New Mexico county begins issuing marriage licenses to gay couples

[Book Lover]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/20/national1401EST0610.DTL

(02-20) 11:01 PST BERNALILLO, N.M. (AP) --

A lesbian couple was issued a marriage license and exchanged vows outside the courthouse Friday as other same-sex couples lined up for their chance to tie the knot.

At least a half-dozen gay and lesbian couples waited outside the Sandoval County courthouse after county clerk Victoria Dunlap began issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples.

...snip...

"This has nothing to do with politics or morals," she said. "If there are no legal grounds that say this should be prohibited, I can't withhold it. This office won't say no until shown it's not permissible."

Yes!

[burrowowl]

1. And in Bernalillo

Too far out!
WoW!

[Book Lover]

4. I'm afraid I have a New Yorker's sense of geography

Is it correct to assume Bernalillo leans to the right? Not a large population?

[burrowowl]

5. Not a large

population. They generally vote Dem. It is a mixture of workers and some artists. It is in Sandoval County and has not been gobbled up by ABQ in Bernalillo County because there is Native American land between them.

[Book Lover]

10. Ah, thanks.

Good to know. Also, I just sent a thank you note via the webpage http://www.bernco.gov/live/contact_us.asp

[burrowowl]

26. Bernalillo is in Sandoval County

Albuquerque is in Benalillo County.
Send your message to Sandoval County.
I know it is strange.

[Book Lover]

30. Oh fer the love of crumb cake

thanks for the correction....

[alittlelark]

22. Bernallio???

I drive throuugh that burg 6 +/- times a year (550 to Pagosa Springs). The only place I've stopped was at Lotaburger or Sonic. I'll be through there again in a month. I'll spend some more time and chat with folks. I AM SHOCKED!!!

[burrowowl]

24. Go to the Range Cafe

on the main drag in front of the hardware store.
Resonably good food and art stuff exposed.

[veganwitch]

2. yes!!!!!

this is sooooo exciting!!

[BR_Parkway]

3. Yeah! Its about time

and there's enough time between now and election for most moderates to see that we aren't hurting them at all by doing this. I still want to see the media talk about the number of gays who are already married (or committed, depending on what their preacher calls it). The biggest counter to the fear the ReThugs are spreading is knowledge. We aren't seeking the right to marry, we already have that, we are seeking equal treatment of our marriages!

[Options Remain]

7. can we say "think globally act locally"

How would the moralist-conservatives react to a sudden mass movement cross country of hundreds of counties and cities doing this?

They would be poleaxed. It would cut the legs right out from under them.

Lets hope that what we see is the beginning.

TearForger

[hunter]

12. Frist's "wildfire" nightmare begins...

Happy homosexual couples everywhere.

God Bless them all!

[Ruby Romaine]

6. Mazel Tov!

eom

[Rockholm]

8. Woo Hoo..Why Should SF Have All The Fun!!!!!

Now, come on Chicago! Your turn. Massachusetts next. The avalanche begins.

[Sabriel]

31. Email your mayor

I sent emails to my mayor (Madison, WI) and my governor, asking them when they're going to follow in the footsteps of other cities who treat their citizens (and taxpayers) as equals. If Madison is supposedly so progressive, where's the action?

[zanana]

9. Wonderful.

It looks like there are some locally elected officials with some balls!

[Robb]

21. I suspect it's actually the opposite, really.

From my involvement in small-town politics, I would expect the fear of being sued by someone who has read the laws was the driving factor. Small town governments can't afford that sort of thing, and we do all kinds of stuff to avoid it.

Good deal nonetheless! :thumbsup:

[yellowcanine]

11. Power to the people. In your face Jerry Falwell.

This thing is snowballing. There will be thousands of same sex marriages by the time the fundies figure out how to counter this. Then the rest of America will look around and say, "We don't see that it is a problem, let's worry about something worth worrying about, like jobs going overseas, prescription drug costs, and our soldiers dying in Iraq."

[slinkerwink]

13. yay! congrats to those getting married in New Mexico!

[matcom]

14. AND FRIENDS......THEY'LL THINK ITS A MOVEMENT......

:D

:bounce:

[damnraddem]

15. It's spreading.

Will the RW manage to get a Constitutional amendment adopted to stop it?

Or will most Americans accommodate to it, once they get past reacting to the scare tactics?

[David__77]

16. Decision for Democrats and Richardson.

I'm sure Richardson will oppose marriage equality. But perhaps we can get civil unions out of this. I think that this is the interesting thing recently. Before, the radical right was up in arms over weak domestic partnership laws and freaked out over civil unions. Now, with the focus on marriage, supporting civil unions is emerging in the establishment consensus as being a "moderate position." The left is for marriage equality, the right against recognizing these relationships, and the center is for civil unions.

[kayell]

17. Yes, yes, yes!!!! Thank you Victoria!

I was fantasizing yesterday about Chicago, and then other towns and cities starting to do this all across our country. Maybe dreams really can come true.

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[bushisanidiot]

18. This is very weird. This is the issue the repukes want to campaign on

and suddenly gay marriages are popping up all over the country.

sorry, but i can't help but suspect the repukes are involved in this.. pushing gay marriage behind the scenes just to make it a national conversation. hmmm..

[kayell]

19. Relax, this is great

This is as if the lunch counter protestors across the south in the '60 sat down and the waitresses decided to serve them.

[David__77]

23. It is most certainly not the doing of rightists.

This is being fought for by many progressive organizations, not just in the LGBT community. In CA, the main LGBT rights group is definitely fighting for marriage rights, and this is not for any sinister motive. The only GOPers I know of that support our rights to marry is the Log Cabin and a sprinkling of "liberatarians."

[peekaloo]

20. Shocking!

*fanning myself*


seems like the people are speaking up......:bounce:

[dArKeR]

25. N.M. Jumps On Gay (Human) Wedding Train - CBS

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/11/national/main599586.shtml

Don't let the Repuke Media Whore use the word 'gay'. Insist on 'Human to Human Wedding'

[burrowowl]

27. Patricia Madrid, the State Attorney General

just said that the licences for same sex marriage are invalid under current NM law .... to be followed.

[HowdyDUit]

28. Bring it on!

We will prevail in our RIGHT to marry! Kerry had better get on board soon. We have finally broken through and we don't intend to stop.

Listen up Dem candidates!!!

[burrowowl]

29. Welcome to DU

HowdyDUit:hi:

[leesa]

32. Good for this county...finally someone with REAL patriotism and integrity

[David Zephyr]

33. The Dam Has Broken.

New Mexico. Wow.

Thanks for this story, Book Lover.

[carols]

34. Thank you to our GLBT brothers and sisters

for leading the charge for change! And hooray for NM and SF! Now THIS is revolution!:toast:

[Mari333]

35. Michigan local news tonight

gay couples here are showing up in Kalamazoo MI asking for marriage lisences.
I almost fainted.
=)