Comments on: Alameda: Taking a look at prejudice and stereotypes

By: Jeff R. Thomason

Jeff R. Thomason — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:07:30 +0000

“gay marriage doesn’t affect anyone except for the couple involved”

That is until you try teaching that disgusting crap in our schools … then it affects everyone.

By: Theo

Theo — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:38:19 +0000

gay marriage doesn’t affect anyone except for the couple involved

By: bob

bob — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:22:22 +0000

James,
Let me try and made it as simple for you to understand since its clear you really don’t get it: Discrimination wrong on all levels.

What is the problem with people like you? You never answered my question either: HOW does gay marriage affect YOU personally? If you want to say that those who support gay marriage have no case and hide behind using historical comparisons ( which trust me- are entirely relevant and related) then I can definitely say that those who supported prop 8 have no case whatsoever. Just a vague statement that:

“marriage has always been between a man and a woman.”

My statement to that as well as most anyone with half a brain and an iota of intelligence is: SO WHAT. Who really cares what an “institution” is supposed to be when all that matters is what goes on in your life and not others.

Personally, I really don’t care what other people think of me or my Wife. We love each other, care for each other, and live as we please. But if someone came up from behind and suddenly said that they did, you had better believe there would be hell to pay because its none of their god-damned business what I or anyone else does in my home.

That’s really what it comes down to. It doesn’t affect you personally, so it isn’t any of your business. Its called freedom of choice and freedom from religious persecution, because whether you want to deny it or not, this is all about people like yourself, who believe that religious morality trumps established American laws, one of the oldest being that no religion is to be held over another, nor shall religion be used in government affairs.

Either way, like I said, this law will be done away with. ALL citizens will have equal rights. That I can personally Guarantee you.

By: james

james — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:55:49 +0000

BOB—you sound awful silly when you are trying to be intellectual and the continued mentioning of race in your statements shows you cant stick to the subject I raised which was gay marriage. they have absolutely nothing to do with one another. I realize that changing the subject is the normal ploy of you and other backers of prop 8 since it seems to be the only way you can try to support your position. once again I will say that gays trying to redefine the institution for their own personal gratification is what people object to. again I will say that anybody can marry regardless of who you are but marriage has always been between a man and a woman. Try supporting the institution that you signed on to whenever you were married. you will be a much better person for standing up for your commitment instead of trying to dumb down the morals of marriage in the name of inevitable change—-you sound silly(I can attack and belittle too)

By: bob

bob — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:35:59 +0000

Again James,
I think you’re awfully brash and out of line for assuming that because I support Gay marriage, I must not value my own. What are your grounds for saying something as stupid as that? Like I said and repeat: I am straight, I am married, I LOVE my marriage and respect other straight couples who are married… just as much as I respect Gay couples. I find it offensive that you suggest otherwise. How dare you make that kind of assumption about me? It really shows how ignorant you are.

You obviously believe that being Gay is by definition a bad thing.There are also those who feel that being another Color or ethnic group is a bad thing. Its amazing that people like you don’t see the similarities. True- A majority of Californians voted for Prop 8. Then again, I grew up in the rural South and up until the 1960′s, a majority of the populace voted to keep schools segregated and Jim Crow laws intact. By your logic, those people were right.

Then again, I’m obviously wasting my time discussing this with you. Like I said- I hear the same attitude from lots of older white people like yourself. This is the same with every passing generation, where those who’ve lived lives with the same old laws and ways of thinking for some reason fight tooth and nail to keep it exactly the same for their own comfort while ignoring the obvious tides of inevitable change.

My Dad had a simple saying whenever I complained about having to do something different. All you can expect in life is change.

As mentioned before, just because something might be law doesn’t mean it is necessarily right.

By: james

james — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:19:38 +0000

BOB—so there you have it. two different views of whats going on. you dont accept my arguments and I along with the majority of californias voters see no validity in yours. i am willing to let the supreme court of this nation decide this issue are you? that is where we are headed and when it reaches that point i will accept the decision one way or another. iam just curious but did you listen to some of our great bay area politicians describe themselves last week? isnt it great that politicians like tom ammiano and carole migdon describe themselves as “queers”.. now that in your world is NORMAL but not in the world of the 5,300,000 california voters who rejected prop 8 and the voters of approx 30 other states who have voted it down—–nice talking to you hopefully you will someday value your marriage a little bit more and not try to change what it has stood for since the beginning of time

By: bob

bob — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:32:45 +0000

Dave,
If you have anything useful to add, feel free.

By: bob

bob — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:32:24 +0000

James,
Your argument falls flat because for one, you’re assuming that all people in the US are Christians, religious, and follow the teachings of the Bible. I’m a Christian, but if I wasn’t, then nothing that you’re using as reasoning to deny Gay couples the same rights as you means anything to me. This goes back to a basic element of the constitution: Separation of Church and State. In other words, religious morality is not part of political obligation. I am an absolute firm believer in this.

Your second part of your argument suggests that Gay couples in public are morally corrupting society. Furthermore, we must protect our children from their hideous displays of affection. Amazing. To me, this is not all that different from way back in the not-so-distant past when black children weren’t permitted to drink from White water fountains.

How you raise your children is your business and responsibility. The world changes whether you do or not. Children gain their sense of morality and direction from their parents and from their own inner conscious. If you want to teach them that Gay people are bad, then that’s totally up to you. Taking away someone’s rights to “protect” your children is a slippery slope. If you’re going to go that far, then we might as well ban Television, Movies, the Internet, Books, and billboards. Why? Well- little Junior just might see something dirty and be damaged for life.

Lastly, where do you get that just because I support Gay marriage that I must automatically hate straight marriage? I’m straight and married. What I don’t like is people who put Gay couples on a totally different plane and attempt to shove what they think is morally superior down their throats.

In any regards, Gay marriage will eventually become legal nation-wide. It took years for racial inequality to be eradicated on a political level. The same will likely be true for Gays. This I can assure you.

By: dave

dave — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:46:27 +0000

You begin by stating that “no one is denying anybody the right to marry” and then proceed to do just that.

Your rhetorical skills rank even lower than your basic literacy, and that is an achievement indeed.

By: james

james — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:10:10 +0000

BOB–no one is denying anybody the right to marry but it is quite simple. Tradition nature and religion deem that marriage has always been between a man and a woman and when you see a man dressed as a woman or a woman dressed as a man to accept wedding vows it obviously shows a real problem with that persons acceptance with their own identity. when children ask whats going on iam glad you will be able to tell them that this is normal in your world but it says a lot about you and how you view reality. after that hopefully you will continue and tell them about what they do in the bedroom that you think is so cool and when they grow up they can join in the fun too. gay marriage effects all of society as it brings down the faltering morals of this world even more and confuses our children. i like you have many gay friends. ive worked lived and spent a lot of time with them in the last 40 years so dont think you are so righteous. it still doesnt make it normal.since you want to talk about the bible read leviticus some time and see what god says about a man laying with another man. it is very clear. in conclusion my problem is with the haters of traditional marriage who seek to redefine the institution to fit their emotional needs. come up with something else but stop attacking traditional marriage.