By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
The inertia against state prohibition of gay marriage continues to rise. United States District Court Judge Barbara Crabb declared Wisconsin’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional.
In 2006 Wisconsin voters amended the state constitution outlawing gay marriage in any form. The ACLU filed the lawsuit in February on behalf of eight couples who believe their constitutional rights to due process were violated consequently depriving them of protections married couples enjoy due to their gender.
Court clerks in Madison and Milwaukee immediately afterward opened their doors to register marriage licenses to gay couples beginning at 5:00 PM on the sixth, just over an hour after the court issued its ruling. Many couples welcomed this opportunity immediately, due in part to a belief among some that this might be a limited window of opportunity before a possible halt to the marriages during an appeals process.
Judge Crabb stated in her decision:
This case is not about whether marriages between same-sex couples are consistent or inconsistent with the teachings of a particular religion, whether such marriages are moral or immoral or whether they are something that should be encouraged or discouraged. It is not even about whether the plaintiffs in this case are as capable as opposite-sex couples of maintaining a committed and loving relationship or raising a family together.
Quite simply, this case is about liberty and equality, the two cornerstones of the rights protected by the United States Constitution.
Wisconsin Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen sought an emergency order in federal court to block the weddings, saying the ruling did not necessarily provide a clear path to gay weddings to begin. Van Hollen said confusion and uncertainty had resulted from the judge’s decision and the status quo must be preserved.
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By Darren Smith
Source: Fox News
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
Paul, I said artificial insemination not IVF. Artificial insemination is much cheaper.
The Texas GOP is in the process of promoting an interesting legal conundrum. At least one segment of the party favors endorsing a psychological “treatment” that claims to turn gay people straight. The rub comes because this so-called “reparative therapy” has been shown to be as effective as the Orgone Box.
At the same time Texas’ GOP is promoting this platform, if any licensed health professional tries to conduct “reparative therapy”, they run the risk of losing their license to practice. It has been shown to be ineffective, and actually harmful. Therefore, it violates the ethical codes of psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical social workers and professional counselors. All the professional organizations for those licensed mental health professions have made it quite clear in their code of ethics, that this is unethical practice. Because the codes of ethics are clear and unambiguous on that point, state licensing boards will be required to act accordingly.
http://www.apa.org/about/policy/sexual-orientation.aspx
Chuck – just because the APA comes out and says something, which they will change their minds on later, does not mean anyone else has to go along with it. If Texas approves reparative therapy, there really isn’t much the APA can do about it.
“Homosexual agenda (or gay agenda) is a term introduced by some conservative Christians in the United States, often used disparagingly to describe the advocacy of cultural acceptance and normalization of non-heterosexual orientations and relationships. The term refers to efforts to change government policies and laws on LGBT rights related issues. The term has also been used by some social conservatives and others to describe alleged goals of LGBT rights activists, such as recruiting heterosexuals into what they term a ‘homosexual lifestyle’.[1]”wikipedia
swarthmoremom – read the Wikipedia entry for Gay Agenda now. I fixed it.
The editors there have a huge gay bias of their own, and we have debated quite a bit about how this page should be written.
The ‘gay agenda’ at work.
Minneapolis settles suit with fired psychologist for $210,000
Michael Campion was fired because of concerns over his ties to an “anti-homosexual” organization
By ROCHELLE OLSON, Star Tribune
September 3, 2010
A psychologist who screened potential Minneapolis police officers will receive a $210,000 settlement from the city over his firing, which stemmed from his affiliation with the Illinois Family Institute and his support for treating the “problem” of homosexuality.
The City Council unanimously agreed Friday after a closed-door session to pay Michael Campion of Campion, Barrow & Associates of Illinois Inc. (CBA) rather than go forward with a U.S. District Court trial scheduled to start Sept. 13 before U.S. Judge Joan Ericksen.
Council Member Gary Schiff, who is gay, said, “It was clear the settlement was in the city’s best interest.”
The Family Institute has stated that it opposes the “gay lifestyle.”
If the city had lost at trial, it could have been made to pay Campion’s attorney’s fees. Schiff said the settlement amount includes legal fees.
In reaching the decision, Schiff said, the council leaned heavily on an 18-page pretrial ruling from Ericksen, in which she wrote, “The court observes, at this preliminary state, that plaintiffs’ First Amendment interests appear to be strong.”
Jim Campbell, of the Alliance Defense Fund of Arizona, said the settlement “reinforces that the government cannot penalize Christian contractors for their beliefs. The court had already issued a decision finding that the City of Minneapolis removed Dr. Campion because of his constitutionally protected involvement with a Christian organization, noting that Dr. Campion’s constitutional rights were strong.”
Schiff said the council realized that Ericksen’s ruling signaled an uphill legal fight.
CBA began working for the city in 2004, about a year after a federal mediator came to town to address concerns about biased policing and low numbers of minority officers. In 2006, members of the Police Community Relations Council, which grew out of the federal mediation, raised concerns about racial bias in CBA’s work. Another firm reviewed the work and found no such evidence.
Campion met with the community council in August 2006 and concerns were raised about his affiliation with the Family Institute, founded by James Dobson, and the “anti-homosexual” nature of the organization, the judge’s order said.
Former City Council Member Scott Benson, who is gay and a lawyer, sent a note to then-interim Police Chief Tim Dolan and asked, “How did Dr. Michael Campion, who was a board member of the Illinois Family Institute (a notoriously discriminatory anti-gay group) become the psychologist for the Minneapolis Police Dept. for screening new hires etc?”
The same month the city suspended work with Campion and hired another firm to do screening, citing better “diversity and transparency” issues at the firm.
CBA sued, claiming the city violated Campion’s First Amendment rights by taking action against him because of his association with the Family Institute.
The city argued that the decision to part ways with CBA stemmed not from Campion’s speech but by “concerns about bias.”
Campion’s business, based in Champaign, Ill., has performed psychological testing for 35 years for more than 100 law enforcement agencies, including St. Paul. A portion of Campion’s testing was developed through a U.S. Department of Justice grant in which he sampled St. Paul residents on what characteristics were important in an officer.
Before receiving the psychological exam, applicants are given a conditional job offer. If they are rated unqualified, they generally are not hired.
Campion has not commented on the case. His lawyers didn’t return a phone call.
Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747
Paul, I retrieved you comment. It is above at 6:29
http://freakonomics.com/2010/12/17/the-truth-about-gay-and-lesbian-income/ “Joe Clark, who has previously written about women’s hockey, took a look at the myths surrounding gay and lesbian income statistics. Interestingly, Clark found that “[g]ay males earn less than straight males, often much less. Meanwhile, lesbians earn more than straight females.” Clark attributes the difference to professional choices, not discrimination: “Gay males have more education than straight males, but they do not choose male-dominated professions as often as straight males do. In fact, they choose female-dominated and/or service professions much more often.” Gay males also work fewer hours than straight males. Lesbian women, by contrast, work more hours than straight females and are “overrepresented in male-dominated professions that pay better than female-dominated professions.” “Most lesbians I know are too poor to use these methods.” david m Maybe that is true for those you but certainly not for society in general.
SWM – the freakonomics articles does not say they are making enough to afford IVF, just that they make more than straight females. IVF can be pricey.
Mike Appleton wrote: “This type of assertion is intended to suggest that a movement has hidden and dangerous motives which, if disclosed, would destroy the movement’s legitimacy and credibility.”
While it is true that homosexuals are lying when they claim that they do not want to change the traditional institution of marriage for heterosexuals, I think you go too far to claim that simply using the word “agenda” implies a nefarious hidden agenda. I certainly do not imply that when I use the term “gay agenda.” I’ve posted a youtube video several times by Masha Gessen where she openly expresses this to other gay activists. Did you ever watch that short video? She expresses an objection to how she and other homosexuals lied when she advocated for gay marriage in Massachusetts where she was married to her same sex partner.
http://youtu.be/n9M0xcs2Vw4
Mike Appleton wrote: “I have also criticised use of the phrase “homosexual agenda” with its implication of unprincipled militancy. Every historical movement, from abolitionism to labor unionism to women’s suffrage to voting rights, has faced resistance in various forms, including claims that the movement’s supporters had an “agenda” comprised of goals beyond those publicly acknowledged.”
You are trying to make the word pejorative when it has no such meaning. The word “agenda” simply refers to the perspective, objectives, and plans of the political movement fighting for the acceptance of the LGBTQ community.
Mike Appleton wrote: “Moreover, I have yet to see a persuasive argument supporting the proposition that same-sex marriage somehow poses a threat to heterosexual relationships.”
The question is not about any heterosexual relationship per se, but about the institution of marriage and its role in forming the nuclear family. If you don’t understand the role of the nuclear family, then you are not going to understand any of the arguments, and there are many.
Yes my Son, any rational person can conclude that the natural joining is ‘One Man One Woman’ as evidenced by Natural Law, the joining into one, the two separate and distinct halves of humanity – Male and Female alike, for you can without tool or device of any kind, without paper or pen, with nothing more than the tenant of natural law, create from the square of joined male and female, two squares, each exactly half the size of, each uniquely separate and distinct from the joined, One Male and One Female. See my Son, you can never perform that proof of Natural Law from the square of two joined males or of two joined females
The Aunt and her daughter of doing fine taking care of the daughters child.
The Constitution is blind as to their linear ancestry – – They too shall be allowed marriage – – Should they choose to have the ‘Father’ of the child become part of the Family unit, he too shall be allowed to enter into that existing marriage.
No Child of Americas Plural Families shall suffer to exist as second class, No Child of the half or whole blood or shall suffer to exist by the denial of the Biological Mother and Fathers Marriage . .
Sorry David the train to Perdition has left the station… insert evil laugh….Of course I’m kidding, but I’m sure David will take me seriously.
Oh my oh my. The lesbians can only be impregnated by picking up men in bars and having sex with them? You know David, most lesbians aren’t attracted to men sexually. Never heard of artificial insemination? Why do you feel SO threatened by the marriage of people who are not related to you, people you don’t even know or socialize with? Marriage is always good between non related adults who love one another. Even between those old couples who are no longer of child bearing age. Even those folks who can not reproduce due to some illness. You make marriage sound Ike some dull perfunctory obligation between people who only want to be together to breed. David, I’m pretty sure your world view and marriage in particular, is rejected by most people, thank goodness.
Annie wrote: “The lesbians can only be impregnated by picking up men in bars and having sex with them?”
You know I never said that. Let’s be honest please.
Annie wrote: “You know David, most lesbians aren’t attracted to men sexually.”
The lesbian community has been growing with the advancement of the gay agenda. Some polls now show 15% of teenage girls identify as lesbian or bisexual. In my experience, most girls who say they are lesbian are bisexual. They have had sexual relations with men, but find they like girls better.
Annie wrote: “Never heard of artificial insemination?”
Of course I have. I’ve known a few to use that, but most I know have sex the old fashioned way to produce children.
The inmates have taken over the asylum.
“They decide they want to have children, so one of them gets pregnant by sleeping with a guy she meets at a bar. ” davidm That is not usually the case at all. Many lesbians adopt and some become pregnant through artificial insemination. Some have children from prior marriages to males.
“They decide they want to have children, so one of them gets pregnant by sleeping with a guy she meets at a bar. ”
That would seem to be preferable to the alternative in which one is indifferent to or does not want to have children and gets pregnant by sleeping with a guy she meets at a bar.
It has been happening that way since they invented bars and the institution of marriage has not failed yet.
If the biggest objection to gay marriage is the difficulty in counting parental role players in the household then I think the families and the school systems will figure it out.
Sounds like an IT problem to me. I am pretty sure we can add some extra lines on the school application form.
swarthmoremom wrote: “Many lesbians adopt and some become pregnant through artificial insemination.”
Most lesbians I know are too poor to use these methods. The point is that the natural family relationships are changed by gay marriage. Watch the video by Masha Gessen for one example of my point. This gay activist makes the point through her life example much better than I ever could.
Paul C. Schulte
SWM – reparative therapy was brought to us by psychologists when homosexuality was considered a mental illness.
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That was last week in t-bagger land.
http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/06/06/texas-gop-delegates-debate-reparative-therapy/ ” Inside the Fort Worth Convention Center, it’s easy to hear the sounds of politics.
Texas Republicans voices all trying to be heard.
Delegate Colter Keathley, 18, has his message.
“My brother is gay, and I believe that gay people should have the same rights and privileges as any other heterosexual individuals,” says Keathley, who drove in from South Texas.
Keathley has a problem with his party adopting a platform that endorses what’s known as reparative therapy which claims to be able to “heal” homosexuality.
Keathley says it didn’t work for his brother.
“He actually went to some of those “pray away the gay” type conferences, and it wasn’t a good experience for him,” says Keathley.
While some states have banned this type of therapy, a group of Texas Republicans voted Thursday night to make the therapy their platform.
Gay conservative Rudy Oeftering Vice President of Metroplex Republican says the therapy is nothing more than religious counseling and that didn’t work for him either.”
“So counselling for assault or gender confusion is the same as ‘ reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle’.
“reparative therapy” language is just the worm to force the debate –
Counselling is the issue – – object to counselling that would have only one outcome – – homosexual affirming – –
Monte
Your explanation of reparative therapy sounds much like all the anti-choice legislation that is being passed in Red states. ‘All such laws are only to protect the health of the mother’.
Just another propaganda campaign.brought to you by the G. Orwell leadership circle of the Republican Crazy Party.
“Forces the Democrats to take a position – – what do you say to the child that has been sexually assaulted, that is confused as to their sexuality – – sorry kid – you’re out of luck – you were sodomized because you’re really homosexual – – no counseling available – – ”
So counseling for assault or gender confusion is the same as ‘ reparative therapy and treatment for those patients seeking healing and wholeness from their homosexual lifestyle’.
Really?
Swarthmoremom
On the merits – not on Maddow – it is a reprehensible platform. Troglodytes.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/05/texas-gop-conversion-therapy_n_5454875.html