George Clooney Slams Prop 8

George Clooney has spoken out to E!'s Ted Casablancas about the passage of Proposition 8, banning gay marriage in California:

"At some point in our lifetime, gay marriage won't be an issue, and everyone who stood against this civil right will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black."

Clooney joins a growing list of stars speaking out including Melissa Etheridge, Harvey Fierstein, Ellen Degeneres and more. Drew Barrymore and James Franco also joined a crowd rallying against its passage.

Comments

[Damaven]

I will preface this statement with: I don't care what you do as long as it doesn't affect me or my family. Now, marriage or no marriage, did anyone ever stop to think that if the gay "lifestyle" [term used by gays] continues that the human race might eventually end unless there is an evolution revolution and men can become pregnant and women can inseminate. No gay would be here if their parents had been a gay couple when artificial insemination, etc., were not in practice yet. And hear this, those gays having babies are having them using the services of heteros. So I think this eventually may affect if not me personally, then my future family, because there won't be one. Just remember how crazy it got when all the legal in sympathy and illegal immigrants wanted to change our flag, our native language from English to Spanish and our national anthem. That was scary and so's this. That would have destroyed America as we know it and this lifestyle may eventually destroy the entire world. Hundreds of years? Yes, probably, but it also probably will happen.

[DundeeNatalSA]

there will always be new babies being made. in case you haven't notice, our world is grossly overpopulated. perhaps not by the kind of population you might like... but overpopulated nonetheless.

[Damaven]

The kind of population I like? Listen to yourself, I like humans, period. And there won't be any, period. And if overpopulation is a problem in some countries you think the fix is gay lifestyle???? Silly goose. And there won't ALWAYS be new babies if the equipment to make them is not being used the way it's supposed to be used. I reiterate, you need heteros at this time to accomplish that.

[BrettnCalgary]

If I understand you correctly, you think that granting rights to gays will result in everyone eventually turning gay, and humanity becoming extinct? This is so ridiculous it hardly merits comment. As acceptance grows and new generations grow up without issue with sexual orientation what is likely is that there will be more experimentation and bisexuality, but there will always be hetero and homo.

I am completely okay with gay marriage up here in Canada, but that does not mean I want to smoke pole, and prefer mine to be smoked by a female. Here is a tip for you, give it a try, try a bisexual experience and see how you come out the other side. If it turns out to be a dull, one shot deal you never repeat youcan be secure in yourself, I'm thinking you are not.

[Damaven]

I'm so secure I don't need to experiment. And if it doesn't merit an answer why did you and your preferred female smoked pole bother to respond. Did you smoke to find out?

[SUIGENEROUSLA]

were you born gay? well, ok then......­.as long there are people like you there will be humans, if they have enough of a brain to come in out of the rain, or take their hand off of a hot stove.....­...

[Damaven]

all animals can go extinct if not properly cultivated and given continued care, not today, but down that road and there are people that don't have enough brains to come in out of the rain, etc.

[slaxx]

who cares if the human race comes to an end eventually? what's its worth to be human and alive if our quality of life is non-existent?

i honestly have come to believe that "god" or evolution was smart in making gays. as highly intelligent beings who have managed to create technology and machines, we are depleting this earth and its resources at ridiculous rates.

being gay is about love, not s.e.x. gay people can, and some do, have s.e.x. with members of the opposite sex, but they don't have loving, romantic feelings about members of the opposite s.e.x.
why the big deal about a person's sex? we're all the same species.

l.e.s.b.i.­a.n.s and g.a.y. men have normal g.e.n..i.t­.a.l.i.a and reproductive functioning; they can still reproduce.

from your argument, we should make everyone take a fertlity test before allowing them to marry.

gays will always exist whether you allow them to marry or not. why should they subsidize your special rights? as long as the government gives rights and protections based on marriage, it has to be open to all.

with all of the children out there who live in foster and group homes, why not give gays equal rights so their families can be protected just as yours is, whether they have these families biologically or through adoption.

[bokiluis]

YAWN!

[lalalalilly127]

That's exactly how I feel. I just hope someday we'll be able to look back on this struggle we're putting people through and think 'I can't believe we didn't extend marriage rights to everyone'. Forget about civil unions. Separate but equal is NOT equal.

[Larkinvos]

I'm in agreement with you, lalalalilly127, but with one difference.
There's nothing wrong with civil unions. Every marriage should be
a civil union, and then if you want to get your marriage blessed in a
church, that's up to you. Marriage in a church should not be official,
but a personal choice, like a bar mitzvah or a confirmation.

But, as far as citizenship and civil rights are concerned, civil
unions are all you need.

[SUIGENEROUSLA]

hear hear! my religion -- RC -- tells me that marriage is a sacrament, so isn't it blasphemy for the state to be performing them?

[preemptivelove]

this is also an issue about property and taxes and inheritance. as a married person, if my husband dies, all his property becomes mine. if a partner of a gay person dies, they pay inheritance tax on that property. do you see how unfair this is and how all marriages are LEGAL arrangements. the blessing in a church or by a minister or rabbi has nothing to do with what marriage really is. marriage is about stuff and things and entanglements. it's about parenting and the transferring of property without penalty (tax).

[rastignac]

There IS something wrong with civil unions: all the laws in all states (with recent exceptions) throughout the history of this country refer to "marriage.­" With that term come specific rights and responsibilities.

Marriage is a legal contract. Under the Full Faith and Credit clause, all states are expected to give "full faith and credit" to all legal contracts sanctioned by other states (despite the fact that, due to this controversy, several states have insisted they will not honor same-sex marriages performed in other states). Most states do not have a parallel institution called "civil union." But they do all have marriages.

If a same-sex couple married in Massachusetts were to move to Oklahoma, they would have legal standing, under the Full Faith and Credit clause, to bring suit to have their marriage recognized. I am not saying they would win at all; they would, however, have legal standing. However, if what they had was a "civil union," I doubt they would have any legal standing because such an institution does not exist in Oklahoma.

Marriage is a civil institution in this country. A church is not required for a marriage; a civil authority is, without exception (for the marriage to be legal). The word "marriage" does not belong to religion.

[Tynamouse]

I guess all of you religous nut cases would rather have straight couples who are bad parents in bad relationships than have gay couples who have commited the crime of loving each other.
Chalk another one up for the Mormon church. Sam ol'e same ol'e. Telling people how to live their lives based on a fairy tale. Clonney is right, someday people will look back and wonder why people where so angry. It's very sad to see people who have nothing better to do than try to force their belief system on others. Oh yeah I forgot it called organized religion.

[movingforequalrights]

aren't you trying to force your belief system on others?

[lost in az]

Here are a few facts about Mormons and the voting on of Proposition 8:


Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California. There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.


Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign.


Los Angeles County voted in favor of Yes on 8. Ventura County voted in favor of Yes on 8.


African-Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8.


The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).


The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims – all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California. Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.


Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Regardless of religious beliefs, Mormons are allowed to choose for him or her self, and Mormon leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.


Just like others who voted according to what they believe in, Mormons did the same.

[pooh2u]

and your point? Like you are not trying to force your beliefs of gayism on those that don't believe in or wanting a gay life style?

[rini]

I love you George, but James Franco??

He's really hot right now. (like Hansel)

Seriously, these guys are going to be on the right side of history. Decency always wins and human rights are all about being decent humane and fair to each other.

[speakyourmind]

Love the Zoolander reference!

[Clavis]

Clooney's the man. Anti-gay measures suck.

Maybe when Americans stop being so deferential towards religion and ancient superstitions and bigotries, we'll be able to make some real progress 'round here.