Referendum 71

[christopher575]

This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage.

[Poll #1472284]<input ... >

[Poll #1472284]

Remember, participating in an open poll (or signing a petition) means that your answer is not anonymous. Your anonymity is guaranteed when you actually vote.

Comments

[entropic-system.livejournal.com]

I'll add that I fully believe any initiative that votes to reduce the rights of fellow Americans is unpatriotic.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Unless you're gay.

[frogger414.livejournal.com]

I also think that it is unconstitutional.

[bukephalus.livejournal.com]

I'm curious to know your goal in posting this. Can't you predict how your readers will respond?

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Mostly I'm curious about people who would vote no so we can talk about it, if they care to share that info. I think it's important to reach out to the right people instead of constantly preaching to the choir. I also believe it's good to know who is only pretending to have your back.

But it's voluntary, so nobody has to participate.

[wring.livejournal.com]

crap I forgot I don't live in Seattle nor allowed to vote.
we'll just pretend.

[frogger414.livejournal.com]

It's a Washington State initiative, not just limited to Seattle (otherwise I wouldn't be able to vote). I know you live in CA but pretend that you were a WA state voter.

[verybadlady.livejournal.com]

I think it comes down to whether or not you think homosexuality is a choice. If you're born that way, its your right as a human to be afforded all the other rights as everyone else. Period end of sentence.
As a Christian, the Bible says homosexuality is a sin, and that sin is a choice we make. Therefore homosexuality must be a choice. And if it is a choice, then people should not consider it a "civil right", but rather an elective decision. There are tons of subgroups in society that I won't pass legislature to accommodate because they selectively choose to belong to that group.

If its a civil rights issue my vote would be yes, but I do not believe it to be as such.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

By your logic, I believe it to be a civil rights issue because this is a nation where you are free to be a christian, not a christian nation.

Also, you have no business telling me I chose to be gay. It simply isn't true and never will be, no matter what you say or believe.

[hardvice.livejournal.com]

Of course, religion is a choice, too, and it's wrong to discriminate on the basis of religion. Ditto political affiliation.

Fortunately, civil rights don't actually rest on whether a characteristic is inborn and immutable or elective, and never have.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

Put down the Bible and do some research.

Do you honestly think I wake up every morning and think to myself "Hmmmmm...boys or girls today? Which one am I going to choose?"

Are you equally attracted to men and women, to the point where you had to make a choice in your life? Or was it just natural for you? Can you understand that for most people, it's just the way we were made.

I'm sorry if you think your book tells you otherwise.

[tiff-seattle.livejournal.com]

but the bible is a collection of myths made up by bronze age desert tribes that knew very little about the nature of the universe. basing your decisions on something like that is illogical and makes about as much sense as basing agriculture policy on the belief that doing a rain dance will help bring bountiful crops.

[tbass.livejournal.com]

So, do you not eat shellfish, or wear blended materials in your clothing? Both of those are listed in the same section as homosexuality... so, therefore not only are you a hypocrite, but, you're also going to hell.

Have fun.

[33mhz.livejournal.com]

And if it is a choice, then people should not consider it a "civil right", but rather an elective decision. There are tons of subgroups in society that I won't pass legislature to accommodate because they selectively choose to belong to that group.

This is pretty much my exact reason for campaigning to outlaw the free exercise of anti-gay religions. They are morally and mentally unhealthy.

Religions that condemn homosexuality have demonstrated themselves to have no ability--or at least interest--in distinguishing right from wrong based on actual consequences. They are instead attempting to redefine morality as obedience to power.

This is demonstrated most appallingly in the story of Isaac and Abraham, which is at the root of all religiously inspired evil in the aptly-named Abrahamic religions.

It's this story--one that places obedience to god over the life of one's own child--that allows people who perform honor killings of their own family members, or even garden-variety lunatics like Andrea Yates, to live out their days with a clear conscience.

This attitude is so corrosive to not just society but basic familial relationships that it cannot be tolerated.

[jameth.livejournal.com]

god this is such a great troll

[tiff-seattle.livejournal.com]

You are basically saying the same thing that these people are saying. But you are inserting your own unsupported, unjustified belief system in place of the one that these people are using.

[badrobot68.livejournal.com]

I really do want an answer to my previous question.

[hildeaux.livejournal.com]

This is not a "belief" issue. There is nothing to "believe" or "not believe". It is black and white. Yes or no. Constitutional or unconstitutional.

(Hint: it's the latter.)

We let you have your socially-sanctioned delusions in this country. That is the beauty of America. But in return, it's only fair that you let them have their delusions too, if that's how you want to see them, which it's become apparent that you must.

Seriously though, fuck you.

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

When did you decide to be straight?

Was it before or after you took that first cock into you without benefit of marriage?

[hep.livejournal.com]

i heard you have a son. are you married?

[jameth.livejournal.com]

TBH it pisses me off w/re: how much has been wasted on this issue. millions of dollars and human energy has been/is being put into it. We should be ashamed, upset, disappointed, etc. that a handful of people put all of this waste into motion.

I hate to constantly bring it up, and by no means am I suggesting that this state is perfect (oh god it is not lol), but Nevada passed the same legislation this year. Anti-gay people don't care. There's no effort to put it on a ballot. There are various theories about why; they range from the thought that NV is not a "battleground" state for gay rights issues and CA/WA are more important to the idea that NV residents are truly libertarian in the sense of "don't mess with my rights and I won't mess with yours."

Anyway, it looks like the polls for ref 71 suggest that the vote is going to be very close. It'll probably end up in the courts because that's where a lot of civil rights issues have been decided in the past.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

Man it is such a waste of money. Money that could be used to buy me a nice tv and some new shoes.

[lost-at-see.livejournal.com]

Rejected, because a bill for same sex marriage should be approved.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

I want the same legal rights as a heterosexual couple, which this would provide. I don't care what it's called.

What you may not understand is that we already have these rights in WA, and this was put on the ballot in order to attempt to take them away.

[snatchbeast.livejournal.com]

I'm not even an e-friend but I voted and I read the question wrong =(

Just putting my excuse in print here because I feel like an ass.

[christopher575.livejournal.com]

I can edit the post to say so if you like! :)

Also, as I said earlier, it's not surprising when it's read wrong. We were granted these rights back in May, and this was put on the ballot in an attempt to take them away. The referendum is confusing and they also lied to people to get them to sign the petition to put it on the ballot.