[OT]
 

[OT]

[QUOTE=chappy;365441][URL]http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2014/01/26/oklahoma-republican-would-rather-ban-all-marriages-including-straight-ones-than-legalize-marriage-equality/[/URL][/QUOTE]It was not until I moved away from Oklahoma, after growing up there my first 28 years, that I gradually became aware that not every state's legislators were as wacky as Oklahoma's ... and Texas's.

[QUOTE=cheesehead;365504][OT]

It was not until I moved away from Oklahoma, after growing up there my first 28 years, that I gradually became aware that not every state's legislators were as wacky as [U]Oklahoma's ... and [/U][B][U]Texas's[/U][/B].[/QUOTE]

rAmen!

There is some interesting commentary about Mike Turner's bill to cease marriage altogether in this article. The writer draws parallels with other contexts in which homophobes make their arguments a self-fulfilling prophecy. The proposed removal of state-recognised marriage seems to be an attempt to fulfill the argument that same sex marriage will cause the downfall of marriage altogether.
[URL]http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/fairness-gay-couples-might-harm-your-marriage-it%E2%80%99s-your-own-fault280114[/URL]
[QUOTE]To all the anti-gays I have argued with over the years, here is my message: ‘Yes, I was wrong in all those arguments. I am not sorry for arguing for marriage equality. I was then, and still am, right about that. I am still right about its justice and that it holds the highest of ethics and moral principles to support it.
‘What I am sorry for is missing the obvious. To my credit, I honestly did not believe that you would take, or consider taking, actions that make your concerns a self-fulfilling prophecy. I thought better of you than you appear now to be.
‘Mr Turner is saying on your behalf: “If we can’t have it exclusively, then we will see to it that no one has it.” I did not see that coming.
[/QUOTE]

I still think homosexuality is a sin, but this video is pure awesomeness.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owtoKu3eJE8[/url]

Let's forget about gay marriage and call it same-sex marriage, how about that? I don't think the government has any business deciding sexual issues, but everybody loves tax write-offs. So take sex out of the politics with the same-sex marriage debate(you gotta get the gay rights people on board with this) and I'll happily write my Congressman and Senator and tell them voting Yes is fine with me.

Frankly I've ever thought the government should be involved in marriage, so I'm not opposed to this recent (and unusual) turn of events.

[QUOTE=jasong;365897]Let's forget about gay marriage and call it same-sex marriage, how about that? I don't think the government has any business deciding sexual issues, but everybody loves tax write-offs. So take sex out of the politics with the same-sex marriage debate(you gotta get the gay rights people on board with this) and I'll happily write my Congressman and Senator and tell them voting Yes is fine with me.[/QUOTE]
Well, yes.

If you've ever attended a wedding, Jason, you'll know that the sentiments expressed at these occasions by, on behalf of, and towards, the happy couple have nothing to do with their sex lives. If you know any married couples socially, you are aware that their circle of friends does not usually concern itself with what they do in their bedroom. (Tax write-offs are similarly no-one else's business, but now I'm quibbling.)

It seems that Trevor Moore has managed to achieve, with a song, what years of debate here in this thread spectacularly failed to do.

[QUOTE=CRGreathouse;365906]Frankly I've ever thought the government should be involved in marriage, so I'm not opposed to this recent (and unusual) turn of events.[/QUOTE]
I guess you are referring to the movement in Oklahoma to stop state recognition of marriage altogether, right?

[url]http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/gay-norway-minister-take-husband-sochi040214[/url]

Another reason to avoid Kansas..
 

[url]http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/11/4814758/full-house-vote-expected-on-bill.html[/url]

[QUOTE=chappy;366779][URL]http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/11/4814758/full-house-vote-expected-on-bill.html[/URL][/QUOTE]

Yeah, I'm ashamed to live here. Fortunately it's not as bad in the few urban areas of the state. Alas...the south is much worse.

[QUOTE=gd_barnes;366834]Yeah, I'm ashamed to live here. Fortunately it's not as bad in the few urban areas of the state. Alas...the south is much worse.[/QUOTE]

A sincere question...

Do you, or anyone, have a theory as to why the more "urban" areas (or, dare we say "metropolitan", in the case of cities) seem to be correlate with greater tolerance?

Might it be because being exposed to more diversity (or, at least, educated about same) one might become more tolerant of "the other"?

Perhaps cities have fewer churches per square mile?

:rakes: