Rabbitch

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea how much it cheers me and touches my heart every time another person steps up and says they support marriage equality. My sweetheart and I are (finally, after eighteen years of happiness) marrying in Massachusetts later this month, then returning home to our red state. Unlike most newly married people, we cannot count on the good wishes and encouragement of everyone at home.
 

Please don't put me in your drawing I don't deserve it even though I donated. I live in a rural area of the US where some people actually believe that gay people are the "devil's work". For business sake I need to keep my mouth shut. But I do what I can behind the scenes. Thank you for your outrage.
 

I read Frank regularly. After he posted that "shaming" letter, I donated a small amount to the No on 8 people in honor of the schmoe who sent the rotten letter to Frank, and asked them to print my name extra large, John Hancock style. Jerks.
Sadly, there's one of those chugging along in my state, and no one is really talking about it. I have very little hope that the pissy old conservatives in my state will suddenly have a heart.
 

Already donated. Already wrote an appalled post. Already suggested to my students that they might want to think about how disgusting they now think the laws against "mixed-race" marriages were in the 60's, and how they think they'll look back on this year's crop of new laws in another forty years. Already have lost a lot of sleep over how we could possibly think, in a democracy, that this is what we should use our constitutions for. It is to cry.
 

Thanks so much for your post this morning. I got married to my wonderful partner this June. We're scared of what could happen (the yes on 8 folks are spending a ton of mostly out-of-state money, including a full page ad in yesterday's LA Times).

And we've talked about where we would live other than Southern California. I wish Conn, Mass, NY and Canada weren't so cold...
 

I support and agree with you wholeheartedly! That said and not wanting to throw a monkey wrench into your plans - I have to tell you that tomorrow, Tuesday 11/4 is voting day in the lovely state of California (where I reside) and the day Prop 8 will be decided. And (as someone I used to know would say) "the good lord willing and the creek don't rise" this discriminatory bullshit will be over.
 

Just donated - the whole thing makes me feel nauseous. I'd have done it even without the bribery but now that's just potential icing on the cake.
 

Though I'm not in CA, my dad asked me yesterday, "Are you going to disappoint your father with how you vote on election day?" Sadly, I already disappointed him with how I'd voted the week before.

I just wish that I could impress upon my family that, while I don't take their values, they raised me to question, and to think for myself, and that's why I voted the way they did. So he really shouldn't have been disappointed.

But yes, it's instances like this that are embarrassing for religion as well. There have been amazing churches that have come out and said things like, we believe in social justice and equality, and that believes we support all people. And then there's this, which is just disheartening and makes me want to vomit.
 

Thank you, Rabbitch.

Tomorrow I go to San Francisco City Hall to celebrate the marriage of my best friend to her partner of 20 years. We all hope that our right to marriage, as stated by the Cal. Supreme Court, won't be overthrown by Prop. 8.

I am a person of faith - a Christian - and my church is struggling at both the national and int'lo levvl with the roles of LGBT folk in our church. It's really hard. But almost no one in our branch of our faith has suggested that government prevent lesbians and gay men from marrying.

I pray that voters in our state and everywhere will see that, as a legal matter, this is not about schools or kids being taught that it's okay to be gay and marry. It's about discrimination being put into our state constitution.
 

Thank you, Rabbitch.

Tomorrow I go to San Francisco City Hall to celebrate the marriage of my best friend to her partner of 20 years. We all hope that our right to marriage, as stated by the Cal. Supreme Court, won't be overthrown by Prop. 8.

I am a person of faith - a Christian - and my church is struggling at both the national and int'lo levvl with the roles of LGBT folk in our church. It's really hard. But almost no one in our branch of our faith has suggested that government prevent lesbians and gay men from marrying.

I pray that voters in our state and everywhere will see that, as a legal matter, this is not about schools or kids being taught that it's okay to be gay and marry. It's about discrimination being put into our state constitution.
 

Amen, sister!
 

Thank you, I can't agree more. I got all upset yesterday when Google Adsense posted a Vote Yes on Prop 8 on my blog. I filed a complaint and am waiting for a response.
S
 

Oh my god, yes. Please just allow me to rant with you for a second! This is one of those issues that just gets me foaming at the mouth. I just will never be able to understand why this matters to the religious conservatives. For me, all it comes down to is, WHAT THE FUCK DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THEM??! Why are religious people always up in everybody's shit?

I think their crazy religious lifestyles are stupid, but would never be presumptuous and self-righteous enough to think that meant I should try to start a legislative movement to deny them something that was personally important to them. Unfortunately I live in Kansas, which I like, but it's full of crazy religious wackos. In fact, I come from crazy religious wacko stock. My parents actually taught me as a kid that homosexuality is caused by demon possession brought on by loose morals. Yeah. They also disowned me when I came out to them as an atheist.

I say we trash the whole convention of legal marriage, make everybody get a civil union with the same rights, and then people can call it whatever they want. Not that this would be good enough for the religious conservatives. Since they for some reason think they deserve a say in what other people do.

I hate our political system. I want to find a happy new party where I can have the fiscal policies I like and social policies that aren't an effort by conservatives to legislate the morality of others. Maybe the Republican party will cleave itself in two if McCain loses. Oh, please. URRRGHHK.

But yes, I am SO THERE WITH YOU.
 

the happiest couple on my block can't marry in my longtime red state. that makes me blue . . . and i vote my color (on that and so many other issues).

i believe each adult should be able to marry one other adult of his/her choice -- and that from now on only a civil ceremony should carry the legal rights of marriage. that would let churches do as they wish as far as religious marriage without hurting anyone's legal rights.
 

Thank you for your efforts. Unfortunately, despite everything we all did, including giving money,time, blood, sweat, and tears, the voters of California thought it more important that chickens get more space in their coops than thought that my husband's and my marriage remain legal and intact.

It's really a sad day for our family.

But again, thank you for your efforts!

Mwah!
 

I'm sick. I can't believe that people passed 8. Who cares if gay people get married? How does that hurt or help my hetero marriage? I think a lot of uptight people really need to mind their own business.
 

I voted no on 8. Currently, I am trying very hard to keep my tears of joy over Obama's win from turning into tears of frustration as Prop 8 is called as passing. Thankfully, suit has been filed against it in the CA Supreme Court. Now to hope that this all turns out right.
 

I absolutely approve of bribery, and I wish I could contribute. But, as a starving (?) student, I can't. But I will pray for them. Whether that counts or not is irrelevant. Prayers will continue.
Katherine
 

Thank you so much for linking to this--I would never have known otherwise. I donated a little (not as much as I would have liked, but.....) and left a comment (okay, rant) for Frank. I have never understood the "far right" and even "kind of right" folks who want to legislate what people do in their own homes, and who they fall in love with. (Wasn't that beautiful sentence structure?)

Maybe I was meant to be born a little earlier and be a hippie, because I've always leaned toward the "make love, not war" and "live and let live" kind of sentiments...........man.

You are absolutely right, though, that this cannot be permitted to just slip by. We are living in 2008 and should not still be discussing what I consider to be basic human rights, one of which is the right to fall in love with and marry whomever you please. (To be perfectly clear, I hope everyone realizes that I mean "over the age of majority/consenting adults".) I think I'm done ranting now. I told Frank the same thing. Apparently I wasn't.
barbinvic
 

unfortunately, it seems prop 8 passed, as well as other asshattery legislation in arkansas, florida, and one other state i can't recall. i won't be living in any of those states, because t hey're w illing to disenfranchise such large portions of their population. not a place i wanna be
 

first --- I'm beyond sad that they passed prop 8.
second-- I'm also bummed that I can't seem to find your direct contact info so that I can connect you with the winner of the skein of yarn you donated to Seasons of Lace so long ago you likely forgot about it.

Pretty please... email me so we can connect you and your happy winner?
 

My turn to join the rant: LOVE, the tender,nurturing, caring feelings of one person for another, is GOOD. Their gender, their color, their spiritual path - are IRRELEVANT. Tender, adoring,nurturing parents are GOOD...whether they're two mommies, two daddies, Wiccans or Baptists. That whole business put us off-track; I can only hope that it gets straightened out legally before too much time goes by. Seems to me people must be awfully well-fed and comfortable if their only worries are what the neighbors are doing behind their own doors.....Well, my dear Rabbitch, I'm an optimist and can only believe (from my lips to the gods' ears) that before long this will be a non-issue. I have the blessing of living in Madison, WI, where we're not burdened by many people who think that way. (That's one reason it's called "77 miles surrounded by reality") Oh, and thank you for your rant (and thanks, too, to my preceding commentors). We'll get there.