Supreme Court Justice John Roberts and the imaginary "gay lobby"
By louisehartmann
After yesterday's landmark challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, the pro-equality crowd is hopeful that the Supreme Court will strike down the discriminatory law. During the oral arguments, the majority of the Justices seemed ready to strike down DOMAs key provision, which denies same-sex couples the right to all the federal benefits of marriage.
The liberal justices expressed obvious concerns over DOMA's impact on same-sex couples, and the typical swing vote, Justice Anthony Kennedy, seemed to conclude that the law infringed on state's rights to legalize gay marriage. The Court's most conservative justice, Antonin Scalia, apparently focused more on the fact that the President and the Attorney General refused to defend the law, and less on the law's constitutionality.
The most notable moment of yesterday's arguments came from Chief Justice John Roberts, when he attempted to make the case that the “gay lobby” was too politically powerful to warrant constitutional protection. Roberts suggested that lawmakers are “falling all over themselves” to legalize gay marriage, as if to imply the LGBT community doesn't meet the “heightened scrutiny” requirement to be considered a protected class. But the fact is, more than 30 states in our nation have laws on the books barring same-sex marriage. LGBT families still have a long fight ahead to achieve full equality.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue their ruling on DOMA, and Tuesday's Prop 8 case, later this year. Let's hope that they strike down both discriminatory laws, and pave the way for same-sex couples to marry in any state in our nation.
Comments
#2
Hey, you're the one whose name is the offspring of an Alaskan governor and a camel.
#3
It occurred to me that the reason Obama isn't just not enforcing DOMA is that by letting it go to court, it will die rather than merely sleep until a bigoted President comes along.
#4
I talked to you on today's show about this petion.
A White House petition has been submitted to fund Fusion Research $100 Billion / 10 years. See http://FusionPetition.us for more information. I talked to you about this on your show today. This petition is a lightning rod for the fundamental failings of the conservative movement. Now is the time to make a larger investment in new energy research for the following reasons:
• It replaces carbon fuels with clean energy
• It’s Pro Science & Research
• It’ll create jobs in the sciences and construction
• It is about the Government “Picking a winner”
• It’ll increase the size of government
The petition is “live” for 30 days and timed to close on Earth Day. $100 Billion over ten years is too big for industry, yet can be easily achieved with government resources. This is about long-term downsizing of the carbon fuel colossus for good. The result will benefit mankind for generations.
Best Regards,
Dave Doucette
P.S.
You’re forgiven about the jab at Unitarian Universalists. It is a very spiritual church.
#5
I think I never thought long,hard fighting for justice and equality in America was to become the status quo. And that it would take piles of money fed to roach-class lawyers to get any. According to my old schoolbooks, we were already a country of freedom and equality a long time ago, moving forward from there.
#6
I tuned into one of five so-called "christian" radio shows today. They were going on and on that Jesus said that marriage is between a woman and a man. Then they were talking about marriage between two men or between two women. They seemed to be ok with that so long as they are celibate. WTF. Won't they ever grow up?
#7
So called christian chimp shut down the Livermore lab in Livermore, California which had built an elaborate testing device for developing nuclear fusion. Of course chimp shut it down and I understand that he used it to maintain our nuclear arsenal.. I am all for starting it again but switching it to perfecting nuclear fusion. Livermore lab is a government funded lab which had been run by the Univeristy of California at Berkeley which is a PUBLIC college and not a corporation. We have similar labs at Los Alamos and Albuquerque. Last I heard, Los Alamos had completed the genome project which identified all the genes in the human body which is providing astounding advances in medicine using gene therapies. Berkeley used to run Los Alamos until chimp arranged a coup and replaced Berkeley with no doubt a corporation like Haliburton. The story was that they were bumped because of leaks of secrets. The first two nuclear weapons were produced at Los Alamos when it was run by the military during WWII. Sandia lab in ABQ is very secretive and is most likely nursing our nearby nuclear arsenal. It is rumored that that a hell of a lot of our nuclear arsenal is stored under the Sandia Mountains in the City of Albuquerque. No wonder no one wants to live here.
As I understand it, nuclear fusion is clean and they are experimenting with the Heavy Hydrogen in seawater to produce energy which makes steam that runs generators. A byproduct would be minerals from the seawater which could be used to produce many other products. Another byproduct would be clean drinking water which is becoming very scarce here in the southwest. It almost sounds too good to be true but Livermore National Lab was getting close to success until the religious freaks shut it down when chimp took office.
#8
I hadn't heard that the alaskan governor had married a camel. Will wonders never cease. I hope they have a lasting relationship.
#9
No, we weren't and aren't. Not everyone enjoyed/enjoys the freedom and equality you speak of. That's what our textbooks said, but they left out a whole lot of stuff that we should know, and we suffer for it, i.e. your comment. . Read: "Lies my teacher told me," for a good comprehensive look at the shabby state of our education--historical education specifically. Much of what our textbooks say are more like propaganda pieces for an "exceptional" America--and sometimes texts are rejected because they don't say that America is "exceptional," and sometimes they're rejected because they are not patriotic enough. i.e. they discuss a serious problem in our history like slavery, racism, segregation and the like.
What is a "roach-class lawyer"? Perhaps you are referring to "Any of numerous oval, flat-bodied insects of the family Blattidae, including several species that are common household pests." Or maybe a freshwater fish found in northern Europe.
Blacks have never been treated equally in this country and still are not. Here's another book that I think should be mandatory reading for every American: "The new Jim Crow," by Michelle Alexander. There are hundreds of books and articles you can read that will repair your second-rate education (nothing personal; that's what all of us get).
#10
I really don't understand the degree of attention focused on this issue while attention to truly critical issues, such as extreme US poverty (something that had virtually been ended by 1980), is ignored. Of course it benefits inidividuals and society when more people are in happy, commited relationships. I see no downside to extending the legal protections and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. I don't want to hear self-righteous moral declarations from the same people who support policies that directly violate God's Law (our thirst for war, appalling treatment of the poor, culture of arrogance and greed, etc.). Beyond that -- eh. Other than the few individuals directly involved, it has no impact on anything. I promise the worriers that it will not cause anyone to "turn gay." The Earth won't crumble, the sky won't fall.
#11
POLY-DRAMA-DAIRY ~ Did you by chance catch the witty comment about you yesterday by Timothy Gilmore. If not, it deserves repeating:
Timothy Gilmore wrote ~ "Palindromedary has obviously "hooked his gonads up to his thalamus and disconnected his cerebrum..."(Robert Heinlein) "
Palindromedary ~ Please note: It is far wiser to think without speaking than to speak without thinking! (By ME)
As far as the amusing overt insinuation that I may have taken human sexuality to explain my own bisexuality you couldn't be further from the truth. Wanna guess again? Heh! Heh! Heh! Of course overt defensive actions are understandable when coming from a bisexual who himself feels threatened by clinical evidence that they themselves may have gay tendencies when they do have gay tendencies--especially one's they can't control. Of course this isn't true of all bi or gay people--only the ones in denial. I'm sure that wouldn't be you by any chance, would it?
You see, I am very comfortable with my heterosexuality and do not see any bi or gay person as a threat to it. You obviously have some unresolved issues. This might explain your "unusual" avatar "choice"--IE a two headed creature from "Greek" mythology who is tormented by the arrows of indecision. Talk about a cry for "curiosity." Heh! Heh! Heh! Are we having fun yet?
Please allow me to explain why I really chose to take the course, "The Sociology of Human Sexual Behavior," as well as "The Psychology of Human Sexual Behavior." The reasoning was really quite simple:
#1. They both fulfilled all the elective requirements I needed for the two degrees I earned.
#2. They both appeared to be the easiest electives offered in the Course Catalog and fit right into my class schedule.
#3. I made the assumption that both courses would be packed with fine, hot, young, sex-crazed chicks.
As it turned out I was 2 out of 3 right. Not only weren't these courses easy; but, in fact, they were probably the most difficult and time consuming disciplines I've ever undertaken. If it wasn't for the abundance of hot attractive student body's taking up the 70 chair lecture hall every day I would have probably dropped the course. However, as the situation was, I was always in class on time, homework in hand, and reading materials ready to discuss. Try as I might to walk away, I was unable to leave all that female potential behind. (Heh! Heh! Heh! Now that's what I call a real manly pun!)
Thanks for mentioning you got those statistics from the census. We covered the census on the first day. It, like many other sources of information on the subject of homosexuality, is considered unreliable because of the dominance of heterosexual social norms in society. The results are tainted. Many homosexuals, and most bisexuals go through great lengths to keep their sexual preferences a secret--from family, friends, even loved ones. It simply stands to reason that they aren't going to surrender those secrets to some stranger at the door who says he works for the government. For most people to the right of heterosexuality on the bell curve, sexually guarded secrets are the most important secrets they have. Most people are happy to go to their grave with them. And why not? It's no one Else's business anyway.
I do agree with the idea that the vast majority of people in society being some form of bisexual is a difficult concept to accept--especially for pure heterosexuals and pure homosexuals. Personally, at the time I learned that bell curve theory of human sexuality I too was very cynical. However, over the years I've gained a new perspective on the concept. It's not so hard to believe anymore. Doesn't bother me! The way I see it, God created us all. Everything God created is good. Whatever the truth about us is, it is good. Lying about what God created is bad. Judging each other is the worst of all.
#12
The snipe fairies are really active today! Baaa Baaa....coming Dolly! Won't be long now I'll have you covered under all the same benefits as real man/woman married people have. Hell, if corporations can be people...why not sheep? Yes that's very interesting about the name Palindromedary, isn't it? I find it most amusing myself...not at all defensive about it. You can't get my goat (sheep?) with that one you know. You know why they call the camel a "ship of the desert"? Well, never mind if you don't already know I'm sure not going to tell you. See, I can make a joke about my Username too...I really don't care...it's funny... so have at it all you sniping fairies out there. I know this is a sensitive subject for many of you who are not really considered "normal" by most of the rest of us. I suspect that there are a lot of you...I mean where else would you all go but to a site like this. I watch FSTV and Link TV a lot and whenever they air some sicko programs dealing with abnormal sexuality...I find it disgusting and turn the channel.
#13
" Everything God created is good."
Yeah, right, cancer is good; AIDS is good; children who die in a burning schoolhouse is good; war is good; blight and pestilence is good; banksters are good; malformed babies are good....yeah, gee, there sure are a lot things, that God created, that are good aren't there? Or are you now going to switch gears and qualify what you just said by saying "Satan was responsible for all the bad things"? Or maybe evil demons? Now don't go quoting scripture on me now. I'm about all laughed out. Oh, what the hell, go ahead..I know you want to. I usually skip over those anyway...just like I tune out the other crap that people try to proselytize me with on TV.
#14
You are right. Trivial matters keep us too busy to get to what really needs needs amending in court. I'm certain it is on purpose so the fascist regime can go about its business as usual, as it has always used distractions to turn our heads away from what it is doing.
#15
POST #24 FROM WEDNESDAY DESERVES SOME DISCUSSION...ANYONE, ANYONE...
#16
ATTENTION KEND...Post #20 from Wednesday is directed to you and deserves response.
#17
Thanks to the wall of separation between church and state we no longer have heretical based burnings and hangings, but of course it doesn't end there. The wall also blocks..... those among the Mormons and other religious fanatics who would deny marriage as a civil right FOR ALL........ from forcing their religious beliefs upon the rest of us.
Denying the civil right of same-sex marriage is every bit as ill-informed as was the banning of interracial marriage.
#18
MMmmNACHOS ~ I'll respond to your 'Fracking' concerns. This topic is serious business and does warrant much more attention than gay rights. First off, you take Kend way too seriously. Really, someone who doesn't bother to spell check or proof read his own writing is no one to upset yourself with. They have no self respect--that is obvious. On the other hand, they do make an excellent tool to 'spring board' ones own rant off of. Kudos for that MMmmNACHOS!
Before I became distracted by the overt bigotry and homophobia of Palindromedary, I too wanted to respond to Kend's light hearted flipping-off of environmentalists concerns about fracking. This was to be my response:
Kend ~ How responsible of you to weigh in on such a sensitive issue as fracking. Thank you for sharing that insight about how safe the process was and how by cleaning underground water the companies were actually doing a favor for these people who are complaining. I agree with you Kend. I suggest we join forces to convince everyone that everything you just said is 100% accurate. I have a plan.
A good old friend of mine works for one of the companies that is conducting this work. I just spoke to him last night about your comment. He agrees. He has offered to bring me a sample of this fracking chemical they use on the work site. I suggest Kend that you and I get together and film this for YouTube. I will take a clean glass of water and pour about a shot glass full of this fracking concoction into it. I will stir it up and you can drink it down. We will film the entire event and post it on YouTube. Then we can link to that post right here on this blog and demonstrate to all the readers that Kend is a man of his word who stands by everything he says. He is a man of honor and not completely full of crap.
What say you Kend, are you ready to put your mouth where your money is?
#19
Palindromedary ~ No, I haven't forgot about your surprising display of bigotry and homophobia. I just don't have anymore to say to you on the subject. As far as calling me a snipe fairy is concerned, I only hope you meant a 'good' snipe fairy. By the way, thanks for considering me not 'normal'. I take that as a huge compliment.
As far as your criticism of God is concerned; well, God really doesn't need me to defend him, now does he? I'll leave that little matter to be resolved between you and God. I'm done!
Meanwhile, please take it easy on the Gays. They've done nothing to you. All they want is a few benefits that you and I take for granted--along with the reasonable desire for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! Is that so much to ask?
Is it really acceptable to bash them solely because they are different than you and because their fight is taking time away from your own personal complaints? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to support them the same way you might some day what them to support you?
After all, United We Stand, Divided We Fall!
#20
At least I'm not a drunken lush who drinks too much one day and leaves his real name on a post and then tries to blame it on someone else (namely...me) that you strongly implied that "hacked" into the site to get your real name.
And every time I rebut your non-sense about demons and superstitions about God you claim I am trying to destroy your faith in God. I am just posing counter arguments to your non-sense. I realize that anyone who has already committed themselves to ridiculous superstitious beliefs will never listen to reason or logic or scientific evidence. You have swallowed the dogma and you will never listen to anything but superstitious hogwash. But do some of us all a favor and stop with the thumper propaganda in the way of biblical quotations. And stay off the juice.
#21
The Justice system in this country is exactly opposite of what its name implies--it is an Unjust System. In the same way Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts implies that the 'Gay Lobby' is so powerful that it doesn't deserve the support of the Constitution this same bunch of losers declare that Corporations are entitled to the same Constitutional rights as people. What a bunch of hypocrites!
Is it any surprise that a state Justice upholds the right of a fracking company to retain secret its list of ingredients of its fracking compound that is injected into the ground and may affect water supplies and contaminate soil? Of course no one cites any of the cases where the government and the courts compel other companies that make food to place labels on packages listing in detail what ingredients are in the food we eat. They also are compelled to list the nutritional information as well. These companies put up little if no resistance to such demands either. Is not their protection of their recipes on the line? Or, perhaps they feel that their copy rights to their recipe secrets are better protected by making the ingredient list public and therefore by publicly declaring their recipe any infringement is dead in the water at conception.
So why isn't this also true of the ingredient list for fracking chemicals? The way I see it, the only explanation is that the Justice system is complicity engaging in a cover up of concealment of facts that if made public would not only shut down the fracking industry; but also, leave them wide open for law suits for gross negligence. If you ask me, the industry along with any Justices that served as accomplices should be held accountable together down the road if and when any harm done is traced back to this incompetent decision by the Justice System.
#22
Life as we know it is in a binary system. So the reasoning goes man woman in marriage. Perhaps some think debate about gay stuff can be described by imaginary numbers. Be scientific and introduce all those mathematical concepts that reduce to the predator prey social economic model is traditional in today’s social money cultures. I think the argument is now we could consider it dangerous rather than normal to work within a homogenous blend within a heterosexual blend.
Homosexuals rearing children isn’t new. My experience as a young man first encountered this homosexual marriage concept in college about the time of my late teens. Then thinking nothing of it, curiously enough at the time it was very secretive stuff in the gay community. Even more so in the academic social sphere where partners declare among themselves as “married”. Here gay secret marriage was true deception of the regular so called straight system. I reject the bible condemnation of gays as a reason to be secret. The kicker in my experience was two male college teachers that where homosexual adopting a young man way back in the sixties. Better yet they were Cuban under the cover of being straight. Many feel a most elusive right to exist in a free society, yet we could say people without knowing things could go awry, like people laundering, similarly like banking money laundering.
After reflecting on it that secrecy stuff with gays about coming out is more than curious, there is some impact, and is gay a gift of transparency or reconciliation of gilt. From my view it is uncertain. One thing could be possible being flipped about creation might be the argument the life force wants. That’s not saying whether going for gay is good or bad. The arguments for this gay stuff need treatment from all ages not just the young American’s.
#23
Palindromedary ~ What is your problem? As far is that one incident is concerned I assure you that was something I've never been drunk enough to write. I do suspect someone on this blog of doing it; but, it wasn't you. I prefer to leave it at that because I intend to give that person enough rope to hang themselves. (BTW I'm fairly confident I know exactly who did it.) I'm sorry if I said I suspected you but I was in shock when I read it the first time. Please forgive me. It's no fun having ones identity compromised and I hope it never happens to you. I've always appreciated your attempt to intervene on my behalf.
Actually, I've enjoyed all our discussions immensely. In fact, I owe you a dept of gratitude. Your talk about drinking tea in the evening has compelled me to follow your lead. Right now I'm enjoying a large cup of tea. You have already inspired me to "stay off the juice" and I feel better than ever as a result. I've not mentioned it before; but, I've always wanted to thank you for that.
As far as my so called "superstitions" are concerned, I suppose that you are just going to have to ignore them. I hope you realize that you can no more change my beliefs than I can change yours. I do try to keep them at a level of relevance to the subjects at hand; and, really do not like to resort to that type of argument unless I feel that the significance is sufficient enough to warrant it. It is what it is! I hope it doesn't offend you. However, if you can agree to respect my beliefs, I can certainly respect yours.
#24
Thanks DANNEMARC...I like your tact. ;)
I think I am gonna take a break from blogs for a bit.
Best of luck, keep your spirit up.
ciao
#25
MMmmNACHOS ~ My friend! Keeping my spirits up is easier said than done! I too am considering taking a break from this Blog. I don't think I can stand much more of the negativity. Besides, I've stated everything I need to say. It's there in the archives if anyone is interested. I'm quite tired of repeating myself. I'd prefer to think of myself as a Heavenly Counselor then a Parrot. Besides, at the risk of repeating myself, there is that Biblical quote that I've all but worn out on this Blog:
Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Perhaps it is time for me to listen to my own advice. Shortly, I will be joining you and AliceInWonderland in anonymity. I may return in the future; but, I don't promise anything. Life is too short to put up with this crap. Take care MMmmNACHOS! I will miss you and all my other fellow comrades! Tah! Tah!
DAnneMarc
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Yes, let's strike down all discriminatory laws so some people can marry their sheep.