Marriages

[rklenseth]

14063.1

Just when you thought the whole gay marriage issue couldn't get any crazier!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3564893.stm

Oregon county bans all marriages

Confused by the twists and turns of the US gay marriage issue, Oregon's Benton County has decided to err on the side of caution and ban all weddings.

Until the state decides who can and cannot wed, officials in the county have said no-one can marry - even heterosexual couples.

They hit upon the plan to ensure that none of the county's 79,000 residents are subject to unfair treatment.

Gay marriage has proved controversial, deeply dividing US public opinion.

Lawsuit threat

The last Benton County marriage licences were issued on Tuesday and, from now on, any locals wanting to get hitched will have to go elsewhere.

"It may seem odd, but we need to treat everyone in our county equally," county commissioner Linda Modrell told Reuters.

The county had initially decided to start issuing marriage licenses to gay couples from Monday, but they reversed that decision in the face of a flurry of lawsuits across the US relating to the issue.

It is unlikely any wedding planners will be going bankrupt over the decision however, as the country only issues about 20 marriage licenses a week, and it is just a short drive over the county line for couples eager to tie the knot.

Last bastion of support

The decision has found favour with pro-gay marriage activists who argue that at least it sends a clear message that everyone is entitled to equal rights:

"It is certainly a different way for county commissioners to respect their constitutional obligation to apply the law equally to everyone," said Rebekah Kassell, a spokeswoman for Basic Rights Oregon.

"We appreciate that they are willing to say they are not going to participate in discrimination."

But anti-gay marriage campaigners are not impressed:

"We are happy Benton County is not going to violate the law by issuing illegal marriage licenses, but we are perplexed as to why they would not issue legal licenses," said Tim Nashif, spokesman for the Defense of Marriage Coalition.

"Oregon not only has the only county in the nation issuing illegal (same-sex) marriage licenses, we probably have the only county in the nation refusing to issue marriage licenses at all."

Oregon's most populous county, Multnomah County, is the only jurisdiction in the US that is still issuing licenses for same-sex marriages, handing out 2,550 licenses since 3 March.

Local governments from California to New York have stopped issuing gay marriage licenses after being hit with a spate of law suits and protests.

The issue has prompted President George W Bush to call for a constitutional amendment defining marriage in traditional terms.

"Marriage between a man and a woman is the ideal," Mr Bush has said. "And the job of the president is to drive policy toward the ideal."

[rklenseth]

13956.1

These people give the South its bad name->
http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/03/0319 ... everse.htm

<<<Tennessee County Backtracks On Jailing Gays
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: March 19, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

(Nashville, Tennessee) After a storm of media attention Rhea County retreated Thursday night from a call for the jailing of gays on charges of "crimes against nature".

Within hours of a vote Tuesday by county commissioners to seek approval from the state to lay the charges (story) network television crews and newspaper reporters from around the country began pouring into the rural community about miles north of Chattanooga.

It was the most publicity the county had received since the "Scopes Monkey Trial" in 1925 where high school teacher John T. Scopes was convicted of teaching evolution and fined $100. The conviction was later overturned. But, the story later became the award winning movie "Inherit The Wind."

On Tuesday Commissioner J-C Fugate, who proposed the measure made it perfectly clear. He wants to keep "homosexuals out of here.'' And, his fellow commissioners agreed, voting unanimously to direct County Attorney Gary Fritts to find the best way to enact a local law banning gays from living in Rhea County.

After a day in the glare of the media spotlight commissioners were in full retreat and Thursday afternoon, claiming they had misunderstood the intent of the motion called an emergency meeting. (story)

County attorney Gary Fritts said the initial vote triggered a "wildfire" of reaction. "I've never seen nothing like this," he said.

The meeting took only three minutes to rescind the measure.

Fritts advised the commissioners they cannot ban homosexuals or make them subject to criminal charges. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 struck down Texas' sodomy laws as a violation of adults' privacy.

Fritts said he doesn't believe the issue will come up again.

"I think they got all the publicity they need about it," he said.

All of the commissioners declined to comment following the meeting.>>>

[new.vogue.nightmare]

So, RKL, I didn't know you frequented sites like 365gay.com

[Mitch]

Oh sweet irony! That's fantastic.

[g1asswa1ker]

Do you know...marriage were only licensed after the civil war...hmmm wonder what started that?....

[rklenseth]

Actually, I got the articles off here; http://forums.prospero.com/foxfirefly/start

I just think our country is really confused right now about this whole subject. Those two articles really are an example as to how confused it is.

[kroner]

confused or just deeply divided...
i do hope things turn out right. progressive reform = yay

[Lone Wolf]

We have the samething going here, but we are more layed back about it, we have rallies for gay marriages and we have rallies against them. I look at it as a new parade to go to each week lol.

I don't care what the decision is, I'm not gay nor do I plan on being gay. Just let them marry if they want. Churchs wouldn't have to marry them they can go get a JP.