Ellen DeGeneres "Saddened Beyond Belief" About Gay Marriage Ban

Has anyone thought to fight for Civil Unions for all people and leaving "marriage" to the various churches? Here's my proposal -- everyone has to go to City Hall to get their Civil Union contract (everyone) and then all the people who want to enter into "marriages" via different churches and such would do that ceremony separately. That way civil rights are protected but so is the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. Why fight for "marriage", per se??? While I agree that gay people have every right to ask for the same contracts and benefits under a Civil Union contract, why do they have to push for something that is often religiously based and for the most part deemed sacremental between a man and a woman? Leave marriage alone and fight for Civil Unions across the board.

Bitter... Table for one... Bitter...

T-Bone it is clear that you dont understand the issue. Really I can give a rats ass about the word marriage and the fight is not about the church recognizing gay marriages. It IS about being afforded the EXACT SAME CIVIL rights as heterosexual couples on the state and federal level. Thats it! Do you really think that people care if you call it civil union vs. marriage. Its about the package of goods that come with the label. So although NY recognizes gay "unions" I am still unable to file a joint return with my partner and let me tell you that is a benefit that is sorely missed.

I guess gay couples will have to continue to "jump the broom" until our fellow countrymen truly begin to grasp the concept of separation of church and state.

I'm with you, J. When it became clear that Barack Obama had won the Presidential vote by A LOT, I was overwhelmingly happy to be an American. When I found out that Prop 8 passed, I was, for the VERY first time in my life, ashamed of being a Californian. For a very liberal and progressive state, we sure do not understand the concept of civil rights. So sad.

Bunny 2 - yes, that's it. The word 'marriage' is confusing this issue. From what I understand it's not about a gay couple walking down the aisle to be joined in holy matrimony is front of God. Let's face it, that's not going to happen anytime soon. It's the issue of a gay couple being able to say his/her partner is 'next of kin' and have it recognised, tax breaks and all the other benefits and protection a straight couple automatically gets in a marriage.

This is sad news. Its like the US did the splits yesterday, one foor forward and the other one back.

Your day will come though. Don't lose faith and don't stop fighting for what is your right.

Then fight for the "package of goods" and not the title, Bunny. That's exactly what I'm saying. Fight for the rights and benefits instead of fighting the title, because whether YOU understand it or not, "marriage" between a man and a woman still means something to some people in this country (as we can see by the passing of proposition 8). So why not fight the courts for the exact same recognition of benefits and rights, but under a different title, like Civil Unions, so the world doesn't think you're infringing on their right to see marriage as something between a man and a woman. Your perspective isn't the only perspective. Just saying. You want to win full rights and benefits - -to be legally recognized??? Fighting against marriage as we know it is not the best way to start the fight. Or -- keep doing it the way you're doing it and continue to get nothing. Your choice.

P.S. Everyone's beloved Barack Obama isn't going to do a thing for gay marriage or for gay civil rights. He and Joe Biden are against marriage between people of the same sex. Did you know that? Heck, you would have been better off voting for a Constitutionalist like Ron Paul.

funny how everybody becomes a lawyer-like expert on civil rights when it comes to these issues. Anyhoo - no need to cry - I'm sure the cali courts will rule that the ban is unconstitutional according to the california EP clause.

Prop 8 is a shame. And here I thought California was so liberal. I'm a straight woman who is completely saddened by this news. Everyone should have the right to choose who they marry. It's a shame shame shame.

green cardigan -- You understand incorrectly. Plenty of gay couples have, and will continue to walk down the aisle to be joined in holy matrimony in front of God. Perhaps that is not accepted in your church. It is accepted in mine.

Fontana - which Church do you belong to ? I am RC.

So, Bunny, it is a money issue then?
How about someone like me who has just been living with the same guy for 10 years. Oh, I know, I can always get married if I want to. OK, well when the gay marriage was NOT banned in CA, then were all those partners living together required to take off their live together people from their insurance policies? They better have. You cannot have it both ways. What is good for the goose, is good for the gander. If you are allowed to marry in ANY STATE, then people who insure 'their partners' should be IMMEIDATELY required to take them off.

You're forgetting one thing, not everyone believes in a god. Or wants to involve a church or religion in their marriage. I didn't.
What does it matter to you in your day to day life if two people get married? How is that going to disenfranchise you?
T-Bone- You, so full of wisdom. What do you know about Obama? Nothing obviously. He is a Constitutional scholar. Ron Paul who? Did you listen to his speech Tuesday night? He mentioned gays and lesbians in his speech, this country belongs to everyone! So don't be surprised if suddenly his views change now that he's been elected. That frequently happens.
This isn't over by a long shot!

I wouldn't be surprised one bit if Obama "suddenly" changed his views on a lot of things.

As for his speech...yeah, Billy Clinton spewed the same sh*t. What'd you get out of that -- "Don't ask. Don't tell"???????? Nice way of saying shut up and you get to keep your job. Time will tell, and I'll be watching closely ;)

I completely agree T-BONE, Im sorry but Prop 8 was necessary just based off the fact that 61% of voters voted for prop 22 saying that marriage is between a man and a woman. That was the belief, that was the vote of the people and that was wrongly overturned by liberal judges who went against what the majority voted for. Furthermore Prop 8 doesnt take away the rights that same-sex couples already have under California’s domestic partner law. The domestic partner law already provides same sex relationships with the same rights as a married couple, you just dont have the title as "married". So yes, its obviously just about the title to them because they are just as well binded like other married couples. Secondly being in the military, I must say that I am a HUGE fan of the "dont ask dont tell" policy. Sexual orientation should not be discussed in the work place period, military or not. So basically the military isnt saying dont be gay, theyre saying dont broadcast it to the world by talking about it. Do you want to know why? Because some people are still uncomfortable with gay people. Basic fact. The last thing I want to think about or consider is whether my co worker is sexually attracted to me when Im showering with her in the desert. Just as I wouldnt tolerate sexual harassment from a man I dont want to have to worry about a female co worker hitting on me, so the easiest way to eliminate the whole thing is to say dont talk about it. Theyre are plenty of gay people in the military who are smart just like ANYONE in the military should be, they dont go around blatantly broadcasting theyre sexual orientation or anything sexual period because its unprofessional. Overall it prevents uncomfortable situations and issues that could arise when a majority of the people in the military are straight.

Sarah,

You're clearly confused. Basic fact. Every time you say "I miss my husband", you are broadcasting your sexual orientation to everyone around you. There is nothing sexual about Ellen and Portia's wedding pictures. Basic fact. Look a them. When I'm at work, and people ask me how my weekend was, I tell them, "My boyfriend and I went apple picking. How was your weekend?" That's me broadcasting my sexual orientation (gay), yet it's not sexual. Basic fact.

I don't understand why people believe our servicemen and women are so unprofessional that they can't handle working with gay people. The military is the only occupation in the country where gays and lesbians are banned. Basic fact. Are you kidding me? Could you imagine a surgeon refusing to perform open heart surgery because he was afraid that his male nurse was gunna maybe wink at him? Let's cut our service members some slack.

Why are people always going on about protecting the 'sanctity' of marraige when railing against gay people having the same rights? Cuz I really don't think that many straight people are doing much to protect the sanctity of theirs - Pamela Anderson anyone?

Yeah, it's much better that people can married for about 5 seconds before separating again, just because they happen to be straight, than a gay couple being afforded the same rights (even if that couple may have more of the kind of relationship people are going on about 'protecting')

Sarah -

And the reason I would value your position is why?

You are part of an organization in which the individual disappears. You chose to sign up with an organization that would figuratively and literally kick your ass for being who you are.

Tell me, is it unprofessional when your CO has a picture of his or her family on his desk?

Why are you so willing to accept a position as "less than" with regards to everyone else? Is it because you believe you are "less than?"

If the government classifies all legal relationships as domestic partnerships, you might have a point. However, "Separate but Equal" went out in the 50's. My relationship is NOT "less than" - it is equal. It gets the title and the respect to which it is due from the government to which I pay my taxes.

Obama's minority voters are a BIG part of why Prop 8 passed, so why don't you bring it up with them? Yes they can, huh?
Second of all, even though it's totally not on topic, you don't understand the reasons behind "Don't ask, don't tell" unless you're in the military. It's not that we're not professional enough to work with gay people; we work with plenty of gay people. I literally work RIGHT NEXT to a guy who is pretty much "out." What it comes down to is that getting rid of DADT would require an entire OVERHAUL of the military training structure. Military training, even beyond basic training, is set up to keep women in separate quarters from men and basically keep sex an impossibility. It's a distraction to training, so it is NOT allowed to happen in the barracks. If we allowed servicemembers to be openly gay, it would be more unfair than it already is. How would we structure the dorms to keep distractions at a minimum?
When I was in training, I lived in these gender-separate barracks. I was MARRIED and my husband was not allowed to come into my room, period. Meanwhile, down one level, a certain soldier was rooming with her girlfriend.
Gays in the military are a fact. They live their lives with almost the same openness that they would if they were civilians. They arguably have life a little better than the rest of us during training.
DADT is not a matter of bigotry, it's a matter of practicality. The military does the best it can.

we better get on the tinatic because sinking is rising on saturday morning!,

Nice site. Thank you!!!,

Nice site. Thank you!!!,

Keep it up man.,

I have looked at the script.,

Not much on my mind worth mentioning. What can I say? I haven't been up to much lately. It's not important. Oh well.,

I've just been sitting around waiting for something to happen.,