A Little More from Everyone Else Out There...

In adding to our collection of useful, informative sources relating to gay marriage and Proposition 8, I have found 3 more separate articles. While these articles present some different topics within the controversy of gay marriage, I have paired them together in this post because I think all three of them do a good job of presenting both sides of the issue. In presenting both sides I feel it appears obvious within the article that this fight to prevent gay and lesbian couples from marrying is absurd.




a) The Huffington Post- Prop 8 Decision: Gay Marriage Ban Upheld By California Supreme Court


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/26/prop-8-decision-upheld-by_n_207697.html


b) Lisa Leff


c) In just a few months after Proposition 8 passed in California, the Huffington Post reported on the specifics of the ruling. In particular, it highlighted that although the proposition passed and will no longer allow gay marriages to take place in California, all marriages that have already been performed in the state prior to the ruling will still be valid. The court said in response to the decision that it would just be to destructive to take the already performed marriages away from over 18,000 couples.


d) This news article presents a lot of interesting information about the people that I don’t think many think about, and that is the group of gay couples that were married in California and everywhere before laws started to overturn and the fight to stopped gay marriages became even more intense. I am very glad to hear from this that those couples in California who quickly took advantage while the law was in place to get married will still have a valid marriage. In response to the decision, “the court said it would be too disruptive to apply Proposition 8 retroactively and dissolve all gay marriages.” While this may not be the total outcome that these couples may have wanted, I think this may show the littlest amount of respect by the court.


e) If this article interest readers as much as it did me, the author provides several bloggers who have given their responses on the article and on the issue. Throughout the article and the entire newspaper are also several other links for readers to look through that have more interest in the area.




a) Same Sex Marriage; A Research Summary


http://www.education.equalityarizona.org/Portals/0/SameSex%20Marriage.pdf


b) Denver Lewellen, Ph.D.


c) This summary describes some research that was done in February of 2009 in which the author looked at similarities and difference of heterosexual and homosexual marriages. He also takes a special look at some of the changes that have occurred in some areas where same sex marriages have transitioned into the norm. He points out that it was somewhat difficult as many gay and lesbian couples have kept their relationships quiet until recently.


d) This is a study that I believe all gay and lesbian couples would be very pleased to read. It is in the one specific section titled Same-Sex Marriage that should provide a lot of hope to everyone. The author provides one specific ramification of the changes. “For instance, public opinion in regions where same-sex marriage has been legalized has continued to increasingly support same-sex marriage. With the obvious exception of many Californians, opponents of same-sex marriage in these regions frequently support it as they have had a chance to see what it is and what it isn’t.” This is some sort of proof that maybe someday everyone will accept gay and lesbian marriage as a way of life.


e) While this research study does not provide the reader any other specific readings it should look at, it does obviously provide a list of references cited at the end of the study. This may be a very helpful tool to finding more information the study references. Anything adding to the information in this study should be very interesting and extremely informative.




a) TIME- Should Gay Marriage Be Legalized?


http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,472846,00.html


b) readers


c) In a very brief article posted by TIME, readers were given the chance to respond to the question, “Should gay marriage be legalized,” and there was a very ride array of responses. Written in 2003, this article came at a time when several states in the U.S. were debating gay rights issues. Although there were responses from both sides of the issue, many good points came up in reference to making gay marriage legal. Responses came from Canada where gay marriage is currently legal, several talked about how things seem no different and no one has been harmed by the added marriages. Other responses add that because America is a secular state, marriages should not be denied because it is wrong in the eyes of God.


d) This article and information could be very beneficial to any reader of this blog. I think it is important that we see a popular news source like TIME brings up this controversial issue and allows its readers to give their opinion on the subject. We are able to see from these various responses that people have very strong beliefs one way or the other, but I was able to find some a several responses that many of you would agree with. They include “Marriage should be about loving, supportive, nurturing relationships, and such relationships are not dependent on gender,” and “Since gay marriage has become legal [in Canada] the sky hasn't fallen and the world hasn't ended,” and What does marriage have to do with the Bible, or the Scripture, or Jesus Christ?” All of these people responses back our main points of this blog.


e) Though the points that many readers point out are very similar to views of supporters of gay marriage today, this article was written back and 2003 and it would be interesting to see the update of responses. This article doesn’t give any information to further research the subject but because it is written by the readers of TIME it is up to the readers to stand up and find out more.