The House lost no time this morning passing an amendment — 245-171 — to stop the Department of Justice from using taxpayer funds to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act. Yes, let’s draw some clear lines in the sand here. Works for me.
Meanwhile, some leftie-bots are still whining about Obama being no better than Bush. One clueless wonder on Facebook immediately accused the president of being weak because he waited until the day after the North Carolina vote to endorse marriage equality. Like his campaigning against Amendment One would have (a) been constitutionally appropriate or (b) made any difference.
One might accuse him of being cautious on the issue, but since we’re wading into unknown political territory I’m not so sure he was being all that cautious. See Nate Silver for analysis of the risks.
Some are blasting him because he said marriage laws are up to the states, but I believe marriage is considered to be one of those areas of authority reserved for the state by the Constitution. I’m pretty sure that’s the case. Which is why DOMA is such bullshit.
Anyway — righties are accusing Obama of declaring war on marriage and even war on the Christian Church. All I can say is that I’m not expecting riots in the streets over it here in New York.
No riots apparent here, either, near Catholic, Blue Baltimore.
“Anyway — righties are accusing Obama of declaring war on marriage and even war on the Christian Church. All I can say is that I’m not expecting riots in the streets over it here in New York.”
As if a rightwingnut had ANY clue what marriage or christianity was about.
And, as if in 10-20 years, provided we survive as a political entity, people will not look back and wonder: “What WERE they thinking?” The next generation will have a lot of work ahead of them to UNDO the idiocy being perpetrated upon the American public today…
I guess I was just a victim of propaganda, but I really thought this used to be a great country, capable of almost anything, with some changes here and there to keep things moving forward to what we could be. Now I’m afraid they are a third-rate gaggle of clowns intent on destroying themselves.
I think the Conservatives/Republicans need to stop separating all of the issues they’re against.
I suggest they do a catch-all, universal act, for all of their issues:
The DORA Act.
The “Defense Or Religious Assholes!Act”
DORA can cover their racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and homophobia.
ALL IN ONE ACT!
All they’ll need to do is cite the pertinent specific Bible Reference.
Recite the 10 Commandment – by heart.
Name all of the apostles – by heart.
Recite Leviticus – by heart. AND follow ALL of what’s written there.
And a few other religious citations from the Bible, which, since they’re all such experts on it, and oh so religious, should be very, very easy to pass.
The DORA Act!
The all-inclusive hatred, fear, and loathing, act.
All in one handy bill!
A link you all might find interesting:
http://anthropologist.livejournal.com/1314574.html
Which is why DOMA is such bullshit.
That’s a good point. These are the same people who are obsessed with the tenth amendment, and who wanted every bill passed by Congress to cite the section of the Constitution that authorizes it. Does same-sex marriage have anything to do with interstate commerce? If you were creative you might be able to make a case based on the effects of one state’s marriage laws on another state’s wedding industry, but conservatives are supposed to be against that sort of thing. They might even be reduced to trying to sneak DOMA in under the general welfare clause.
This is sweet…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mitt-romneys-prep-school-classmates-recall-pranks-but-also-troubling-incidents/2012/05/10/gIQA3WOKFU_story.html
Wish I knew a married couple who were opposed to gay marriage so I could ask them why they got married. If the answer was because we loved each other, their opposition to gays marrying would be dead in the water. Delicious.
“war on the Christian Church”
I wish, taking all this phony christian doctrine out of all of our laws would be the best thing that could happen, my opinion. I want to know has he won the war on white people yet?
No, but there are days I wish he’d hurry up. Check this out. Note the author. Don’t miss the comments.
Like Jonah Goldberg would say…Apples don’t fall far from the tree.
Forgive Bristol for she knows not what she says.
I’d just love Obama to strictly enforce the “Defense of Marriage Act.”
For starters, he should do EXACTLY what the TITLE says and defend ALL marriages. All the rest of the BS verbiage, since it does not conform to the title of the Act, should then be discarded in toto…
Too bad it won’t happen.
You know, I gotta say…Like Torquemada can only be understood and judged in light of the times in which he lived, so it is with Romney.
Considering the attitudes in America at the time when Romney assaulted that homosexual, and given the fact that Romney’s father was the sitting Governor of the state in which the assualt occurred, and add to that the understanding that Romney was a devoted adherent to his Christian Mormon faith.
It doesn’t seem quite out of the realm of resonableness or acceptability that Romney would activley engage in the shorning of a homosexuals hair. It was just a modest repuke given with authority. I’m sure the young homosexual benefited by the correction that Romney imposed.
Great link, Maha.
Bristol Palin giving advice on moralit is akin to Charlie Manson opening a butcher shop, or George Bush getting an award for his speaking ability.
Theater of the absurd at its best.
Today, Beach Angle and I celebrate our 38th wedding anniversary.
It’s been a good run, I hope for at least 20 more.
Sadly, her mom got bad news from her oncologist. She has about 8 months left due to metatastic lung cancer.
The lesson in all this is enjoy the journey, find something that makes you happy AND DO IT!
So happy for you, erinyes. Give Beach Angel a hug for all of us.
erinyes…Congrats on the 38th..That’s quite an accomplishment. Me and the better half just went over 37 years in March. It’s been a good run for me also.
Eventually, this will wind up in the USSC, with a State Statute which prohibits gay marriage on the scales.
Eventually, it will be the decision of the court that any attempt by individual states to make straight couples more equal that gay couples is a violation of equal protection under the law.
Eventually. The question is how long.
Doug,
As I said, the next generation will laugh posthumously at the oldsters who thought this a problem. The few people who are not already old who think this a problem will be disgruntled, but ineffective. Although “gay” is used as a negative term in casual conversation, it has been dissociated from its sexual-orientation context in the process. Today’s youth are remarkably unconcerned with their gay classmates, even in predominately “Conservative” areas like the one I live in.
What we are seeing is the last dying gasp of a culture gone by that is able to muster numbers at the polls and enforce its myopic will even as it dies [literally]. The only concern is the damage done by the dying culture on its way to the grave, which, as we saw in Nazi Germany’s last throes, can be quite destructive…
erinyes,
I’m so sorry to hear about Beach Angel’s mom!
Please let me know if there’s any way I can help you and her in the coming months.
While my father technically died of bladder cancer that had spread, he also had lung and brain cancer. And it was the brain cancer that eventually had the greatest effect on him. I’m hoping your wife’s mom’s cancer didn’t spread there, and that all of you don’t have to go through what we did.
If you want, maha can give you my e-mail address, and please don’t hesitate to contact me – we can exchange phone numbers. In retrospect, I made some mistakes along the way, and maybe can serve as a sounding board.
Be realistic, and prepare yourself, your wife, and your family. But more importantly, don’t give up hope!
Ah, Bristol and the Palin Clan!
Stains on the body politic, and STD lesions (Stupid’s Transmitting Discontent) whose marks will forever disfigure this country.
And you have to ask yourself, who’s stupider, members of the Palin Clan, or the feckin’ people who solicit their opinions?
Thanks Maha, Gulag, and Swami.
I may take you up on that offer, Gulag.
An old high school friend who still lives over in Largo, mother died from metatastic lung cancer several years ago( I believe it went to her brain ).
I’ll be seeking advice from both of you guys.
Swami, that puts us in the “over 35 club”,
congrats to you also!
erinyes,
Anytime!
Congrats, erinyes! Sorry to hear about your wife’s mother. For me, this has been a week of sad news regarding the elder parents of friends. *sigh*
Gulag, how’s your mom doing? I know you’ll be extra-nice to her this Sunday.
And maha and all other moms out there, Happy Your Day!
You know, whenever I hear anti-gay marriage people commenting on the radio, they emphatically speak of gay people as “they” and “them,” as if referring to zebras or owls or extraterrestrials. Not “us,” as in Americans, fellow citizens, fellow humans. “What they want; what they deserve”; there’s no human fellowship in the comments at all. I’ve heard it over and over in the last 36 hours… and it makes my blood run cold.
Joan,
My sister and I are taking our mother down to Queens to see my pop’s sister, my aunt, and we’ll get some real NYC Chinese food – Yummmmmmm! (even though it’s nothing like REAL Chinese food, it’s still yummy!).
And they don’t refer to gays much differently than they do to Liberals and Progressives – we’re ALL part of the ‘they’ and ‘them’ who are the traitorous anti-Christ’s who are coming to get them.
The eliminationism – it is strong in those people, yes, yes…
The eliminationism – it is strong in those people, yes, yes…
And it makes your moniker seem like a prediction, alas. Cattle car to the gulag will be crowded (with all the best people).
Enjoy your Mother’s Day anyway!
Ooops, I meant to put quotations marks around “those” – for irony.