Key Washington state gay marriage vote Wednesday

Nathan from Pleasanton California - Relationships
DEMOCRACY: A society in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives.
MARRIAGE (or wedlock): A social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. The definition of marriage varies according to different cultures, but is usually an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged. Such a union, often formalized via a wedding ceremony, may also be called matrimony.

Yeah Chris...and the slaves should have waited until they were accepted as citizens...? Those nogoodnick abolitionists forcing their Agenda to eradicate the institution of slavery and using the Law to protect the civil rights of all citizens instead of waiting and earning acceptance because they don't want to upset the people who already hate them and think they don't deserve civil rights. And by definition, passing laws to extend ubiquitous civil rights to a group exactly "help the case of the gays in America."

I remember when my stepfather, one of the worlds biggest racists, was presented with his first and only grandchild, a big bouncing black baby boy that was his image. Big Leo and W. Axel Rose are risking gay children and grandchildren. Serves them right. Too bad for the kids though.

The government is forbidden to enforce your personal religious point of view, or anyone else's, against the citizenry. To say that there should be laws against equal marriage rights for gay couples because you believe that God forbids it is worthless in terms of our Constitutional system.

My wife and I have what is - to the best of my knowledge - the ONLY heterosexual marriage to have ever been adversely effected by gay marriage
This past August, a couple we know - who have ben together for over 25 years - were wed in NYC. We spent nearly five whole minutes arguing about what to give them as a wedding gift. We opted for a coin-toss. I won, and they loved the boxed set of "Doctor Who" DVDs

That's it: Less than five minutes of a mild argument. Our marriage has survived the trauma

Curious how "the gays" getting married effects other peoples marriage? Does it somehow manage to make you love your spouse any less or cheapen the commitment you made to them on your wedding day? If you somehow believe your marriage needs to be protected because "the gays" may get to use the same word as you...it is highly probable you married the wrong person.

Big Leo is a big man picking on woman who want abortions for being raped and gays.

We have the usual haters here saying that public accommodation laws trump the First Amendment and threatening to bury us. Sound familiar? It's the braying of the theophobe in full pursuit. They will not rest until they have destroyed faith in God. Fortunately, everyone who has tried this has been defeated.

Yes... 44 states ban gay marriage based on traditional Christian beliefs... I can see how Christians are so offended by this statistic.

More conservative lies from the desperate Christian Taliban. The bill in the state legislature is all about civil marriage. Churches have nothing to do with it, as a religious service is not required for a state marriage license in any of the 50 states. Conservatives and the Christian Taliban are attempting to obstruct the civil rights of gay couples to enter into the same legal contract as the state offers to straight couples. Nothing more, nothing less. Equal rights.

As I have pointed out, the Christian Taliban and radical political special interest groups like Family Research Council have spent decades attacking any and all legal rights and protections for gay people, not just marriage. They like claim it's just about the word "marriage," but they have opposed domestic partnerships, civil unions, gay people in the military, employment and housing non-discrimination legislation, hate crimes legislation (under which they, themselves, enjoy protection). They have aggressively pushed ballot measures and legislation that would prohibit not only gay marriage, but any state recognition of same sex couples, prohibiting same sex couples from entering legal contracts, banning gay people from working in schools, and prohibiting gay people from being able to adopt children. In other words, conservatives and the Christian Talibanists have attacked the bsic constitutional rights of gay people's pursuit of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

And now, in their arrogance and sense of entitlement, the Christian Taliban is distorting the Constitution and the First Amendment. The right to worship does not extend to the right to violate public accommodation laws, but Christianists want "special rights" (a phrase they're oh so fond of using). But this is really just a red herring because even where exemptions to such laws have been enacted, the Christian Taliban still militantly opposes marriage and civil union legislation. This can only mean one thing: This is all about their religion-fueled bigotry and the same old agenda the militant right has been pushing for decades. It is time to stop indulging these militant religionists who have no regard for the constitutional rights of others.

When I was hospice nursing back in the 1990's, I saw time and again horrible tragedies of gay persons together for decades not allowed to be with their partners in the hospital while they died due to homophobic family and regulations. After the death, out of state family was legally allowed to enter the couples' home and dismantle it of the deceased's property totally heartlessly disregarding the covenant of the couple and the survivor's feelings / wellbeing rights. God Bless America and the "RIGHT" family values.

People on here have been talking at length about the "harm" of having to loosely and tangently participate in a same sex wedding (i.e. sell a gay couple flowers or cake)

I've been to 2 same sex weddings (one of my cousins and a co-worker) and they were wonderful events - tons of family and friends celebrating a joyous occasion - kids dancing, the band playing, great food, and beautiful church services. I can't even fathom how someone would be harmed by being loosely affiliated with such a spiritual and joyful event.

And no one is asking you to celebrate same sex weddings or go to go any. Given the comments of many on here, I can't imagine you'd be invited anyway.

All I am asking is to exercise some common decency and treat others as you would want to be treated. If a gay couple asks to buy flowers from you - sell the flowers to them...because isn't that how you would want to be treated when getting ready for your wedding?

The people of Washington State believe in equal rights for all. We shall see how quickly Mitt Romney and his LDS "Mother Ship" send another Proposition 8 bomb from Salt Lake City.

Yep, I'm the moderate. My views on the subject are roughly in the middle third. And the irony is you can't see it. I have no problem with civil contracts or ceremonies. I don't want to make homosexual behavior illegal, and supported legalization. However, it is not my business and don't make it my business. Don't put gay propaganda into the schools. Don't make me pay for it. Don't make me participate or host in the ceremonies or activities I consider immoral. Leave my church, my church camp, and church property out of it. All of these things the gay fanatics have failed to do. I respect their rights to be left alone. They do not respect mine.

Your failure to do that is the reason why you can't win elections on the subject. Here's how you lost my home state, Maine. Maine is the most secular state in the union as defined by having the lowest church attendance. Sometimes we're second most secular. It's also very much in favor of all rights. The gay marriage referendum was a plain winner until the gay fanatics got to work. You had in the bag. They had the support of most politicians and every media outlet, print and broadcast. They attacked a candidate for teacher of the year and tried to get him fired. They engaged in the type of hate speech and bigotry we see here. They were so dreadful that public opinion swung the other way.

As long as 'moderates' like you are in charge of these campaigns, we will win.

Those opposed to same-sex marriage are going to need to start writing their own computer/tablet/cellphone operating systems, since Microsoft (out of Washington) and Apple (out of California) are on the supporter side.

Thumbs up if you are sick and tired of all the hateful comments on articles like this.

Be careful about being a cheerleader for putting people's civil rights up for a vote ... yours can easily be next.

The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.

After seeing all the failed marriages I have in my life.. I can imagine that in a few years a few gay couples will say "I wish I had never married so and so" Equality comes with the good and the bad..

Marriage ( btw a man and a woman) was instituted, ordained and bless by GOD.

anything other than this, can not be approved by GOD. man may approve of it, but not

GOD....His word says: ...they have left the natural use of a woman and turn to the unnatural,

men with men, committing that which is EVIL... Romans 1: 27

He cannot approve of Evil/Sin...though He loves the sinners, calling them to repentance

(leave that ACT alone)

Man may approve of Homosexuality, but not GOD

so these minority of people need to STOP living in DENIAL (saying God will approve of such

ACT) and repent. the grace and mercy of God is only for the living, not for the dead (in the grave there is no repentance.

JESUS told the woman (who was caught in adultery) i do not condemn you,(cus she was alive and living) but go and sin

no more lest the worse thing happen to you (die in your sin)