Is american slipping further and further into the dark ages?

Question

Washington just struck down a law making it legal for same sex marriage. How much further down the road to ruin will the US go before it self destructs?
I mean honestly, what's next? Denying the vote to Blacks and Women? How about making interracial marriage illegal again?
Honestly, if some people think it's acceptable to deny a basic civil right to a certian segment of the population, why not others?
(oh and for those of you who don't understand that marriage is a civil right, let me educate you; Marriage is a LEGAL institution, not a religious one. Want proof? Try to get married in a church without the legal paperwork. You can't. Now get married by a justice of the peace at city hall without any mention of a magic sky-pixie. No problem at all. See how that works? Good).
I invite discussion on the matter.

Answer 1

If you're American (I'm not) you have to realise that at the moment the only hope we have is for people who recognise the present administration as heinous, irresponsible and backwards to get out and actively support whichever Democrat happens to be running. Whether or not you happen to agree with Republican views on the economy, immigration or whatever, you have to remember that they are tightly under the control of the Religious Right and will be long after GWB has retired. The _only_ way for the United States to reverse this slide into mediaeval nonsense is to ensure that a Democrat is in the White House come 2008.

Answer 2

If you want to look at this issue as a legal matter look at it this way.
If I belonged to a religion which advocated multiple wives (as many do) would it be "equal" rights if I wanted it?
If I belonged to a religion that advocated marrying a child (as many do) would it also be "equal" rights?
If I wanted to marry my sister or my mother would that be "equal" rights?
If I wanted to marry a man would that be "equal" rights?
Which one of the above has more Merritt or significance?
As far as rights go, we do all have the same rights ANY MAN CAN MARRY ANY WOMAN and visa verse as long as they are willing, and not all ready married. This goes for people of any religion as well as sexual orientation if they choose.
So giving a certain group an ADDITIONAL right to make them "happy'' will not stop with just one group.
. As I have said many many times on this forum I am a Libertarian
and I do not want the government involved in our personal lives.
However, that being said, I look at it as an all or nothing scenario.
If the government is going to let there be rights conferred to certain groups, they would then have to let them be given to ANY group which wants it. Making it a free for all where the government would have no say at all, which then renders the argument of marriage being a legal issue dead.
Then, there is the issue of government programs.
As it is now, social security is set up to take care of my family (if I die), However, if my wife dies, we will not receive anything from the government, her social security is forfeit to the system. So when a Gay couple was to get married they would have to decide, in advance, who would be the Man and who would be the Woman, Because different rights are conferred upon us by the government.
If you think we can simply change the way social security, as well as the many other government programs are distributed, think again.
There isn't enough money there for us to keep things the way they are let alone allow half the population start accepting government assistance. Also if you think we can just change the system, wrong again. we all saw what happens every time a president tries to change the system, Mass hysteria over the fact that people seem to think the government will screw it up. They wont let the government fix what is all ready wrong let alone fix problems that don't exist yet.
I would ask these people whom think the government should confer extra rights on them if they can extend the same rights to other groups. I don't see anti religion groups allowing religious groups special rights to marry whomever they want either.

Answer 3

No, the U.S. is not slipping further into the dark ages. The dark ages were classified as such because of a lack of electricity for one, and the general lack of scientific knowledge for another. I think that the ban on same sex marriage is something that will eventually give way to popular acceptance. Unlike other situations, where a large portion of U.S. citizens were motivated an united for action, i.e. women's suffrage (51% of the nation), interracial marriage (50%), homosexuals make up a much smaller portion (couldn't find the number). With less people affected by the consequences of these actions, there is less support for its opposition. As such, it would be logical to assume that this will take a much longer time to change than many other issues. Do not forget, or accuse republicans or conservatives of being the sole supporters of the ban on gay marriage. It was Clinton who signed the Defense of Marriage Act (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_Marriage_Act) into legislation.

Answer 4

For the time being, yes. I think the way our system works right now (Everyone is kissin *** tryin to get what they want passed as law) is going to have to break down and the people are going to have to make up their minds and quit trying to make laws to keep people they don't like from doing what they freely do.

Excellent point on the marriage thing. And you're right... it's a Legal Institution... all societies have had marriages... it wasn't started in the bible.

Answer 5

I can honestly say that I had NEVER thought of marriage in terms of legalities. Yes, I've been all too familiar with the term "legally married" but had never really thought much about it from a legal vs. religious aspect. Great point and I like the way you presented it.

Answer 6

Damn it! This is the first I heard about Washington striking the law down.

Remember that we are back at status quo, not actually worse off. So we have to keep pushing. This *is* a new thing. To me, it feels like forever because my wife and I have had the promise of marriage dangled in front of us since we were 18, but it's very new and scary to many other people. We're going to have to protect ourselves and each other as best as we can (wills, powers of attorney, etc), and keep going, just as people who dealt with other civil rights issues did.

Answer 7

marriage is not a USA invention. It has been part of the social fabric of the world for thousands of years. Regardless how one feels, doing away with a human tradition going back that far should be done with extreme caution. You can get married in a church to anyone, no one is stopping you.

Answer 8

in case you notice like this. yet sens of marriage does no longer count on govenment or church, whether many disagree. Sens of marriage is in line with organic rights and is finished in favour of society . think of, if human beings stay jointly yet no longer marry what approximately their families? could they be attentive to a minimum of one yet another or fairly no because of the fact may well be next year there'll be a transformation? How could they get be attentive to a minimum of one yet another if there'll be no wedding ceremony ceremony? After marriage 2 human beings residing jointly ability 2 families working jointly. that's good for infants if any come. devoid of marriage the couple is merely socially weaker. And now look on the experience of gay marrage. could or no longer this is quite any experience hoping for clean, larger social organism joined via families like that. The experience of cooperation is new era. and how approximately infants - 2 guy is a robust team yet are they heading to upward push a infants? enable's be honest - unhappy infants. i think of the type of couple no choose particular backup, they could do themselves and there is few issues to stop them from braking in 2. So in social length their marriage is pointless. And different dimensions are too meaningless to start changing low and custom for them, which may well be extra complicated than anybody expects.

Answer 9

The US was founded upon puritanical principles, so any human rights that are taken for granted in the rest of the western world, will always be lacking in the US, even under liberal governments. You see, an American liberal is still a right winger (or at least center right).

Answer 10

When I see Pat Buchannon saying that this administration is too conservative, it scares the hell out of me. Even he sounds moderate now!!

The people in power think they're on a mission from god.

How do we sleep at night?