May we have a moment of silence for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in FL?

[Pacifist Patriot]

They were relegated to non-human status yesterday. I can only interpret that way since they are not considered equal in the Florida constitution and as we all know Americans began with the proposition that all men (and women)were created equal. If they do not have equal protection under the law than they must not be human.

I cannot tell you how much the passage of this amendment has affected me both emotionally and physically.

After that moment of silence, please think of ways to fight back. We cannot allow religious extremists to force their cruel immorality into state governance. What do we do now?

[lonestarnot]

1. .

[Shardik]

2. .

[Solly Mack]

3. .

[That Is Quite Enough]

4. .

[gollygee]

5. .

:(

[bronxiteforever]

6. .

:kick:

[Coventina]

7. And, sadly, Arizona.

[lonestarnot]

11. fucking Arizona, reelected that idiot Joe Arpiahole too.

[Happyhippychick]

8. .

[marmar]

9. ..........

:grouphug:

[TexasObserver]

10. .

[MsLeopard]

12. ,,,,

[ThatsMyBarack]

13. .

[Ms. Toad]

14. And, apparently, California.

[blueraven95]

15. ...

:hug:

[HooptieWagon]

16. Yes.

I have several lesbian friends, who urged me to vote no on amendment 2 (though I was going to vote no anyway). I feel very sad for them, also for my older boss who lives with his girlfriend - they have chosen not to marry. I have no idea what to do, except that a positive sign is that elderly voters supported the amendment and younger voters strongly rejected it. So, sooner or later this should be able to be overturned.

[tsuki]

21. I remember my youth when inter-racial couples could not be

stationed in GA. I just believe that this too will pass. I'm into Hope & Change this morning.

[Pacifist Patriot]

64. I'd love to be a part of a civil disobedience marriage ceremony.

I have officiated several symbolic commitment ceremonies here in Florida and a civil union in New Jersey. While the commitment ceremonies are nice, there is something entirely more to the occasion when accompanied by a license that recognizes your status under the law.

[bear425]

17. .

[shadowknows69]

18. It doesn't ever seem like we can just go forward does it?

Despite the history made last night some of our country went backwards into hate and discrimination. You all have my love and solidarity. The struggle continues until it is won.
S

[grace0418]

19. .

[AnotherMother4Peace]

20. ....

[jules1962]

22. ..

[2Design]

23. voting discrimination into constitutions is incredible - mean, hatefilled, and unchristian

[Tigress DEM]

24. .

[populistdriven]

25. there were plenty of preachers in our base supporting it (pic)

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6460/img5166mz3.jpg

[MountainLaurel]

35. .

:cry:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

26. .

:hug:

[fishwax]

27. .

[pleah]

28. ...:(

[rosesaylavee]

29. .

[Spangle]

30. ...

[La Lioness Priyanka]

31. and california

[plaintiff]

32. I'm really sorry, I can't keep silent.

:grr: :mad: :puke: :grr:

[Le Taz Hot]

33. We in California feel your pain.

I can't believe they passed this piece of shit! I'm seething! Happy (for Obama) but seething nonetheless.

[Jamastiene]

34. Fucking fight them and keep fighting them.

Fight them all the way to the US Supreme Court...slowly...and time to to actually reach the Supreme Court after Obama stacks it with the right kind of justices. Hell, liberal judges get accused of "legislating from the bench" and we get "shamed" by that all the time anyhow. We might as well do it and have no shame whatsoever. It's our bodies, our lives, our rights. We take those rights whether they want to allow it or not. Never say die. Never give up. Never. We fight our entire lives, if necessary.

The best thing we can do is never give up and never back down from them. If freaking NC can go blue in my lifetime, anything is possible, in time. Time is the killer though. It will take time and timing to get our rights.

Every couple that got married in California before Proposition 8 should sue the bastards to get "grandfathered" into having equal rights. There HAS to be a way to use the grandfather clause to fight them. Something. Anything.

[csziggy]

36. Damn. Wish I could have worked against that while working for Obama

Maybe with the changing political climate we can get that piece of shit removed from the Florida Constitution - or maybe it will eventually be declared unconstitutional.

I apologize to everyone whose rights have been abridged.

[ChrisMCV]

37. Even I voted against that crap

I have a R after my name, but I cannot stand the idea of that in our state constitution.
I think government should keep out of peoples lives as much as possible and that this amendment is a direct contridiction to the idea of limited government I support.

[PVnRT]

38. .

[immoderate]

39. I think the Supreme Court has to nullify those amendments.

Even this Supreme Court sometimes surprises us. These new amendments contradict the 14th amendment to the US Constitution. This is very sad.

--IMM

[Lugnut]

40. ...

[Evoman]

41. Fuck no.

Silence does shit all. What we need to do is motherfucking scream until the piece of shit homophobes can fucking hear it. And if they can't hear voices, maybe they can hear fists.

[alison]

56. . (with exception)

Although at this point, the last thing that is needed is silence. Voices need to be heard, and the fight needs to continue until all citizens have the same rights. As a heterosexual citizen, I should have no more and no fewer rights than my homosexual neighbor.

[Pacifist Patriot]

65. I highly recommend you read more than just the headline to the OP.

[orleans]

71. not everyone is silent:

Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, the first same-sex couple married in Los Angeles County in June and the first plaintiffs named in the historic lawsuit that overturned the state’s ban on gay marriage, wasted no time filing a new lawsuit with California’s Supreme Court Wednesday morning.

Though the fate of Prop. 8 -- which would ban same-sex marriage in the state of California -- is still in the hands of the as yet uncounted three million provisional and absentee ballots, the 'Yes on 8' campaign claimed victory Wednesday morning. Tyler, Olsen and their Hollywood power attorney Gloria Allred announced at a press conference at Allred’s Wilshire Blvd. office this afternoon they would file a new lawsuit challenging Prop. 8’s constitutionality.

Despite widespread finger pointing at the high turnout of Black voters and the financial backing of the Mormon church for ensuring Prop 8’s passage, the couple said that the 'No on 8' campaign -- specifically Los Angeles based efforts -- dropped the ball, helping the measure to pass.

http://www.gaywired.com/Article.cfm?ID=20796

[bullwinkle428]

42. ...

[eomer]

43. .

[lies and propaganda]

44. I have alot more resentment now towards the Mormons

and Im sure alot of their children will later in life when they figure out the sort of shit the tithe pays for.

[Dennis Donovan]

45. .

:(

[Forkboy]

46. .

[foxfeet]

47. ...

[funkybug]

48. I can't be silent

I'm in shock. I so proud of my state for going blue for Obama ... and yet HOW could 2 have passed in the same breath.
How can Florida cry "Yes, we want victory and change and freedom" and then deny that to others?

I won't be silent. I will be screaming and fighting back.

[Pacifist Patriot]

66. I'm beginning to think I made my point poorly. Of course we cannot sustain the silence.

I think it's appropriate we take a moment, appreciate what has been done here, and honor our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters...then we find ways to fight back. I am by no means suggesting we shut up and take it. I find that thought appalling in it's cruelty.

[funkybug]

79. I understand

I didn't think you meant we should remain silent. I just felt bad that I was unable to honor your request for a moment of silence ... you're correct that we should honor all our brothers and sisters. I will make certain to take at least one moment of silence to honor them before I start screaming again.

[cobalt1999]

49. It's just a short term set back.

Think about the fact that 20 years ago there was no need for these amendments because it was unthinkable that gays could marry.

Although it lost, it didn't lose by as much as it would have even 8 years ago. The public is slowly coming around. Those against Gay Marriage are fighting the incoming tide by building little sand walls. Those barriers will hold for a short time but they are destined to fall.

The good news is the tide is changing and there is little they can to in the long run to stop it.

[susanwy]

50. ....

I am sad beyond words that we continue to believe we can legislate who we love.

[clyrc]

51. I am sad about this

Voted against amendment 2

[MadrasT]

52. .

:grr:

[kalibex]

53. .

[Starbucks Anarchist]

54. ...

[petronius]

55. ...

[wryter2000]

57. ....

:cry:

[cliffordu]

58. .

[GreenPartyVoter]

59. :^( Take them to court? Prove that it is unconstitutional? *hugs*

[kansasblue]

60. and we will keep working toward our goal

[redwitch]

61. Yesterday was very bittersweet because of these anti gay measures.

We continue the fight and we will get there. NGU

[donheld]

62. Still I Rise!

[LostinVA]

63. You yourself have fought it -- you're a shining light

I can't tell you how much it means to me and Haruka that you asked to marry us. There's no one -- NO ONE -- we would have rather had do it.

[Pacifist Patriot]

68. Now I need to find some gays and lesbians in Florida who will agree to...

figuring out a way to have a bunch of highly public civil disobedience marriages. Too distraught to figure out how that would be done, but I'm sure the other UU ministers in my area can help out. I doubt we could find one, but I'd love to find a clerk who would issue licenses. But that is a bigger risk than any of us would be taking.

Thanks babe!

[LostinVA]

81. I doubt you can find a clerk, but you have a large gay community

in Ft. Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Orlando. I'd contact some of the gay groups there, as well as the gay employee group in Orlando that Disney employees have. You KNOW you can find some.

:pals:

[Orsino]

67. We've had too much silence.

Let's make some more noise.

Our new Dem majorities need to hear from us--vigorously, repeatedly, continuously. Don't let them sleep peacefully until they acknowledge the need for equality.

[Pacifist Patriot]

70. Oh for heaven's sake. How many people just read the headline and didn't...

get to the end. Of course we have to fight back. I'm simply saying I'd like to take a moment to honor our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters and appreciate what has been done to them. A moment to let them know we care is hardly giving up.

[Orsino]

72. Save it for the haters.

I missed your moment, and simply want to fix what's so damned broken.

I just want everyone who cares working on this issue all the time.

[bobbolink]

69. ..... (K&R)

:(

[Cerridwen]

73. .

I am remaining "silent" only because a rant in this thread would deny your intent. I have an idea for action but will give it its own thread when I can keep the rage at a simmer long enough to type it coherently.


:cry:

:hug:

:grouphug:

[shadowknows69]

74. .....

:grouphug:

[LisaLynne]

75. .

:cry:

[Pastiche423]

76. .

[nadinbrzezinski]

77. ... to all across the nation

and what is next? The courts, that is what is next

[barbtries]

78. not stay silent

take it to the aclu, take it to the supreme court! make a LOT of noise. fight it. yeah

[flpab]

80. silence

..............................................................
You know we got screwed in Florida also by wording. People are so stupid. The amendment was vote yes on amendment two but people were calling in to this one radio station yesterday saying they thought by voting yes they were voting for the bill not against. I swear people have no clue before they go into the booth. By voting no you really voted yes. Really set up people. Plus every church you passed had signs out front that said "Pray before you vote" I got three calls asking me to vote yes, said I was voting NO and these people were like you know that means you are voting for gay marriage. YES,I Know!! I swear they did this to confuse people. System totally stinks.