuss it (I do not think that PokéBeach is where I go to have such conversations).
b) Since the subject has already been brought up, the process by which marriage is redefined is as important as whatever definition is selected and that affects us all in the United States of America. The method matters regardless of your stance on the underlying issue.
The Supreme Court did not legalize "gay marriage". It struck down state laws reaffirming the established definition of marriage, specifically that it was an institution between one man and one woman. The court does not have the power to legalize gay marriage; yes even on this thread some have attempted legal arguments to the contrary, but they rest on notions that themselves have to be proven... like that marriage is somehow a "right" even though a right does not require the consent of another individual.

For those of you actually still reading this post... imagine if there had been a court case where the four states that had voted to redefine marriage to include same sex couples had been sued, claiming the states did not have that right. That it went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States and in the end, those state laws were struck down. Now imagine someone decided to make a post celebrating how "Same sex marriage banned throughout the United States of America!", cracking jokes about it while also throwing in the hashtag "GoodWins"... which of course means that if you disagree with the outcome, your view must not be "good".

I probably just should have reported the post because it contained a factually inaccurate title and instead of approaching a hot button issue from as neutral and respectful a position as it could... it chose to celebrate, and in a manner that was disrespectful towards those in disagreement.

A person was free to find a same sex person yes but like I've said, didn't had the right to celebrate with such person a contract about the consequences of living together and hence be the heir to one's property, the regime of debts and legal rights to visit their partner, amongst other like the right to have the partner's family name. To delve into your argument that a right does not need the consent of others: a contract is the sum of two wills. The right to celebrate a contract is common to both but each person has their right and expresses their will to do so, otherwise if it was forced, it would be coercion, something that when proved can nullify a contract at least in Portugal, my country. Marriage - a contract - is the sum of two separate consents on one thing, the will and right to celebrate a contract.
While marriage has a biological and religious root there's civil marriage. Religious and attraction have no bussiness with civil marriage!! We're talking about equality before the LAW, not before God or religious authorities and if a given (secular) country's constitution says all people are equal, then all people have the right to celebrate contracts, which includes marriage, again like I've said a contract.
Same-sex people may not want to marry. So what? They have the right to be treated equally and so to have the possibility if wanted to celebrate aforementioned contract but there's a choice! People, namely jurists can't say that the law is equal for everybody when there's no option for same-sex people. It's total dishonesty to hear jurists deny law equality based on their personal stances and to deny a right protected by law on sexual orientation!

About this thread, you have the right to present your view about if the Supreme went beyond its powers and is a discussion in which I won't be because I'm an outsider but when it comes to law equality, that's a different story.
 
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This is a thread about positivity.

Please remember that and do not turn it into an argument! Discussion of the positives and negatives is fine as long as people cool their jets a little bit!

Everyone has differences in their opinions and we understand that. What isn't appropriate is going at each others throats or encouraging homophobia!

This is a time of celebration. Please do well to remember that! The whole purpose is spread love, not hate. ^v^

If arguments and flaming continue, this thread will have to be locked. It doesn't have to be like that, so please keep it civilized!
 
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Ok, guys, let's chill it out for a while. Remember this is a very controversial topic in discussion, so think any further posts here very thoroughly (you should already, just a bit more, though).

This Forum Thread is supposed to be of constructive debate and discussion. You're obviously entitled to have different stands in the matter or different opinions, and to share them here, but do so in a respectful, polite manner.

Now, to at least contribute a bit to the discussion, I believe this is a good thing in the big picture. Everyone has the right to marry whoever they like, and let's face it, people already "did" it by settling down, trying to build a family together. The fact that this sort of union now gets a legal back-up can ensure most rights that any person should get, if not all of them. I'm personally a straight, christian-raised guy with no despise of gay couples at all. I've met a lot of friends through time that I know have been struggling with legal systems AND social rejection. Now, if that law would expand into more countries, it'll take away at least one of those struggles away. I'm in favor of this because I think everyone is entitled to have their personal opinion and preferences respected, at least, and religion being comprised in those.
 
Which brings me to my next point, how exactly does this matter affect your life fundamentally?

1) This is just the most recent Supreme Court decision where SCOTUS overstepped its authority: this doesn't just affect me, it affects you. This has been the main point of my posts. Not the only point, but the one I recognize should be a concern for anyone who is a United States citizen regardless of their stance on redefining marriage.

2) This now forces the government, according to laws already in play, to choose between my religious freedom and treating a same-sex union in as if it were the same as a marriage. There have been enough recent incidents in the news, especially involving individuals and their businesses, that I will leave it to you to search them out if you need a reminder. I suspect sooner or later someone I know or myself will be facing fines or jail time. That seems pretty fundamental to me.
 
1) This is just the most recent Supreme Court decision where SCOTUS overstepped its authority: this doesn't just affect me, it affects you. This has been the main point of my posts. Not the only point, but the one I recognize should be a concern for anyone who is a United States citizen regardless of their stance on redefining marriage.

2) This now forces the government, according to laws already in play, to choose between my religious freedom and treating a same-sex union in as if it were the same as a marriage. There have been enough recent incidents in the news, especially involving individuals and their businesses, that I will leave it to you to search them out if you need a reminder. I suspect sooner or later someone I know or myself will be facing fines or jail time. That seems pretty fundamental to me.

How does your religious freedom risk you facing fines or jail time?
 
Ok, maybe I'm ignorant, maybe I don't fear the government enough, and maybe I'm just incapable of understanding the other side of the argument, but hold on.

What's the point of a government? Or really, what's the point of any kind of rule or law? It's to discourage people from doing things that would make the lives of other people (and arguably, their own lives) worse. In fact, that's the point of anything, ever, that anyone does--to promote "happiness"--or positivity as I like to call it--and reduce negativity. Nobody really thinks about it, but every logical action anyone makes benefits them or someone else in some way (or they think it benefits them), because otherwise, there wouldn't be a point in doing it. In the end, the only thing that really matters is that a specific action is promoting positivity in the short-run and the long-run. Legalizing gay marriage fits this category--as it does not harm anyone, and does help quite a number of people. That, in my book, is the absolute and complete end of the story. Cut all the technicalities and "oh but the government shouldn't have done it because it isn't their power"--somehow, as with decisions in the past, this landmark case isn't going to plunge the US into tyranny. And I fully understand that a lot of people have religious objections to gay marriage--but discrimination is where the legal line has to be drawn (also, there's a thing called separation of church and state, so really, religion shouldn't even be part of this discussion). Again--promote positivity, reduce negativity. If the agenda is anything other than that, then something is wrong.
 
Your definition of "love" is rather questionable.

What of other unions that will remain unrecognized? It isn't like the only restriction on marriage was "male + female": the previous definition has been rejected... okay how should it be defined now?

Instead of only four of 37 states redefining marriage according to popular vote, it'll be four of 50 states. Regardless of where you fall on the issue, this should be quite disturbing - what can't SCOTUS decide so long as someone brings it to them? Does this mean if in a few years either these same judges or a different ones serving in the same position choose to hear a similar case, they could rule differently? This change didn't happen through following the law to correct the law.

No matter which side of the matter one comes down on, this would have been a Pyrrhic victory because it wasn't a matter for SCOTUS to decide. I should probably big clear:

#BigGovWins

Maybe you need a lesson on how our government works. I learned in elementary school about the balance of powers and that the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, and the President all hold the same amount of power equally. For them to do this is the equivalent of the President issuing an Executive Order or Congress passing legislation, except actually it was heavily considered probably more than an Executive Order would have been. Remember these cases went through the judicial system and had to go through the circuit courts beforehand. To say this decision was made lightly is false. To say this is not how the government has always worked is false too. You're exaggerating a decision based on preconceived notions. You simply don't agree with the decision/gay marriage, so say it. Don't mask it.

1) This is just the most recent Supreme Court decision where SCOTUS overstepped its authority: this doesn't just affect me, it affects you. This has been the main point of my posts. Not the only point, but the one I recognize should be a concern for anyone who is a United States citizen regardless of their stance on redefining marriage.

2) This now forces the government, according to laws already in play, to choose between my religious freedom and treating a same-sex union in as if it were the same as a marriage. There have been enough recent incidents in the news, especially involving individuals and their businesses, that I will leave it to you to search them out if you need a reminder. I suspect sooner or later someone I know or myself will be facing fines or jail time. That seems pretty fundamental to me.

1) See above. Concern my behind.

2) Marriage has nothing to do with religion. It is an institution of the law and your rights as a citizen should allow you to choose whatever kind of wedding you want to have. So if you don't want to get gay married or attend a gay marriage because of your religion, then don't. People cling to the idea of marriage as a religious/christian thing because of traditions. I can go get married down at the state house to anyone on the street as long as I pay for the licence. Doesn't that say a lot? So why can't someone get married to someone they truly love?

Also, you haven't been facing any kind of discrimination or even hate crimes close to what many gay people have gone through. When they make a law somewhere called "Kill the Christians/whatever religion you are" then let me know. To say you are truly being targeted is laughable compared to the things some people have gone through just because of who they love.
 
ALSO just as a notice.

If I see any kind of homophobic or hateful behavior on this forum as a result of this thread I will end you so quickly. Some people already overstepped their bounds and had to take this outside the thread. We treat all people as human beings with dignity and respect here, and it is a rule, not just an idea.
 
Maybe you need a lesson on how our government works. I learned in elementary school about the balance of powers and that the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, and the President all hold the same amount of power equally. For them to do this is the equivalent of the President issuing an Executive Order or Congress passing legislation, except actually it was heavily considered probably more than an Executive Order would have been. Remember these cases went through the judicial system and had to go through the circuit courts beforehand. To say this decision was made lightly is false. To say this is not how the government has always worked is false too. You're exaggerating a decision based on preconceived notions. You simply don't agree with the decision/gay marriage, so say it. Don't mask it.



1) See above. Concern my behind.

2) Marriage has nothing to do with religion. It is an institution of the law and your rights as a citizen should allow you to choose whatever kind of wedding you want to have. So if you don't want to get gay married or attend a gay marriage because of your religion, then don't. People cling to the idea of marriage as a religious/christian thing because of traditions. I can go get married down at the state house to anyone on the street as long as I pay for the licence. Doesn't that say a lot? So why can't someone get married to someone they truly love?

Also, you haven't been facing any kind of discrimination or even hate crimes close to what many gay people have gone through. When they make a law somewhere called "Kill the Christians/whatever religion you are" then let me know. To say you are truly being targeted is laughable compared to the things some people have gone through just because of who they love.

I take it you have never read Free Republic, then? it's their favorite argument; they're kind of in a tizzy about this.

This is just an example:
"Supreme Court adds to disastrous Dred Scott & Roe decisions...adds a new form of slavery to the American people....this time, the black robed judges shackle the God given rights of the citizenry by refusing to acknowledge their right of self-governance."
It came with a nice picture of some old slave chains. Always classy, those people.

I would provide a link, but, you know, people here don't deserve to have their hope for humanity shattered. You need to grow and become sufficiently jaded with the wonders of the human psyche to handle exposure to that place for long.
 
Honestly this is a huge win for human's rights. I am disappointed in all of the people that see this as a defeat. You are literally walking over someone's human rights so you think you can preserve your religious rights (when it isn't hurting them, you would only be hurting yourself, because the bible says not to judge, and no one is harming your beliefs, the bible says gayness is a sin, so it would hurt that person instead, NOT you) Let's get this one thing straight, the word marriage is not in the bible, not on a single page.
But 1 Corinthians 13:4 does say about love "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (Also I am not a Christian nor religious)

It is illogical to think anything negative will come about from gay marriage, it doesn't affect anyone negatively except homophobes.

(The post isn't aimed at all Christians, just those calling for everyone to come up and defend Christianity because gay marriage being legal somehow threatens it)
 
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I am glad that they have finally made a decision about this, one way or another.

Being a churchgoer from Kansas, I am certainly not in favor of homosexuality, but I hope now that everyone is happy or is at least relatively happy, we can shift our focus as a nation to more urgent matters. I am not saying that this matter was unimportant, as everyone should have the right to be happy, but I feel like some of this debate about the legalization of gay marriage was blown out of proportion. It is a waste of time to stand around yelling at each other about whether ancient doctrines or modernists are correct. We should have decided on this a long time ago.

I, personally, am one of those Christians who tries to accept different people, rather than shun them or try to make them sound "evil". And while I fail to understand the reasoning behind why one needs to be "gay", I am happy that they are happy, and I hope we can all move on and find solutions to some of the bigger problems that the United States is currently facing.
 
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