Same-Sex Marriage Update

[MsTinkerbelly]

MONTANA: Supreme Court To Hear Partner Benefits Case For Same-Sex Couples

On Friday the Montana Supreme Court will hear the case of six same-sex couples who have sued to have their partners covered by their package of employee benefits.

The Montana Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Donaldson & Guggenheim, et al. v. State of Montana on Friday at the University of Montana. The session will start at 9:30 a.m. in the University Theatre with an introduction to the case. Hosted by the UM School of Law, the session is free and open to the public. Jan Donaldson and Mary Anne Guggenheim, along with five other same-sex couples in committed, intimate relationships, are bringing a constitutional challenge against several Montana laws under which same-sex couples cannot obtain the same public and private benefits provided to married opposite-sex couples

[Blade]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...amendment.html

[BullDog]

[iamkeri1]

Out of the mouth of babes...

[Julien]

It Could Happen to You

I don't know if this has been posted already, but here it is again. Such a heartbreaking story.

[Blade]

with 42% of the precincts reporting so far, we are losing in the NC marriage amendment by 18%.

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by Blade

with 42% of the precincts reporting so far, we are losing in the NC marriage amendment by 18%.

horrible news, but thank you for the update

[Blade]

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

horrible news, but thank you for the update

It's getting worse now 40/60 with 50% of the vote in

[iamkeri1]

Though this amendment passed, there ARE smarter and wiser heads in NC. This is a clip from a May 6 press conference. In it the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, the pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina chides the press for the way the have handled coverage for this amendment. People like this will keep working, and we will keep working, and we will succeed in getting our full rights as citizens of the USA.
Smooches,
Keri

[Leigh]

It was very disappointing to her about NC passing this bill but I don't think it is the end ~ I'm sure things will work out in the end

[iamkeri1]

Pearl and Lennie of North Carolina. From the mouths of babes in the post above to the mouths of cherished elders, truth flows. These two are so beautiful.
Smooches,
Keri

[MsTinkerbelly]

The North Carolina law may be voided...I'll post from the prop 8 blog tomorrow because from my iPad I have issues.

Long story short, in some areas...primarily democratic, people were given the ballots without the amendment question on them. For some reason 17 year olds could vote if they would be 18 in 6 months, but they had ballots without the amendment question. They were also giving those ballots to regular voters that might otherwise vote to defeat the amendment, instead of the ballots for those over 18. Some say on purpose....we'll see.

[Beloved]

The rights of the minority should never be subject to the vote of the majority. I may be over-optimistic but I believe same sex marriage will be fully legal across the US in my lifetime. It's going to happen. These are temporary set backs. The fight is still on!

[Soon]

[MsTinkerbelly]

Update 3 Scottie Thomaston:: There are reports of problems with ballots. Some voters are not being given ballots with amendments on them. Huffington Post’s Gay Voices reports:

All, we’re getting reports here in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Raleigh (which are base areas for us, e.g. anti-Amendment 1) of precincts handing out INCORRECT ballots. In North Carolina, 17-year-olds can vote in the statewide primary (e.g., for governor, etc.) if they turn 18 by November 6th. However, they CANNOT vote on Amendment 1 in this primary — they can only vote for candidates — therefore they are being handed ballots WITHOUT Amendment 1. That is proper election procedure.

The problem is, the reports we are getting are that people OVER 17 are also being handed these ballots WITHOUT Amendment 1 in what would normally be heavily anti-Amendment 1 precincts (Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh). We are working on testimonials from voters who have experienced this — in the meantime, if you report on Amendment 1, PLEASE ask readers to call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if they experience this in NC, or know someone who did. That will enable the campaign’s field team to investigate and correct this as soon as possible

[Semantics]

Finally.

Obama declares support for gay marriage


President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president.
In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place, based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters.

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married,” Obama told Roberts, in an interview to appear on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday. Excerpts of the interview will air tonight on ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer.”

The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own. But he said he’s confident that more Americans will grow comfortable with gays and lesbians getting married, citing his own daughters’ comfort with the concept.

“It’s interesting, some of this is also generational,” the president continued. “You know when I go to college campuses, sometimes I talk to college Republicans who think that I have terrible policies on the economy, on foreign policy, but are very clear that when it comes to same sex equality or, you know, believe in equality. They are much more comfortable with it. You know, Malia and Sasha, they have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. There have been times where Michelle and I have been sitting around the dinner table and we’re talking about their friends and their parents and Malia and Sasha, it wouldn’t dawn on them that somehow their friends’ parents would be treated differently. It doesn’t make sense to them and frankly, that’s the kind of thing that prompts a change in perspective.”

http://gma.yahoo.com/obama-announces...-marriage.html

[Soon]

Obama Backs Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON -- In a nod to a dramatic shift in public opinion, Barack Obama on Wednesday became the first sitting president to announce his support for same-sex marriage.


In a sit-down interview with ABC's Robin Roberts, Obama completed what has been a markedly long and oft-mocked evolution on the matter.

"I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly," Obama told Roberts, in an interview that will air in full on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday.

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married," he said.

[Apocalipstic]

Thank you President Obama!

[Jess]

my post for today from FB :



"These signs somehow found their way into my trunk over the past few weeks... There is one house I pass on my hour drive through NC back roads daily that had signs saying NO to the amendment. Their house is surrounded literally by signs to vote yes. It is now up for sale. It is devastating to realize your neighbors want to deny you of basic rights."

The Church less than what would be a city block from the women's home I mentioned above ( I know they are women as they were having a yard sell last weekend), put up a message stating "God states marriage is between one man and one woman"... It really hasn't helped my drive back and forth daily feel good.

As much as I love the area where I live, our politics are still so backward thinking. It truly breaks my heart.

[Nat]

I thank Biden for talking out of school which effectively forced Obama's hand.