Joho the Blog
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May 17, 2004
A flautist and violinist played Baroque duets ("Music courtesy of the Brookline Music School") in the front corner of the lobby of the Brookline Town Hall. "Let me get rid of that for you," said a woman wearing an orange GLAD t-shirt, taking an orange rind from the tiny hand of a four year old on the shoulder of one of his fathers. GLAD was there to hand out roses, serve pastries, and applaud. There were no crowds of anonymous well-wishers, unlike last night's festival in Cambridge, just clusters of couples with their family and best friends. Terry, the mother of one of my son's best friends, was there with a corsage pinned to her. She was invited by the parents of a boy a year ahead of ours in our local school. They were chatting with a small group of friends and relatives, waiting for the clerk to call their number. The clerk, a man in his 70s, stood outside the inner office, called out the couples' numbers, and warmly congratulated each couple on the way out. By 9:30 this morning, fifty couples in this town of 50,000 had been granted marriage licenses. When I left, I saw a media person videotaping a meter maid ticketing a motorcycle with a sidecar — B-roll for the "life goes on" message the news will use to frame today's events. Yes, of course life goes on. But so far in Brookline, a hundred neighbors have had their love a acknowledged in a way that they probably thought would never happen in their lifetimes. So, life goes on, but as of May 17, 2004 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, life is better for all of us. Posted
by D. Weinberger at May 17, 2004 11:01 AM
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Comments
There would be an egregious typo, in your statement above, David:
"So, life goes on, but as of May 17, 2004 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, life is [NOT]better for all of us."
The majority in Massachusetts have been shouted down, by you and your minority who are actively working (albeit unintentionally) against freedom of speech and freedom of Religion.
It is precisely these unintended consequences, which allows you to dream that "we" are all better off, in Massachusetts or anyplace else for that matter.
Posted by: JayT | May 17, 2004 11:08 AM
Rights are not a zero sum game, where if one group gains, another group loses.
I think that you're confusing the right of freedom of speech and the right of freedom of religion with "the right to have a monopoly upon speech" and "the right to have a monopoly on socially acceptable religious interpretation."
How does saying that gay marriage is valid invalidate or challenge or prevent anybody's freedom to speak? Is marriage, then, a zero-sum game? Did allowing verbal intercourse (pun not repented) about or the actuality of interracial marriage stifle freedom of religion or speech?
How has allowing gay marriage prevented freedom of religion? Rather, does it not allow more freedom to religions which preach and practice inclusion of gay marriage?
Posted by: AnnF | May 17, 2004 04:50 PM
"Rights are not a zero sum game, where if one group gains, another group loses."
Can you prove this supposed logic out...??
After that, then we can begin a discussion of who is confused here, "AnnF".
That would be you, btw.
Could not find article here, but what I saw in "reputable" Press (AP, NYT, Reuters or someone off-a Yahoo) said that a Priest or Minister was served a warrant, for saying basically what I've been posting here.
And tolerating "gay marriage" has, in my mind no doubt, influenced Canada to take this (imv) outrageous stand against freedom of speech.
Back to zero-sum games...
Religions that preach and practice inclusion of gay marriage??
The vast majority (and it would be vaster, except that "gays" are Fundamentally Bullies), would find that a contradiction in terms, if nothing else.
Not being very Religious, that is not why I post the facts I do, of course. There are two or more issues in this zero-sum game, I would observe.
Posted by: J. Toran | May 18, 2004 12:02 PM
I can be more specific in my response to the various questions, if there is somehow some lack of understanding of my post above.
(To David, or anyone who lacks some understanding.)
Posted by: J. Toran | May 18, 2004 12:03 PM
Actually, I don't understand what you're talking about, but I have JayT-fatigue and don't want to encourage more posts from you. You're posting too often.
Posted by: David Weinberger | May 18, 2004 01:26 PM
Actually, you have other commenters who are posting too much PR and misinformation, and outright falsehoods.
:
However, I catch yer drift.
However again, I have severe Sleep Apnea and purportedly haven't gotten any Stage 4 sleep in 5? or 6? years now. Apparently... So.. uhhhh.. You don't have "JayT-fatigue", nor would I wish that on anybody... (And sorry if I've given something along those lines to you or anybody, David.. and sorry, as well, to see a "syndrome" of my name...;-)
Any-a you wanna "talk" some facts later?? Me? Mebbe laterzzz, mebbe not...;-D That will be to be seen at that time/space.
Posted by: J. Toran | May 18, 2004 03:03 PM
Look at countries like Denmark, where gay marriage has been legal in some form or the other from 1989. When gay marriage was first legalized in 1989 the danish society was overwhlmingly against it. But over the course of years gay marriages have demonstrated that they bring down the transmission of sexual diseases becuase of commitment to one partner. According to recent surveys this benefit alone has resulted in the danish society supporting gay marriages. Would you think the same will happen in the USA ?
Posted by: Tracy | July 3, 2004 08:07 AM
When the simplist minority of even one (1) is denied equal rights, inclusion, equity, liberty, and justice ... then the rights of the majority will suffer.
When the rights of women were ignored, a just and progressive society said enough, and changed it. When the rights of People of Color were ignored, a just and progressive society said enough, and changed it. Now it's time for the rights of LGBTs to be recognized, and a just and progressive society to say enough, .. and change it.
This is not a matter of Religion, but of a Government for the people and by the people, protecting the rights and equalities of all it's citizens .. even the simplist minority of one (1).
Posted by: Raymond Hickman | March 1, 2005 07:49 PM