Gay marriage backlash not felt in Massachusetts

[dissention]

I thought this might make some of you guys a bit more chipper:

Gay marriage backlash not felt in Massachusetts
http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=3...s_and_Lesbians

BOSTON - The national Election Day backlash against gay marriage never reached the state blamed for triggering it: Every Massachusetts lawmaker on the ballot who supported gay rights won another term in the Legislature.

The election outcome, combined with the ascendancy of a new state House speaker who supports gay rights, has left in doubt the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in Massachusetts.

The amendment, which would also legalize civil unions, won first-round approval from lawmakers earlier this year. It must be approved again by the newly elected 200-member Legislature before it can be submitted to the voters for ratification in November 2006.

"I think we are in a far, far better position than ever before," said Josh Friedes, spokesman for the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry Coalition. "The electorate showed that it was incredibly tolerant."

"Our state is certainly totally out of step with the rest of the nation," said Kris Mineau, leader of the Massachusetts Family Institute, the organization that has led the fight against gay marriage in Massachusetts. "Massachusetts residents must be beginning to ask themselves, `How come we're different than the rest of the country?'"

ALSO- from a letter I got from MassEquality:

Wow! We won big last night in Massachusetts.

Thanks to your support, every pro-equality legislator won reelection (and more often than not, by very large margins).

In addition, pro-equality candidates won six of eight open seats where the opponent was in favor of the constitutional amendment that would bar marriage equality for same-sex couples. Senators-elect Ed Augustus (2nd Worcester) and Karen Spilka (2nd Middlesex and Norfolk) both won tough races against well-funded opponents. Representatives-elect Denis Guyer (2nd Berkshire), John Keenan (7th Essex), Tom Sannicandro (7th Middlesex), and Cleon Turner (1st Barnstable) also won. These victories were achieved, in no small part, with your volunteer and financial support.

In one of the few races where equal marriage rights became a significant issue, openly gay Carl Sciortino beat by a two-to-one margin Representative Vinny Ciampa, who waged a homophobic write-in campaign after losing the primary.

We unleashed an unprecedented effort statewide to re-elect our allies and defeat our opponents. Along with our coalition partners, MassEquality worked strategically in both the primary and general elections. We told incumbents we’d stick with them and we did, from door-knocking, to phone banking, to fund raising. You were critical to this success.

Yesterday's victories position us extremely well for next year's constitutional convention. We deserve to celebrate. Very soon, however, we will let you know about the next steps in our campaign to preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts.

Finally, it bears repeating -- last night's victories in Massachusetts were truly historic and have national implications. What we have done together these past few months is incredible. I can't express the deep admiration I have for all of you who have made this possible.

Sincerely,

Marty Rouse
Campaign Director

P.S. As I write this message, we have lost ten of the eleven statewide ballot initiatives related to marriage with Oregon's fate still uncertain. Massachusetts is the one shining light of hope for supporters of equality in our country.

[Johnny Stew]

MA. is looking better and better all the time.
I love the state I live in, but we have a long way to go in order to reach MA.'s progressiveness. Thankfully I can hold my head high though, and proudly state that PA. went to John Kerry.

One thing that I got a good laugh out of on Wednesday, in a moment of childishness, is that all of these people in 11 states who voted against gay marriages, screwed themselves out of rights as well.

Basically, under the laws that passed against civil unions, if you're not married in a church, you're screwed.

Won't take long before people start realizing that, and then we'll have even more people on the side of gay civil unions next time around, in a "we'll scratch your back if you scratch ours" show of solidarity.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

MA. is looking better and better all the time.
I love the state I live in, but we have a long way to go in order to reach MA.'s progressiveness. Thankfully I can hold my head high though, and proudly state that PA. went to John Kerry.

One thing that I got a good laugh out of on Wednesday, in a moment of childishness, is that all of these people in 11 states who voted against gay marriages, screwed themselves out of rights as well.

Basically, under the laws that passed against civil unions, if you're not married in a church, you're screwed.

Won't take long before people start realizing that, and then we'll have even more people on the side of gay civil unions next time around, in a "we'll scratch your back if you scratch ours" show of solidarity.

MA is the best place to live if you're a liberal. Gay marriage, high incomes, some of the best educations, universal health care is coming soon, and Mutt Romney just got CREAMED on Tuesday night. The GOP has the fewest seats ever since 1867! There wasn't even one city or town in the whole state that gave Bush more than 56% of the vote. Repubs only hold 21 of 160 seats in the House and only 6 of 40 in the state Senate. Plus, we picked up two more seats in the House and one more in the Senate on Tuesday night.

What I find offensive about people who don't want gay marriage is their holier-than-thou attitudes and how, because God wouldn't like gay marriage, it must be outlawed. Why should their religious views affect everyone else? It boggles the mind.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

MA is the best place to live if you're a liberal. Gay marriage, high incomes, some of the best educations, universal health care is coming soon, and Mutt Romney just got CREAMED on Tuesday night. The GOP has the fewest seats ever since 1867! There wasn't even one city or town in the whole state that gave Bush more than 56% of the vote. Repubs only hold 21 of 160 seats in the House and only 6 of 40 in the state Senate. Plus, we picked up two more seats in the House and one more in the Senate on Tuesday night.

What I find offensive about people who don't want gay marriage is their holier-than-thou attitudes and how, because God wouldn't like gay marriage, it must be outlawed. Why should their religious views affect everyone else? It boggles the mind.

AND - can I just say I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cape Cod. I would LOVE to have a house in Nantucket!!!!!!!!!!

I looked at moving to Boston awhile back. I love the Back Bay area so much. But, I never followed through on it.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

AND - can I just say I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cape Cod. I would LOVE to have a house in Nantucket!!!!!!!!!!

I looked at moving to Boston awhile back. I love the Back Bay area so much. But, I never followed through on it.

You have to be Mr. Moneybags to live on Nantucket, my dear. I lived there for a couple of years and I had to leave because I was so broke. And it becomes VERY depressing after awhile, I don't know if you'd like it. Don't even get me started on winters there, my word, you better stock up a year beforehand on TP and soup. But the houses are beautiful, like most houses in MA. They all have beautiful crown molding.

Boston is divine, though. Just don't own a car.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

You have to be Mr. Moneybags to live on Nantucket, my dear. I lived there for a couple of years and I had to leave because I was so broke. And it becomes VERY depressing after awhile, I don't know if you'd like it. Don't even get me started on winters there, my word, you better stock up a year beforehand on TP and soup. But the houses are beautiful, like most houses in MA. They all have beautiful crown molding.

Boston is divine, though. Just don't own a car.

I have friends who have a house (well actually it is a compund by my measure) on Nantucket. I stayed there for a few weeks a long time ago and just LOVED it!!!!!!!! Of course, I sudder tho think of what that might be worth now - my guess is $10 million. AND - they also had a white center hall colonial in town!!!! Ah the life!!!!

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I have friends who have a house (well actually it is a compund by my measure) on Nantucket. I stayed there for a few weeks a long time ago and just LOVED it!!!!!!!! Of course, I sudder tho think of what that might be worth now - my guess is $10 million. AND - they also had a white center hall colonial in town!!!! Ah the life!!!!

Lucky bastards.

I couldn't live there forever, though, the winters are too agonizing.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

Lucky bastards.

I couldn't live there forever, though, the winters are too agonizing.

Yea - I was there essentially from the July 4 to Labor Day. And even on Labor Day it was getting a little chilly for this Louisianian Plus, the pictures of the winters there

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Yea - I was there essentially from the July 4 to Labor Day. And even on Labor Day it was getting a little chilly for this Louisianian Plus, the pictures of the winters there

Winters in MA are pretty nasty anyways, but what I couldn't stand was being isolated on the island, surrounded by raging waters. And the heating bills are ABSURD...and I had ELECTRIC heat.

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

Thankfully I can hold my head high though, and proudly state that PA. went to John Kerry.

Yeah. Yeah. Rub it in.

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Yea - I was there essentially from the July 4 to Labor Day. And even on Labor Day it was getting a little chilly for this Louisianian Plus, the pictures of the winters there

Try Marin. it's about 65 degrees there now. Course, it was also about 65 degrees all summer... You might be able to get a nice shack there for $700,000 or so....

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by amber

Try Marin. it's about 65 degrees there now. Course, it was also about 65 degrees all summer... You might be able to get a nice shack there for $700,000 or so....

I LOVE Marin. My best friend since HS lives there and her view is the bay, the city, oakland, etc. Her place appraised for MILLIONS - and she is loaded to the gills!!!! She is Sausalito proper and way up the hill. I LOVE it there!!!!

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I LOVE Marin. My best friend since HS lives there and her view is the bay, the city, oakland, etc. She is Sausalito proper and way up the hill. I LOVE it there!!!!

yeah, nice place. You better have money for your kids to go to private school, though...well, the schools are probablly way better 6 miles away. I just read an article about 4 Oakland schools closing cause there is not enough money...up in the hills, they had to cut sports programs for highschools (which i cannot even imagine is happening)
and i just read another nifty article "Oakland schools suffer while corporations get Rich"
but Sausalito is nifty nice! I actually hate the cool summers here, but many people love it It's funny to see people bitching when it actually reaches late 80's, early 90's, for that ONE WEEK in late Sept.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by amber

yeah, nice place. You better have money for your kids to go to private school, though...well, the schools are probablly way better 6 miles away. I just read an article about 4 Oakland schools closing cause there is not enough money...up in the hills, they had to cut sports programs for highschools (which i cannot even imagine is happening)
and i just read another nifty article "Oakland schools suffer while corporations get Rich"
but Sausalito is nifty nice! I actually hate the cool summers here, but many people love it It's funny to see people bitching when it actually reaches late 80's, early 90's, for that ONE WEEK in late Sept.

You should see the 4th of July fireworks (all three displays) from her back yard

[amber]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

You should see the 4th of July fireworks (all three displays) from her back yard

Oh, yeah! that would be cool. I love fireworks. I can't really see them from my house, but i'm usually in Chico, then, anyway, cause my birthday is June 30th, and for my birthday i go somewhere hot and fun where i can swim in the river and hit 10 bars within a 4 block radius (chico) And pick up cute boys....