Fairbanksans join national gay protest
Published Sunday, November 16, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — About 25 gay rights advocates held up signs in front of Fairbanks City Hall, joining activists in Boston, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and elsewhere on Saturday.
The nationwide demonstration was in protest of Proposition 8, a ban on gay marriage passed by voters in California, the nation’s most populous state. Voters in Arizona and Florida also outlawed gay marriage earlier this month. Voters in Alaska approved a ban on gay marriage 10 years ago.
An Army wife organized the gathering in Fairbanks, which started at 9:30 a.m. and involved waving signs in front of passing motorists on Cushman Street.
One sign read, “Love is love.” Another: “Equal rights for all.” A man held a sign saying, “I am Sarah Palin’s gay friend.”
Kristen Magann, the organizer, described herself as heterosexual, happily married and a believer that sexual preference should not determine civil rights.
“I want to make this message heard,” she stated in an e-mail, “that all people no matter their sexual orientation should be allowed the same rights under the law.”
The Web site www.jointheimpact.com inspired Magann to organize the Fairbanks demonstration. The group was established in the days after the Nov. 4 election. Demonstrations were scheduled to take place in 300 cities, according to the site.
“Rain or shine, our community will take to the streets to get the word out that equality is a human right and one that we will not stop working toward until it’s afforded to all citizens,” the group’s co-founder, Willow Witte, wrote in a news release.
The Fairbanks protesters eventually marched down Cushman Street to Airport Way to wave signs, Magann said. A couple of protesters performed a skit and one sang a lesbian love song.
“We didn’t meet with any adverse attitudes except from a cabbie who asked if we were supporting ‘real marriage,’” Magann wrote in an e-mail later in the day.
When the protesters told the cab driver that they were advocating for same-sex marriage, the driver sped away, Magann said.
At its height, 32 people participated in the Fairbanks demonstration, Magann said.
Contact staff writer Amanda Bohman at 459-7544.
Community Discussion
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Popcorn time again (sits back to watch).
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Less than ten minutes, and the first Oscar-worthy rant!
heyfos, I think the bible would like to have a few words with you. Greed, hate, and self-righteous judgement are right up there on the sin-list. Take the plank out of your own eye before you worry about the splinter in someone else's.
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gay...lesbian...just keep it in the basement so your relatives and friends don't have to explain it.
Any surprise it was a lower 48er that got this stirred up?
LMAO curmudgeon. my sentiments exactly
Go magann!!! I'm Straight, but not narrow!! Lower 48ers get 'er done!
heyfos: "... and if you don't know that homosexuality is an abomination to God, then find another way to hell..."
At the risk of losing any possible political future, I respond: God has no place in our government.
I do not mean that the *principles* attributed to God by those who believe in Him (or Her, or It, or Them) are necessarily irrelevant to civil government. Justice, integrity, love, mercy, and charity are all laudible principles and good for civil society. And, the more that people believe in gods that embody or support those principles, the more power to them! -- they will further valuable social ends.
However, such principles have been acknowledged as valuable *regardless* of their religious value. Under our Constitution, they must be: the establishment clause of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion") has interpreted by the Supreme Court to mean that religious aims may not be advanced by government when there is not a compelling secular purpose.
For example, I belong to a religious organization that has traditionally valued simplicity, the better to focus on spiritual life and character. But I cannot find a non-religious interest in compelling society at large to embrace such simplicity, so I expect it not to be written into our laws.
On the other hand, this same religion also embraces integrity: honesty, fair treatment, fulfilling obligations, and providing equal pay for equal work. Civil laws enshrine such values (or they should) -- but regardless of what I or my fellow parishioners believe as a matter of religion. Civil society recognizes the value of of integrity for Christians, Jews, Muslims, Wiccans, Zoroastrians, deists, and atheists alike.
What the Supreme Courts of California and Massachusetts recognized is that there is no compelling *non-religious* interest in preventing the civil marriage of two consenting adults of the same sex. Note that I say "civil marriage", meaning only a legal arrangement recognized by the state. Under no circumstances would such a marriage have to be recognized by any church -- that also would fall under the First Amendment.
Unfortunately, over fifty percent of California voters seemed unable to separate their personal or religious beliefs from the compelling, secular interests of society. They would rather withdraw, from their fellow citizens, an equal right recognized by their Supreme Court than allow love to be celebrated and protected by law.
Those of us who demonstrated Saturday grieve for the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of California's same-sex couples who are now denied society's highest recognition of enduring love. We protest the ignorance and the intolerance that have made that denial possible. And we hope -- some of us even pray -- for a day when marriage equality is embraced across the land.
I support equal rights of a civil union regarding benefits and what not; However, the term marriage is between a man and a woman. Not man and man or woman and woman.
I can't believe people get so worked up over a word. The fact of the matter is everybody deserves to have the same rights. Call it something else if using the word marriage seems to be so offensive to some people.
Mr. Adasiak - excellent posting. I couldn't agree with you more.
Well done Mrs.Magan. You are an asset to our community.
Whoops-sorry for the misspelling Mrs. Magann.
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Well I bet Mrs. Magann wouldn't be too thrilled is they let gayness be open in the Army. Her husband would constantly be looked at while he showers among other things....
In God's eyes there is no such thing as gay marriage. I know it's a hard thing for all of our highly intelligent collage educated citizens, to grasp the fact that there is a supernatural being that considers their intelligence to be nothing.
What will be the next sexual preference? Dogs, sheep? Just keep it behind closed doors and the good people of this world will just look the other way. (waiting for newsreader to wake up)
KSFLATLANDER..."a supernatural being that considers their intelligence to be nothing."? I think you took the wrong pill. It is YOU that decides who the "good people" of this world are? No, sorry. Just because you believe in some intolerant antiquated fairy tales, filled with joyous things like slavery, stoning, and destruction of whole populations doesn't mean you are in the norm or correct. Part of the Palin crowd, dumping on the "educated elite" for having the intellegence to question and tolerate others. Go find a bible to bang somewhere else.
By the way, it is just a word, as BetterThings pointed out. Learn to share.
The Alaska Cumgudeon, I know exactly what you mean. I "knew" with a 100% surety that I was going to see major homo-bashing on here the minute this article was published. I'm sort of neutral on the subject, but any time hate and anger is dispensed into the public, it's not good people. Relax, breath in and out, go for walks. Do something productive, being a hate-monger is no way to live. It only breeds more darkness in you and your family and kids. Peace!
What's a Lesiban Love Song? One in Greek?, Perhaps a Traditional Song from the Isle of Lesbos? After all that's where true Lesibans are from
Paul, I'd vote for you. You've pretty much said everything I was going to. Like someone said above I'm straight, but not narrow.
Who gives a flying squirrels tail about "God's eyes" if you aren't religious? It is not the conservative christians job to regulate what on earth the rest of the people on this planet do. Back the heck off and let them live their lives!
I for one feel that the Mormon "church" should have their tax exempt status yanked for their involvement in the political debate over Prop 8 in California.
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It would seem to me, that the heart of the matter isn't about marriage, but rather the extensions of benefits.
Insurance companies simply will not let you add someone to your health care policy, if you aren't married to them. It's not profitable, and because there is no law saying they have to.
I feel that the true solution is states rewriting health care and other benefit coverage laws, to be redefined in such a way that a person with health care insurance, be able to extend that coverage to others in their household.
It should be possible for instance, that a young, working man with health insurance, may be living with an ailing mother, or aunt, and be able to have them covered under his policy. Perhaps even a sister, who has a brother living under her roof.
There are many instances where men and woman live together as man and wife for decades, yet under current law, cannot share in each others health care insurance because they aren't officially "married".
I believe this should be the focus of creating an equal system. Marriage is a religious issue and should remain so.
People living under the same roof, who depend on each other, should be considered a household, and they're all entitled to fair and equal access to benefits.
I feel that reduced to it's core, the issues is quite simple and less argumentative.. less controversial.
The real question is, "Why are the laws written that people MUST BE MARRIED to the people they love and care for, to share with them the benefits they work and pay for?"
That's the real heart of the issue. I'd bet that if that was fixed, there's be a lot less issues about same sex marriages.
I don't support same sex marriages, but I also don't support the government mandating we have to be MARRIED, to have our benefits available to the people in our households that we care for.
I call a gathering of 25 gay rights activists a missed opportunity!
get over it, all mariages are same sex marriages,
its the same sex every nite
Get out of here and go back to California, There a lot of folks that dont give a rat, as for the army wife, why don't you protest on post? I know they don't let you do things like that. So stand outside the main gate, not in town.
State should get out of the marriage business. The state should only record unions in order to ensure that the rights of the consenting adults are protected no matter what their sexual preference is. Marriage is a religious rigmarole that exerts the authority of a religious hierarchy over an individual. If you need it okay, but it should not be recognized by the state. The only thing a state should recognize is the registration of civic unions.
Chewtoy, only if you're lucky!
Equal rights for all.
So what should people do about the nearly 1000 federal benefits and approximately 400 state benefits legally married couples get?
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I heard on the news about this protest, and Gay is the new Black. What next? The gay's I know are nonviolent, till now. I think they will line up for Obama's spread the wealth programs.
Jee If I hadn't been working, and then getting sloshed at my divorce party, I'd have been there.
Paul Adasiak, it's nice to hear someone actually make the statement religon should have nothing to do with government. Too many people don't believe that, clearly....
Regardless of what you hyper-moralistic right-wing Christians think, statistics prove the only thing your sparing homosexuals by banning gay marrage is the court costs of divorce. The fact 2/3rd of marrage end in divorce is more of an affront to 'God's will' than a pair of husbands or a pair of wives...
Wow, I can't believe the level of bigotry you people are spewing. You think Kristen Magann needs to find something better to do? Why don't YOU find something better to care about than what people do in the privacy of their own bedrooms? And guess what...religion and government are supposed to be separate. So if you want to be a say that homosexuality is an "abomination to God", go right ahead; all you're doing is making yourself look like a narrow-minded jerk. But keep your twisted religious beliefs out of government.
So AK_WDB, if you can't have children, you don't deserve to be married? What about people born sterile and straight??
my view is marrage shouldn't be governed by the government, nor should you get any special tax breaks just for being a commited couple. But if it's good for hetrosexuals, there's no reason it can't be good for homosexuals, other than some sort of prejiduce..... Wait, that would be illegal according to Civil Rights Laws..... Hmmmm.... I 'love' America.... Just hate Americans....
I sat back and read, with amazement and sheer disbelief, some of the vitriole that is spewed out by the "citizens" of Fairbanks regarding such a simplistic issue.
This isn't an issue of religion.... though all of the zealots would like to quote the Old Testament till they're blue in the face to support their lame and ill-mannered positions.
I always find it sad to think that "straight" people would be ranting and raving if the roles were reversed and this was a majority gay world.... where straights were the minority. So... what if?? Would all of the straights be freaking out and making a lot of hoopla over something like marriage and equal rights? You betcha!!
Yet, the narrow-mindedness of most of the straight community is seemingly expected when the topic of anything that runs counter to the hate that's spewed from the pulpit every Sunday is mentioned in the same sentence as "fair, equal, respect" and "intelligent."
Okay... so most of the Fairbanksans who're against this never see the light of day and live, vicariously, through the happenings online. For the rest of the folk that have a brain and exercise it daily with greater intelligence involved.... please remember that man made religion, man wrote the Bible, man made the church(es), men decided which books would comprise the Bible as we know it today, and man created marriage.
Yes... for those of you who are completely ignorant.... the bible is a series of books written by men. Wanna borrow my diary to add it beyond Revelations? Or did you not realise that there were well over a dozen "books" left out of the actual bible?
Oh wait.... you only believe what your pulpit espouses..... silly me for thinking you could think for yourself.
Now you want politicians and the like to tell you what to think? Get real.... Sarah's only a puppet... and not even a bright one!!
I've read that in California there was a very large black turnout to vote for Barack Obama. 70% of California's black voters voted to pass Prop 8, banning gay marriage.
Since then, I've seen the gay community protesting at Christian Saddle Back, and the Mormons. I haven't seen one gay protest at a black church that preaches conservative moral views. What's up with that?
I am amazed but not shocked by all the bashing. I think that the issue here for gay/lesbain couples is a little deeper than insurance coverage. FYI.. I dont know which companies but I know that some insurance companies will allow gay/lesbian couples to insure one another, I believe the term they are using is "domestic partner", not positive. If being gay/lesbian is not your "cup of tea" than so be it. It is very apparent that we are dealing with alot of homophobic people here. Why in the world should they have to stay or keep it in the basement as someone phrased it??? Last time I checked marriage wasnt just a word, yet that is something that countless heterosexuals are throwing out there. Why is it so hard for people to see gay/lesbian couples? Intolerance is NOT the answer- if you cant bear to see/deal with it why dont YOU go to the basement!!!!!!!
You can put lipstick on a guy and it's a silly looking guy.
No Goldstreamer, it's a soccer mom.
Equal rights for all!
You'll have to excuse me, but protesting after the vote rather than before (when it might have made a difference) strikes me "day late and dollar short."
Well, if YOU didn't inform US with banners and signs wanting US approving this trash WE wouldn't be on here discussing this matter! PERIOD!
THIS BEHAVIOR YOUR PARTICIPATING IN WILL SOON DIE OUT HOPEFULLY!!!!!!!
Daltongangdriver YOU SAID IT RIGHT... EVERYONE NEEDS TO INFORM THEIR CHILDREN THAT THIS BEHAVIOR IS UNEXCEPTABLE.... TEACH YOUR CHILDREN THAT THIS IS WRONG WRONG WRONG. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY teach your neighbors children as well that being gay is a bad bad choice. For it was a choice of yours to lay down with this. My goodness, WHAT WERE YOUS THINKING??????
Judge not, lest you be judged. The ones who are name calling are way more scary than the ones they are calling names.
I am a Christian. I have friends who are gay and lesbian. They are wonderful, kind people, who believe in God. The only difference is, they're not invested in pointing fingers at other "sinners" and trying to shame them into compliance with their version of religion.
I also worked with one gay man who was angry in his heart and disrespectful toward anyone who was not "in your face" support. His anger made me uncomfortable, but I have never walked in his shoes.
Some of my lesbian friends have turned away from Christianity because of the behavior of Christian zealots. They believe in God, but because Jesus was used as a weapon against them, they shy away from Christianity and Christians. Isn't there scripture warning about leading the sheep away from Christ?
Paul, I'd help you campaign.
there are sure a lot of bigoted people on here like which_wendy who pretend to think they know what god thinks about homosexuality and gay marriage.
which_wendy do you have a point or are you just going to continue to spew propaganda and hate? What are you going to do if one of your kids or loved ones is gay? You do realize that the general scientific community holds that sexual orientation is biologically determined before birth and not a choice or life style? There have been over 1500 animals that have been observed and documented participating in same-sex mating and coupling, even when mates of the opposite sex are available.
You hope that this "behavior" will die out, well, I hate to tell you but you may want to pick up a few history books on the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians.
Also, WHO THE HECK do you think you are to impose your beliefs on other peoples kids?!?!?! Good grief woman, the gays are not the people who need to be stuck in a closet!
Faithful??????? WHAT ARE YOU SIPPING ON, your just as sick as the rest of um!
" Judge not, lest you be judged. The ones who are name calling are way more scary than the ones they are calling names.
I am a Christian. I have friends who are gay and lesbian. They are wonderful, kind people, who believe in God. The only difference is, they're not invested in pointing fingers at other "sinners" and trying to shame them into compliance with their version of religion.
I also worked with one gay man who was angry in his heart and disrespectful toward anyone who was not "in your face" support. His anger made me uncomfortable, but I have never walked in his shoes.
Some of my lesbian friends have turned away from Christianity because of the behavior of Christian zealots. They believe in God, but because Jesus was used as a weapon against them, they shy away from Christianity and Christians. Isn't there scripture warning about leading the sheep away from Christ?
Paul, I'd help you campaign."
What a wonderful comment. The first christian-based one that didn't make me want to go into a diatribe about how attending church is against the will of God (and THATS in the Bible, and that's why nobody sees me in church anymore), or worse, make me push the 'suggest removal' button, which I did several times even though it goes against my belief in freedom of expression.
I think the rest of you should have paid attention when your class learned the 'turn the other cheek' lesson in Sunday School.
I will also help you with your campaign Paul, if you'll take the help of a purple-haired radical.
I never said anything about god, are you feeling a little guilty that you need to bring GOD into this.. heehee
which_wendy have a mature logical conversation or I'm going to keep suggesting every word you type gets removed.
Don't peck the the keyboard like a petulant child who has just been told they can't have candy or a new toy.
Let's keep it civil please.
The scientist choice the wrong behavior as well. you all are sleeping in each others beds.. sickening
Some of the more hate-filled posts remind me of Ted Haggard:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard...
I always look for the person talking the loudest to be hiding the most.
And stay away from my friends children
which_wendy, you're side would be much better served if your posts were in understandable English.
Scientists don't "choose" behavior, they study and observe it, and report what they see. Do you propose that we all stick our heads in the sand and pretend homosexuality doesn't exist?
which_wendy-
IF YOU CAN'T SPELL WELL, PLEASE BE MORE SUBTLE ABOUT IT.
Marriage is wrong, but everyone should get to make that mistake if they feel it is necessary.
Can anybody think of and make a list of OTHER things that threaten the definition of marriage? I'll start with one:
1.) Divorce (Let's make that illegal...it's the biggest threat to marriage out there.)
2. In laws
LOL!
It took almost ten hours for Julie to have to get involved. Are people becoming more civil?
3) Government
3.) Infidelity
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4 (or 5). Kids
6. Health problems
7. Money problems
8. Changing circumstances
9. Shifting prioities
And spoken like an Army wife !
"Let's keep it civil"
Right, we're not on the street telling gay people they can't marry. I'd suggest you follow your own advise, Julie
Why so much anger?
People will be gay no matter what you think-- it's not a choice. I have hunch that many of the vehemently anti-gay social conservatives may actually be gay themselves; otherwise, why would you care so much?
Let people who love each other confirm that commitment officially in a civic union. The discussion about whether a CHURCH should recognize these unions is an entirely separate discussion with no place in public politics.
So Fairbansians are protesting gays? They should rework the article titles a little better.
XXXXX
MarieBarr, you could make a very good argument that homosexuality doesn't really exist. How is a species supposed to propagate and grow if its individuals are attracted to the opposite sex and can't mate and bear offspring? Biologically it just doesn't make sense. Frankly I think a lot of people do it as a publicity stunt. Look at all the Holywood types that suddenly "turn gay," you usually see an increase in publicity. I personally think that the whole gay thing is just a bunch of people starving for attention.
10. Football
IUR, reorder your list:
1) Religion
THEN
2) Divorce
Thank you, Mrs. Magann, for showing this community what open-mindedness really is.
More and more, I believe that the definition of bravery is to willingly and knowingly endure pain so that others might be relieved of it and realize their full human rights and potential. Mrs. Magann's husband is a soldier, and she is fighting for others' rights on the street corners of Fairbanks. Shining examples of bravery.
By the way, Flatlander, I find it hard to take any stock in your supposedly-better-educated statements when you say things like " I know it's a hard thing for all of our highly intelligent COLLAGE educated citizens, to grasp the fact that there is a supernatural being that considers their intelligence to be nothing.", mainly because if all our citizens are being educated by pieces of art created from many pieces of paper glued to a bigger piece of paper, what are all those student loans paying for?
Live and let live, everyone. If ANY couple believes that they should officiate their union for friends, family, God, or whomever, they ought to be able to do so. Those of you who see it as an abomination in the eyes of your dubious Lord should in fact be pleased and excited that so many couples the world over want the ability to make their marriages official, and even have ceremonies to mark them.
You wouldn't want someone to remove your ability to protect and care for your own family, so why would you condone doing so to someone else?
Straight people are lucky: the shoe is not and probably will never be on the other foot. So why don't you have a little compassion for those who have to wear it every day of their lives?
If you're that mad, go down to Game Stop and form a guild or whatever those WoW people do, so you can take out your frustrations virtually....:-P
For those ignorant comments that these protesters were a bunch of out of towners-
I am a straight, born and raised Fairbanksan and I am proud to say that I stood up for equal rights and showed up to protest the passage of prop 8.
If we can start voting away the rights of minorities what do you think might be taken away next?
PS. Thanks, Joe, for trying to keep this tongue in cheek. Except, it's "hockey mom", not soccer mom...Sarah wouldn't want anyone to think she drives a mini-van stocked with juice boxes...she's much more hardcore than that. :-P
11. war
Sounds like Westboro Baptist Church has a few of its members posting here. Funny thing about those guys - you're damned if you don't and damned if you do. Even if you are married to the opposite sex, if you don't fall in line with their hate speech you are going to hell because God hates you (because they say it is so). Easy to spot on a blog, as their posts are marked with the liberal use of the caps lock key.
That's easy for you to say Joe, the military won't let you in thier ranks.
12. Getting married too young.
That's funny, Joe. I thought the military let you in their ranks....
being gay is a lifestyle choice. stop making such a big deal over banning gay marriage. Nobody if forcing them to be gay
peduncle, maybe you could make that argument, but you would be wrong.
From the reading I have done on various research reports, many of the animals that exhibit homosexual behavior still copulate with an animal of the opposite sex, however, they mate/nest with one of the same sex. In essence I suppose they would be seen as bisexual, and not homosexual. It may not make sense for mating, but people and animals behavior isn't all focused around mating.
I would love to see you walk up to a gay couple who have been together for 30 years and tell them it's a publicity stunt. Have fun with that, I'm sure it will turn out well for you. If it is all attention seeking why do people hide it so much? It seems like an awful lot of work for a little bit of attention. If people were just doing it for attention I would expect them to only be gay in public, and not go through the bother of dating, or living with a partner. If it is all for attention and no one really means it why go through the trouble of getting nondiscrimination laws passed and trying to get equal rights?
I'm disappointed to see the comment removed that said I needed to get a hobby. That was my favorite one. :(
In case you were interested, my hobbies include organizing community protests and scrap-booking.
I didn't host the protest on post because this was a NATIONWIDE protest and the designated location was City Hall. Besides, I don't live on post, so why would I host it there?
fourchords wrote "Well I bet Mrs. Magann wouldn't be too thrilled is they let gayness be open in the Army. Her husband would constantly be looked at while he showers among other things"
Do you really think that just because our military has a "don't ask don't tell" policy that it prevents "them" from looking? It cracks me up that people think that a homosexual is just lurking around the corner just waiting to get an opportunity to "convert" a heterosexual.
perhaps because we don't necessarily view you as one of us since you'll probably be gone in a year or so. we are permanent residents who have to live with consequences of law changes. i don't get why they are protesting what a majority of voters decided in a far off state. how is it our business?
There goes Marie Barr again. Whenever someone makes the statement that homosexuality is a choice, ... out come her stories of animals expressing homosexuality.
Listen, we are not animals in the sense that we have a conscience and a cognizant ability to have rational thought. We have the ability to make choices and understand their are consequences for the choices we do make. Beyond survival and instinctual choices, how can anyone tell me animals are making a decision in regard to homosexuality?
robbmyers is right so many posts ago, ... protesting after the election is a day late and a dollar short. Californians overwhelmingly voted against same sex marriage. Let the vote of the people stand.
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YouARECONFUSED WHAT?
Equality for all man-kind is our business! Did you have to be black during the Civil Rights Movement to protest segregation in schools? Did you have to be a woman to march for a woman's right to vote? Of course not.
I think that this nationwide protest was especially important to Fairbanks since this marks the ten year anniversary of the passing of Measure 2. Unfair laws like these can always be overturned, it is never too late for people to change their minds.
I apologize for not being a "true" Fairbanks citizen. I suppose I'll "forget" to pay city and state taxes this year since I don't really "belong". I guess I'll also stop providing local business support, I rarely go on post to do any shopping but since that is where the military wives belong, I suppose I'll only give my money back to the military and get everything else I need online. Those of you that think that just because we are in the military and therefore are not staying here forever are blind. Did you not know that MANY of the people that live here were originally brought to Fairbanks through the military?
Is anyone else as pleased as I am that Which_Wendy has located HER CAPS LOCK? OR IS IT JUST ME?
I digress. The organizer of this protest is a part of our community, if only for a small portion of time (whenever she and her spouse get shipped out), but that doesn't make her any less of community member. And as for being a day late and a dollar short on holding this, her timing was perfect. This protest was because nearly 55% of the no on Prop 8 funding was from the LDS church in Utah. Hence why nearly all of these nation wide protests are being held outside of Mormon Wards post election.
And Which_Wendy, it makes my tummy tighten to think of you whispering to the neighborhood children through fences, telling them about hell, damnation, and, no doubt, bad grammar and poor spelling. If you’re telling folks to go back into their closets and stay there because they disgust you, then I would prefer you go back into your church and lock the doors because you and your hate mongering scare me.
And for clarity’s sake, we know that Evangelical Christians have a higher divorce rate than the general population. http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_di... So how ‘bout not worrying about what’s happening in other people’s flower gardens and tend to your own, eh?
That is the point, people argue it's a choice and a lifestyle. However, humans are biologically animals, and the fact that other animals are exhibiting the same behaviors is a strong indicator homosexual behavior isn't a choice.
Yes, we have the ability to have rational thought, but what does that have to do with homosexuality? Are you implying that homosexuality is irrational? Any consequences to homosexual behavior are societal, not biological.
And it's not a day late, this is an ongoing problem of a lack of separation between religious beliefs and law. There is not a single legitimate, articulate, logical secular argument against gay marriage, and eventually that is going to catch up with people and these laws will be overturned.
Thanks for doing this, kristen. And thanks to all of those on here who are using your brains and not succumbing to arguments such as "if everyone was gay, how would society continue?" That's such a false argument if I ever heard one. Gays and lesbian don't want everyone to be gay--last time I checked, they're not the ones recruiting people (unlike Mormons and missionaries and so on).
peduncle, you're just wrong. Sorry about that. I understand your afraid of things you don't understand. I feel for you though.
The world will not end because of gay marriage, just like the world did not end with interracial marriage (although I suspect that some of you on here would be the same ones arguing against interracial marriage back in the not to distant past when it was illegal in many states).
Teach my children that being gay/lesbian is wrong, wrong, wrong??? Never!! Intolerance like this is just wrong. My kids know that their mother will always be there to defend, protect and support them no matter what their sexual preference.
13. famine
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/...
Marie,
If you want to call me irrational because I support laws that protect marriage, then so be it. Label me what you will.
I've not stated that homosexuality isn't present in the animal world and in ours. The fact that it exists and we are discussing it proves that. Even so we are human and as human, we are different than other beings (animals for you). We have the ability for thought beyond instinctive, we can choose what impulses to act upon.
This is my point.
14. Ignorance
Protect it from what exactaly Ponderous?
What impulses do people need to control? And why?
there is nothing gay about homosexuals it is a perversion. if for it you are also perverted
Ponderous, there is a whole field of behavioral psychology that encompasses as many animals as can be feasibly studied, including humans. It might seem to you like your dog, motivated mostly by food acts only on impulses of "instinct" but other animals make much more advanced choices.
Naturally notable:
Chimps
Dolphins
Elephants
Apes (remember Koko and Michael?)
According to whom? The bible? Ok, well good for us we have a constitution that