Meghan McCain's Marriage Equality Message to NY Republicans
by Michael A. Jones
Published May 22, 2009 @ 09:46AM PT
http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/meghan_mccains_marriage_equality_message_to_ny_republicans (http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/meghan_mccains_marriage_equality_message_to_ny_republicans)
When people say the word "maverick," they often think of someone else in the McCain family. But in all honesty, the word "maverick" should really be reserved for Meghan McCain, who has proven time and again that she's willing to take an independent position to push her political party in the direction of equality.
Today, Meghan McCain is out with a message for New York Republicans. That message is short and sweet: embrace gay marriage.
New York's State Senate is currently sitting on a bill that will, if passed, make New York the next state to recognize marriage equality. In order for that bill to pass the Senate, some Republican State Senators will need to support it (due to the fact that some Democrats - hello, Senator Ruben Diaz - do not support marriage equality). The balance is such in the NY State Senate that at least a couple Republicans will have to vote yes on marriage equality.
Today, Meghan McCain is out with a message for New York Republicans
All five of them?
my question is: why, we the people, can't legally vote on this issue? i mean it affects us as the people just as much of the government, right?
We, the people, vote to elect people to vote on this for us. Its called a Republican form of government. In a Direct democracy, like the California intivitive system, the people did vote. Did you like that outcome better? The Iowa Supreme Court, like the California Supreme Court found that not allowing it was a violation of due process. Do you think if I put it up for a popular vote in Iowa the people would support the court's decision? Me either. You think gay marriage would pass in Ohio? Me either.
if it was actually up to the people, i think that yeah it would pass, of course there would the religious right wingers putting on their Bible Belts shooting Heaven fire from the sky till it died or they did. but what people fail to realize is, there ARE more gays, lesbians, bis, transsexuals in the state of Ohio than they want to admit to. even my boss yesterday told a girl who wants to transfer, we pretty much have every identity covered that we know about. i don't know about cali(prop 8?) and i really don't know about Iowa. it didn't pass in Florida either, which is still peculiar to me as, they are probably the gay states of america. no disrepect intended to my wonderful country. but the thing is, if we don't fight for EQUAL rights, then we get what we put in--nothing.
my daddy always told me it doesn't hurt to try, the worst they can do is tell you no.
The opposition to same sex marriage is steeped in religious beliefs. While I applaud anyone who does what they can to support same sex marriages, too often they miss that our constitution provides for separation of church and state.
The media interviews religious leaders all the time on this subject and we hear them refer to the Bible and God as proof same sex marriages are wrong.
Yet no one calls them out on the separation of church and state conflict.
Why?
The California Supreme Court just voted to uphold Prop 8 and cited their constitution as to why the vote went the way it did. We need to do the same thing if we expect these voting powers to grant us our rights.
Julie
I agree Julie! This is (should be) an issue about inheirant civil rights not one that would validate based upon religious principles. To me the C/S separation issue is the 800lb gorilla in the room that is not being seen here!
I think I'd like to see a state mandate from our legislature that abolishes the term "Marriage" from the certificates the state issues for the purpose of the joining together in bonds of unity, two people. That would make all legal recogniton of tax advantages and health care as well as social security benefits available to those who are joined together in such a bond of either sexual persuasion. And, eliminate the religeous representation that rightfully should not be allowed in gonvernmental actions.
If one would wish to use the term Marriage in their union or partnership, then find a church that uses it in their ceremony. But the term would have no weight in the eyes of law nor government.
Dawn
If Meghan can get the republicans to blow off the issue of gay marriage, it will stop being a wedge issue so they can concentrate on the rest of their prefab agenda.
I'm pretty sure that's her bigger motivation. The other motivation being that she, like most young people, are not hung up on same sex marriage.
Have I said lately how much I hate young people? Because, I do.