BREAKING: Delaware State Senate Votes to Become the 11th State to Allow Same-Sex Marriage

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Delaware state Senate votes to become 11th state allowing same-sex marriage

Delaware to become 11th state with gay marriage

RANDALL CHASE | ASSOCIATED PRESS | 7 minutes ago

Delaware will become the 11th state to allow same-sex marriages.

A divided state Senate gave final legislative approval Tuesday to a bill authorizing same-sex marriage after hearing about three hours of debate. The vote sends the bill to Democratic Gov. Jack Markell, who has promised to sign it.

The bill doesn't give same-sex couples any more rights or benefits under Delaware law than they currently have with civil unions. But supporters say same-sex couples deserve the dignity and respect of married couples. They also hope the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down a federal law barring married gay couples from receiving federal benefits.

Opponents, including many Delaware religious leaders, argue same-sex marriage redefines and destroys a centuries-old institution that is a building block of society.

Read more: http://www.newser.com/article/da64mshg0/delaware-state-senate-votes-to-become-11th-state-allowing-same-sex-marriage.html

[Tx4obama]

1. BREAKING: Delaware To Become 11th State With Marriage Equality

BREAKING: Delaware To Become 11th State With Marriage Equality

Just now, the Delaware Senate voted 12-9, to approve marriage equality legislation (HB 75), guaranteeing that Delaware will become the 11th state that recognizes same-sex couples’ marriages. Civil unions, which Delaware previously legalized in 2011, will convert to marriages after one year. The House passed the marriage equality bill two weeks ago by a 23-18 vote and Gov. Jack Markell (D) has promised to sign it.

The rhetoric today was heated, as religious leaders invited to speak by the bill’s opponents condemned homosexuality for multiple hours. Conservative witnesses and senators alike repeatedly sought explanations for why people should not be free to discriminate against same-sex couples, even though such discrimination is already illegal under Delaware law. Many argued that marriage is primarily about raising children, ignoring that many same-sex families are already raising children in Delaware. Unsurprisingly, one witness cited the debunked Regnerus study, while an Alliance Defending Freedom attorney claimed that the Ocean Grove pavilion in New Jersey was an example of “religious freedom” being violated, even though it wasn’t. A motion by opponents to table the bill failed 9-12.

-snip-

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/05/07/1975311/breaking-delaware-to-become-11th-state-with-marriage-equality/

[chillfactor]

2. GREAT NEWS!!!!!

Hopefully on Thursday, and they seem to have the votes, Minnesota will be the 12th state!

[graham4anything]

3. Congratulations to Delaware & another great victory for the people & Barack Obama/Joe Biden

History books being rewritten the last 5 years. Simply amazing when people look back at this period in time how much real change happened that benefits the people.
Sometimes some don't realize it.

in the home state of Vice President Joe Biden.

[KurtNYC]

4. "allow" seems a strange choice of words since same sex marriage

was never a crime. It was allowed but just wasn't recognized and had no legal benefits.

[morningfog]

5. 22%.

[Tx4obama]

6. UPDATE: DE GOV signs marriage equality bill into law: “I do not intend to make any of you wait 1 min

ThinkProgress ‏@thinkprogress

Delaware Governor signs marriage equality bill into law: “I do not intend to make any of you wait 1 minute longer”

https://twitter.com/thinkprogress/status/331890404662317056

Photo of the bill signing below



http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/05/07/1975311/breaking-delaware-to-become-11th-state-with-marriage-equality/

[Politicub]

12. woowoo!!!!

[KansDem]

7. This really irritates me!

Whenever a news story like "11th state to allow same-sex marriage" breaks, rarely does the article list all the states that allow same-sex marriage; just the name of the state the article is written about.

"11th state" isn't enough. I want to know about the other 10 as well!

So, I researched and this is the list to date that allow same-sex marriage:

Connecticut
Delaware
Iowa
Massachusetts
Maine
Maryland
New Hampshire
New York
Rhodie Island
Vermont
Washington

I got the list from this map:



From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Samesex_marriage_in_USA.svg

I mean, when the news breaks about the 11th state, why not include the names of the other 10?

[2ndAmForComputers]

8. Don'tcha just love New England?

[KansDem]

9. You bet!

It looks like "Blue England"

(or "Blue New?&quot

[NewJeffCT]

10. It's starting to become a long list - and

getting longer all the time (Go Minnesota)

Not long enough, obviously, but it's heading in the right direction.

[onehandle]

11. My wife and I are vacationing in one of those states next week.

Sorry Virginia. You are not for lovers.

[Thor_MN]

14. The Minnesota House votes tomorrow.

[idwiyo]

13. K&R

[obama2terms]

15. This is impressive

Two states in less than 2 weeks,and Minnesota might be up next!!! Am I the only one that wishes they could be a fly on the wall observing Michelle Bachmann if Minnesota votes in favor of SSM?