D.C. Gay Marriage: Council To Introduce Bill, Congress Unlikely To Block It

Washington Post:

Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill said it appears unlikely that Congress will block a bill to be introduced Tuesday that would allow same-sex marriages in the District.

D.C. Council leaders have vowed to expedite the bill and said they hope to put it to a final vote before Christmas. But even if same-sex couples start marrying next year, the long-term survival of the practice would be in doubt for years, depending on the makeup of the House and Senate, congressional officials said.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[JakeHanson]

02:10 AM on 10/08/2009

Marriage equality all the way!!

[PhilipB]

03:03 PM on 10/07/2009

If same sex couples can get married, i have this to say:
Congratulations and Best Wishes!

[JeremiahA]

01:08 PM on 10/07/2009

I could be wrong, but I do not see a compelling reason for this bill to pass. Or for society to redefine marriage as anything other than a bond between one man and one woman. Throughout history, no secular or religious tradition...no secular or religious figure has advocated for marriage between people of the same sex.

Could they have all been wrong? Possibly, but I think you need to state clearly why they were wrong.

Legislation is always about morality. Libel, slander, murder...laws on speed limits to prevent deaths (human life is valuable) and lower pollution (human life and the protecting the environment are valuable) basically come down to an idea of what is right or wrong.

[SpoonieLuv]

03:33 PM on 10/07/2009

Consider the photo used in this article. Look at that couple. It's just two people who love one another. Two beautiful women who have decided to show their love for one another by marrying and then kissing in public. As a former resident of DC, I would return to that city if there was a possibility that it would be full of hot chicks making out everywhere. It would sure make the Metro ride less boring. I have said it once and I'll say it again - lesbianism is a beautiful thing (unless they're butch lesbians - sorry ladies, that's just not my thing).

[JeremiahA]

11:21 AM on 10/08/2009

I would like to recommend the BART system in the San Francisco Bay Area. There is usually never a dull moment.

I not sure what you meant by lesbianism is a beautiful thing. In what way? Love is often the immediate motivation for marriage, but if that was the only part of marriage, we would never hear the phrase "for better or for worse."

[JakeHanson]

02:05 AM on 10/08/2009

Human rights and equality are just as valuable. Denying equal rights and protections under the law based on someone's sexual orientation is completely divisive and un-American. We as a country should know better by now.

[JeremiahA]

11:29 AM on 10/08/2009

I understand what you are saying. I feel that changing marriage would also be divisive, especially if the majority of the laws granting the special right for same sex couples to get married are not voted on by the electorate, which is kind of un-American.

Maybe I am mistaken but I do not see this as an equal rights issue. Anyone who qualifies can marry in any state of the Union and receive every one of the privileges and benefits of state-sanctioned matrimony. There is no legal inequality, just a difference in the desire of certain people to marry someone of their same sex, etc., and I do not see how desire should become an overwhelmingly state concern.

[Carol Snow]

01:08 AM on 10/07/2009

Good night Huff posters! And to all of you who oppose gay marriage, you really don't have to marry someone who is gay and our marriages will not affect yours really. No and it won't make you gay!

Just leave Gay People Alone!

Please give us our business!

[Carol Snow]

12:19 AM on 10/07/2009

"Chaffetz said he plans to fight the council's bill, but he also said the issue could become entangled in a debate among Republicans on Capitol Hill over how far the party should go in speaking out against same-sex marriage. "
That'...;s right rocket scientist, it should blow up a debate among Republicans, you have several people in your party who are gay and I am not speaking of pedophiles like Mark Foley. He's in a different category. After watching dancing with the stars, I know that there has to more undercover ones.

There are many things that I don't understand and a great deal of them, I'm glad that I don't , but Gay Republicans? Come on you guys? Don't you think that you have this right? Well, if not, I believe that your support should be given to the ones that do
I also believe that gay people pay taxes, the right to marry should be a given.

If gay people can't marry then gay people should not have to pay taxes. Imagine that?

CHANGE is coming!

[davidallan]

11:50 AM on 10/08/2009

Gay republicans who don"t think they deserve equal civil rights and poor southerners who vote against democrats, who are the only party that will try to get them affordable, universal healthcare. There is no rhyme or reason. These people live in a far off past, where whites ruled the roost and they want to stay there, even if it means no rights or healthcare.

[Poorsarah]

10:21 PM on 10/06/2009

I am a progressive who has a different view pertaiing to same sex marriage. Yes, I support same sex marriage as a civil right. No, I do not recognize same sex marriage to be morally right. I have contemplated on this issue and this is the most equal conclusion that I can assess.

[Liberal Angel]

12:33 AM on 10/07/2009

How is same sex marriage not "morally right"?

[Carol Snow]

12:42 AM on 10/07/2009

Don't want to go there with morality issue please. No no no no that's not nice, I think we have a long history that affirms that morality cannot be legislated. Homosexuality is only a moral issue to those whose limited understanding deem it as immoral. Nevertheless, the morality issues should not be a dog in this fight.

[dans5843]

07:26 PM on 10/06/2009

As this middle aged, gay guy.
I guess I should get busy and find a husband!

[BeninOakland]

05:18 PM on 10/06/2009

"As a man, I'm free to marry a woman whether I'm gay or not. It's not separate treatment. It isn't "equality,"

Honey, if same sex marriage were legal, you would stuill have the same choice as everyone else-- to marry a man or a woman, your choice. Your rights and your equality are completely unaffected.

What? You're saying you really don't want to marry another man, it is of no interest to you? So, it really isn't about anything that affects you at all, just makes sure that gay people's lives and paritcipation in society, their rights, responsibilties, and benefits, their families, are just not as not as important as yours.

As someone already pointed out: "I suspect that you are more concerned with ensuring that gay people are classified as deviants than you are with upholding the basic principles of the Constitution.

[GlennInVenice]

08:36 PM on 10/06/2009

As a straight man (I am giving you the benefit of the doubt here), you are free to marry the person that you fall in love with and wish to spend the rest of your life with.

As a gay man, I do not have that right.

Oh yes, I could marry a woman but that would be unkind to the woman and set myself up for all sorts of sympoms related to leading an unnautral life. How does that benefit anybody INCLUDING society?

So, in a nutshell, the law is currently structured so that I can perform an unnatural act and marry a straight woman; leaving her partnered with a gay man. The law does not support my natural act which is marrying the man that I love, who loves me.

I am sick of the smug likes of yourself.

[watamess]

10:25 AM on 10/07/2009

If your gay you already lead an un natural life.

[d00derman]

05:14 PM on 10/06/2009

That's a hot picture.

[chewie2008]

05:48 PM on 10/06/2009

hehe...i wouldn`t mind being in the middle.

[ZenDiagram]

04:17 PM on 10/06/2009

So where in the Bill of Rights is the "right to marry," again? It seems you need a new cheat sheet covering which "rights" an American does and doesn't have every decade with the liberals around here... What ever happened to reading the d@mn piece of paper?

[sonoffestus]

04:41 PM on 10/06/2009

I would suggest you ask W "Its only a piece of paper" Bush.

[Patrick Garies]

07:36 PM on 10/06/2009

While I'm by no means pro-Bush, I tried looking that quotation up once and believe it was debunked as a hoax with no supporting evidence.

[Opti]

04:51 PM on 10/06/2009

The Bill of Rights doesn't grant you the right to drive either. Can I have your car?

[Romulus]

07:35 PM on 10/06/2009

And driving is not a right, it's a privilige. Can I have your car?

[Opti]

04:10 PM on 10/06/2009

Good. It's about time. I was incredibly proud to live in Massachusetts when that state legalized gay marriage and I am proud now to be in DC. Religion has no role in setting public policy and (sane) Americans understand that.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

04:09 PM on 10/06/2009

PROUD of MY capitol today

[hallowellboy]

03:46 PM on 10/06/2009

Good news for DC. This shouldn't even be an issue.

[spinns17]

03:05 PM on 10/06/2009

ok im sick .but that picture of the two girls kissing is hot .lol

[M1]

02:10 PM on 10/06/2009

Wow, this is a no brainer....equality for all citizens is written into the text of our U.S. Constitution.

For those who wish to deny gay Americans equality under the law need to give their civil rights up and/or stop asking for others to support their equality; HYPOCRITES! I want mine but you can't have yours....no learning from history there!

Two consenting adults want to get married, good for them, the constitution protects the freedom....end of story.

[ZenDiagram]

02:41 PM on 10/06/2009

As a man, I'm free to marry a woman whether I'm gay or not. It's not separate treatment. It isn't "equality," it's setting up an entirely new class of state-sanctioned relationship. We don't legally bless bigamy in this country, either, although presumably it includes consenting adults. Same deal with gay "marriage."

[aftershock]

02:59 PM on 10/06/2009

Polygamy and gay relationships are not the same. Explain how inheritance and tax benefits work for multi-partner relationships.

"As a man, I'm free to marry a woman whether I'm gay or not."

This same garbage line was used by racis.ts to oppose interracial marriage. It was faulty logic then, and it's faulty logic now.

[Liberal Angel]

03:32 PM on 10/06/2009

Marriage equality has nothing to do with polygamy. Being gay is an immutable quality, polygamy is just a form of marriage. the argument isn't about creating some new category of marriage, it's about allowing gay citizens to excersize their right to marry. Straight people have their rights respected, gays don't. Bringing polygamy into the argument is red herring, and changes this from an adult conversation about equality into a bunch of talking points regurgitated from a stone.