Amazing at how quickly support for same-sex marriage has grown in US

[12voltman59]

For the past two days, arguments have been heard before the justices of the US Supreme Court regarding the Constitutionality of certain aspects of The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) here in the US.

I know that some of the news reporters from several US television networks, with expertise in covering the Court, said that they see a chance the members of the Court--most likely by a 5-4 vote, are going to find the underpinnings of DOMA to be unconstitutional and therefore the law will be struck down.

I would like to think that this is true---but it seems to me that it is not always an easy thing to handicap how the justices are going to come down on any issue.

What I do find most interesting about the current debate about same-sex marriage---is that so many conservatives came out to either submit a "Friend of the Court" brief stating that they are in favor of overturning DOMA and so have just about all of the Fortune 500 corporations and other major US companies also have done so---since so many of them--in order to attract and keep "the best and brightest" of the so-called "millennial generation," they have come to offer and extend insurance and other benefits to those employees and their same-sex partners.

It is because of this and the way that the SCOTUS members directed their questioning of the side seeking DOMA to remain in place.

Along with some recent polling, that indicates that the majority of most Americans--at least below age 50----have come to favor same-sex marriage.

It really is kind of amazing that in a relatively short period of time, so many people, from all but the most fundamentally conservative types and of course most who consider themselves to be "liberal"----have some to favor same-sex marriage as well--with many of the libertarian conservatives, saying what I have been saying here the past few years---that it is an overreach of the government and a restriction of fundamental rights for the government to continue to deny GLBT people the right to engage in civil/legal marriage.

I think that now that we have ended Don't Ask Don't Tell and have also allowed same-sex marriages in many states and the District of Columbia and the world did not end, the sky did not fall and we have not been besieged with a plague of locusts and other biblical scourges---it really is no big deal to allow same-sex marriage, there is no longer any kind of logical argument remaining to be made that "gay marriage" somehow is a threat to marriage and society.

[Tanzanite]

I agree, it is amazing how fast things are moving in the USA on the issue of same-sex marriage right now. I think we are at an exciting time - a turning point - for improving civil rights for LGBT Americans, and it is great to see so many of our political and popular leaders changing their minds and openly declaring their support for same-sex marriage rights, from President Obama to so many in Congress and elsewhere, to even athletes such as NFL football players. It is mainstream in America now like never before, and the younger generation is especially strong on the issue. I have been a long-time supporter of the issue, and change was sooooooooooo slow for so long. But in the last couple of years, we have seen an amazingly quick turnaround. I really expect us to have marriage equality either nationally or in the majority of states sooner rather than later. This will be a great change for the better when it happens. We will still have a ways to go on this and other issues, but this will make a huge difference in thousands and thousands of lives, for the better.

[goldenfinger]

Some good and some bad news about same sex married.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/12/gay-marriage-mortality-rates_n_2862242.html

[12voltman59]

Those were some interesting findings, Golden. Of course----with anything you can think of--its not going to be some sort of panacea---and everything has its good and bad elements--kind of interesting they found that same sex marriage seems to work out better for men than for women.

I do know of some instances where some female friends had entered into a relationship with another woman---and they became victims of domestic violence--and also sad that they had been victims of sexual abuse early on in life thanks to male members of their families and had been in abusive relationships or marriages with either one man or a series of them.

I do wonder if the cycle of being victimized on the part of women, beginning at an early age--becomes some sort of dynamic that continues to play out in their lives, time and again and that they will knowingly or not---seek out partners, male or female, who will come to abuse them as well.

[jem_is_bi]

Maybe I should be grateful that a male-male relationship in an ambivalent environment is not extremely difficult
But, marriage, the public acknowledgement of the union of two peoples lives, seems beyond what is a reasonable possibility for many male-male couples.
Who and what we are is determined by a life time of effort to excel and be accepted within a specific family and social environment.
Until, the last few years, both family and social environments have been hostile to same sex anything.
Almost the entire congress voted for DOMA which was signed by the president not that long ago.
What is the Supreme Court going to do?
Hopefully, change the legal environment and foster change in the family/social environment.
But, maybe not do that.

[elian]

I have been posting comments in the local newspaper's discussion comments section all week. To be honest I am really tired of writing about my past experience. I am no longer a victim, life has changed for everyone involved, and for the better. So lately instead of arguing I am posting about universal love and compassion. If people can understand THAT, then maybe one day they will understand acceptance of LGBT.

I am amazed at just how far we have come in 10 years, because it wasn't just these last two days, but the last decade leading up to this moment in time now. It also helps that DOMA is an incredibly "holey" law - even when the Justices might be in sympathy with the principle they seem to be able to find reasons that render it unenforceable due to technical means.

Personally, I believe the law is unconstitutional, how can anyone legislate what it means to be in a committed loving relationship??

[bib4u]

I'll also support same sex divorce...since 50% of most marriages end that way...but, to each their own and all the best!

[12voltman59]

It does get me----on one of the news talk shows on MSNBC the other day, they were talking about this with a panel of guests on all sides of the issue--the guy who is against same-sex marriage, kept talking about marriage as only being something that God sanctions and such--basically totally ignoring the legal aspects of the issue---and of course--no talk from him about anything relating to basic rights and fairness that same-sex LEGAL marriage represents in a democratic republic that America is supposed to be. He even went on to say that something along the lines of "well--the people who argue for same sex marriage say its about you should be allowed to marry who you love---but where does this stop? Should we let people have multiple wives or be allowed to marry a child?"

It is funny though---in the Bible----one of the past definitions of marriage was that a man could marry as many wives as he could take----

It is interesting in that some very conservative legal scholar types are basically coming to say that allowing same-sex marriage really is a basic and essential rights issue---hell---even Rush Limbaugh is saying that allowing same-sex marriage is something that is basically a settled issue with it going to be more and more common and allowed.

Well for a listen on what consitutes "Traditional Marriage in the Bible"-here is Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian, providing another of her profound and informative lessons on Christianity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw