Submitted by Katharine Collins (not verified) on October 9, 2008 - 11:07pm.
Anonymousindependent wrote:
"I wouldnt expect anyone under the age of 14 to rationally argue either side of this so..."
As a teacher with over a decade of experience working with children (mostly middle school children aged 11-14) your comment is not only insulting, but inaccurate. I regularly have debates in my classroom and encourage my students to argue their opinions, whether or not they think others, including myself, agree with them. With the internet and social networking sites, as well as current event assignments in many classrooms, children are very aware of the world around them and very able to form sophisticated, well thought out opinions. Additionally, experience is the best educator and Breanna obviously had the experience to enable her to form a valid, rational opinion.
Anonymousindependent further wrote:
"You realize that homosexual persons in California technicaly have the SAME rights as heterosexuals, right? Both groups have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex."
Separate but Equal was struck down in 1954 and if homosexual and heterosexual marriage are called 2 separate things, they are separate and not equal. And by keeping them separate and unequal, we leave the door open for rights to be taken out of civil unions down the line. As for the 2nd sentence in that comment, no one is asking you to deny any part of who you are. Why would you ask another person to deny him or herself and be anything less than he or she is by saying he or she can only have a marriage if they change themselves?
"This matter brought up by same sex activists is nnot a matter of fact or policy on their behalf, its about values. They are fighting to change three-thousand year old practices because of their own values."
These are the same arguments used during the civil rights movement of the 1960s to deny desegregation and keep African Americans from integrating into white schools. Those good, Christian white folk didn't want their children exposed to any degenerate n***** values. We know they were bigoted hypocrites and that their arguments didn't hold water, but they sure put up a fight.
"On a second note, which has nothing to do with religion and is strictly based on science, heteroseuality is scientifialy 'correct'. Men need women(and the other way around) to reproduce, that is how it is for 99.9% of the species on eart including homosapiens."
This "science" is only true to a point. Yes males and females need each other to reproduce, but that was much more of an issue 3,000 years ago when the infant mortality rate was about 70% the survival of the species was questionable. We no longer have that problem (I cite China's 1 child policy - which btw I do not agree with, but I see its point). And on a funnier note, there is homosexuality within the animal kingdom as well. My cat is gay. He leaves my female cat alone and often tries to mount one of my other male cats. I know it's sexual and not dominance because he only goes after this one cat and he thrusts his pelvis. There has also been research done on homosexuality in the animal kingdom.
"If you DO still believe that they do not have the same rights: mentally incapable individuals are not allowed to take on certain tasks, while sexuality can be assigned to genetics as well, homosexuals are denied certain rights."
First of all, homosexuals are not mentally incapable individuals. All of the homosexuals I have known have been more than competent and have lead extremely productive lives. Second, thank you for admitting that "homosexuals are denied certain rights." This, however, is unconstitutional. Nowhere in the constitution did our founding fathers distinguish between hetero and homosexuals. They were, however, explicit about equal rights for all.
"Look up the word "marriage" in any dictionary."
I'm also getting my masters degree in linguistics, so I can tell you with academic authority that language changes based on how the population uses it. "Bling" is now in the dictionary, even though 5 years ago it was not a word and the word "gay" used to mean happy, but the definition has changed based on society's use of it. As language changes, so does the dictionary and therefore, dictionary definitions are not now, nor have they ever been, nor will they ever be set in stone.
"The only people I can see agreeing with the court's update, are those who put the blame of the economy on the Republics, who actually only hold 1/3 of the 3/3 of the government against the Democrats 2/3rds. Who is at fault for this? The democrats have the extra power to impliment their policies while Republicans need the votes of Democrats. So how does anyone validly state that the blame is on the Republicans?"
The current state of the economy is the result of the deregulation of the past 7 years, for 6 of which the Republicans controlled the government. The democrats came into power in congress in 2006. In 2005 I was offered a subprime loan when I bought my house. I turned it down. However, the wheels came off the economy in 2007 after those 2-3 year teaser rates readjusted. Simple math puts the cause of the problem in 2004-2005, when the Republicans controlled congress and the white house.
"You might as well argue that Barack Obama, who was raised by wealthy Caucasians and whose family has an annual income of about $1,000,000, can connect with the average hard-working Americans."
Obama was raised by a single mother who at times had to get food stamps and who had to fight insurance companies for coverage when she got cancer. He didn't move in with his grandparents until high school, and that was only for a better education. He went to college on scholarships. Additionally, after college, he worked in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago helping and connecting with the average, hard-working American. As I said earlier, experience is the best educator and means of connecting with people or issues. Obama is the quintessential rags to riches, American dream story who is on the side of the working class.
Call a spade a spade, Anonymous independent. There is nothing in your post to suggest you are anything but a republican.
"Hypocrites"
Anonymousindependent wrote:
"I wouldnt expect anyone under the age of 14 to rationally argue either side of this so..."
As a teacher with over a decade of experience working with children (mostly middle school children aged 11-14) your comment is not only insulting, but inaccurate. I regularly have debates in my classroom and encourage my students to argue their opinions, whether or not they think others, including myself, agree with them. With the internet and social networking sites, as well as current event assignments in many classrooms, children are very aware of the world around them and very able to form sophisticated, well thought out opinions. Additionally, experience is the best educator and Breanna obviously had the experience to enable her to form a valid, rational opinion.
Anonymousindependent further wrote:
"You realize that homosexual persons in California technicaly have the SAME rights as heterosexuals, right? Both groups have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex."
Separate but Equal was struck down in 1954 and if homosexual and heterosexual marriage are called 2 separate things, they are separate and not equal. And by keeping them separate and unequal, we leave the door open for rights to be taken out of civil unions down the line. As for the 2nd sentence in that comment, no one is asking you to deny any part of who you are. Why would you ask another person to deny him or herself and be anything less than he or she is by saying he or she can only have a marriage if they change themselves?
"This matter brought up by same sex activists is nnot a matter of fact or policy on their behalf, its about values. They are fighting to change three-thousand year old practices because of their own values."
These are the same arguments used during the civil rights movement of the 1960s to deny desegregation and keep African Americans from integrating into white schools. Those good, Christian white folk didn't want their children exposed to any degenerate n***** values. We know they were bigoted hypocrites and that their arguments didn't hold water, but they sure put up a fight.
"On a second note, which has nothing to do with religion and is strictly based on science, heteroseuality is scientifialy 'correct'. Men need women(and the other way around) to reproduce, that is how it is for 99.9% of the species on eart including homosapiens."
This "science" is only true to a point. Yes males and females need each other to reproduce, but that was much more of an issue 3,000 years ago when the infant mortality rate was about 70% the survival of the species was questionable. We no longer have that problem (I cite China's 1 child policy - which btw I do not agree with, but I see its point). And on a funnier note, there is homosexuality within the animal kingdom as well. My cat is gay. He leaves my female cat alone and often tries to mount one of my other male cats. I know it's sexual and not dominance because he only goes after this one cat and he thrusts his pelvis. There has also been research done on homosexuality in the animal kingdom.
"If you DO still believe that they do not have the same rights: mentally incapable individuals are not allowed to take on certain tasks, while sexuality can be assigned to genetics as well, homosexuals are denied certain rights."
First of all, homosexuals are not mentally incapable individuals. All of the homosexuals I have known have been more than competent and have lead extremely productive lives. Second, thank you for admitting that "homosexuals are denied certain rights." This, however, is unconstitutional. Nowhere in the constitution did our founding fathers distinguish between hetero and homosexuals. They were, however, explicit about equal rights for all.
"Look up the word "marriage" in any dictionary."
I'm also getting my masters degree in linguistics, so I can tell you with academic authority that language changes based on how the population uses it. "Bling" is now in the dictionary, even though 5 years ago it was not a word and the word "gay" used to mean happy, but the definition has changed based on society's use of it. As language changes, so does the dictionary and therefore, dictionary definitions are not now, nor have they ever been, nor will they ever be set in stone.
"The only people I can see agreeing with the court's update, are those who put the blame of the economy on the Republics, who actually only hold 1/3 of the 3/3 of the government against the Democrats 2/3rds. Who is at fault for this? The democrats have the extra power to impliment their policies while Republicans need the votes of Democrats. So how does anyone validly state that the blame is on the Republicans?"
The current state of the economy is the result of the deregulation of the past 7 years, for 6 of which the Republicans controlled the government. The democrats came into power in congress in 2006. In 2005 I was offered a subprime loan when I bought my house. I turned it down. However, the wheels came off the economy in 2007 after those 2-3 year teaser rates readjusted. Simple math puts the cause of the problem in 2004-2005, when the Republicans controlled congress and the white house.
"You might as well argue that Barack Obama, who was raised by wealthy Caucasians and whose family has an annual income of about $1,000,000, can connect with the average hard-working Americans."
Obama was raised by a single mother who at times had to get food stamps and who had to fight insurance companies for coverage when she got cancer. He didn't move in with his grandparents until high school, and that was only for a better education. He went to college on scholarships. Additionally, after college, he worked in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago helping and connecting with the average, hard-working American. As I said earlier, experience is the best educator and means of connecting with people or issues. Obama is the quintessential rags to riches, American dream story who is on the side of the working class.
Call a spade a spade, Anonymous independent. There is nothing in your post to suggest you are anything but a republican.