Calif. Supreme Court to take up gay marriage ban

[AnthemZ]

Calif. Supreme Court to take up gay marriage ban


Nov 19, 5:07 PM (ET)


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - California's highest court has agreed to hear legal challenges to a new ban on gay marriage, but is refusing to allow gay couples to resume marrying until it rules.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted three lawsuits seeking to overturn Proposition 8. The amendment passed this month with 52 percent of the vote. The court did not elaborate on its decision.

All three cases claim the ban abridges the civil rights of a vulnerable minority group. They argue that voters alone did not have the authority to enact such a significant constitutional change.

[marquis]

If voters can't change the constitution then who can? It can't be the politicians because that would give them the bat and the ball.

My objection is the use of the word "marriage" which has already been defined the world over as a union between man and woman.Thing about definitions is they are there for a purpose otherwise you can end up with a ten inch foot because it suits someone to have such a thing.

[DemonGeminiX]

"Marriage" and "foot"... apples and oranges. Many words have shifted meanings over time in history without detriment. "Marriage" can be summarily redefined as "the romantic civil union of two individuals" without any harm to the economic or academic structure, nor any harm to any current romantic civil unions.

[marquis]

Originally Posted by DemonGeminiX

"Marriage" and "foot"... apples and oranges. Many words have shifted meanings over time in history without detriment. "Marriage" can be summarily redefined as "the romantic civil union of two individuals" without any harm to the economic or academic structure, nor any harm to any current romantic civil unions.

There's a difference between usage and definition.Words are defined to make sure that their meaning is clearly and unambiguously understood.They fix the word.We got round the legal problem in the UK by using the tern "civil partnership".
Next time you fill up your car and the owner tells you that his gallon has shifted meaning and now means 7 pints you will realise the difference between usage and definition.

[DemonGeminiX]

Marriage, gallon... apples and oranges. See the argument above.

You can preserve meanings that are necessary to the economic and scientific structure quite easily. However, when it's not really that big of a deal, who cares?

Hey, personally, I couldn't care less if it's called "marriage" or if it's called "civil partnership", or even if they call it "Poppa's groovy cool love contract", the point I'm trying to make is that the preservation of the meaning of certain words makes absolute sense in the socio-economic and scientific respect (i.e. gallon, foot) and others are completely irrelevant. In my opinion, the preservation of the definition of "marriage" doesn't really fall into the "necessary for civilization to exist" category.

Once upon a time "gay" meant "happy", "joyous", etc... Now it means "homosexual". I don't hear any straight happy people complaining. Do you?

[BlobbyBob]

The word gay itself has shifted in usage - why aren't you complaining about that? Even 50 years ago it meant happy and now it means homosexual. The definition of words is ever-changing, so there's no reason that the word marriage can't. It doesn't have to mean 'between a man and a woman' but just 'between two people"

[marquis]

Originally Posted by BlobbyBob

The word gay itself has shifted in usage - why aren't you complaining about that? Even 50 years ago it meant happy and now it means homosexual. The definition of words is ever-changing, so there's no reason that the word marriage can't. It doesn't have to mean 'between a man and a woman' but just 'between two people"

Because "marriage" is DEFINED in law.This is world wide.
Many words shift meaning, largely because people are poorly educated and misunderstand them.There are those whose understanding of English was so poor that they objected to the term "chairman" ignorantly thinking that the "man" part excludes women .But when properly constituted authorities assign a particular meaning to a word or term to avoid any uncertainties that is what it means.If a definition were to be changed it would throw all existing arrangements astray.
So you can have a seven pint unit if you like.Just don't call it a gallon because that word is already taken.

[DemonGeminiX]

Originally Posted by marquis

Because "marriage" is DEFINED in law.This is world wide.
Many words shift meaning, largely because people are poorly educated and misunderstand them.There are those whose understanding of English was so poor that they objected to the term "chairman" ignorantly thinking that the "man" part excludes women .But when properly constituted authorities assign a particular meaning to a word or term to avoid any uncertainties that is what it means.If a definition were to be changed it would throw all existing arrangements astray.
So you can have a seven pint unit if you like.Just don't call it a gallon because that word is already taken.

Definitions can change. Laws can change. It happens worldwide everyday, except when we're talking about the United States Bill of Rights.

Like I said before: marriage, pint, gallon = apple, orange, orange. What part of that do you not understand? You can use any unit of measurement in any system you want and you'll still have an illogical and invalid argument. Units of measurement need to be fixed because business, science, and education depends on them. It's necessary. Not every definition needs to be so rigid. The definition of "marriage" is one of those definitions that does not need to be so rigid. If you generalize marriage to mean "the romantic union of two adult individuals", it won't hurt anything. Your marriage will still be included, but it'll also include gay couples who are joined like you and your wife. It'll give equality for that particular subset of people who are being oppressed by petty small mindedness. This is not about definitions. This is about equality. You can share a word with gay people. The world will not end.

[Ex]

Gay marriage has been shot down how many times now? And yet gays still persist in suing for "gay rights". Ridiculous.

[Harpoon]

Marquis just owned you mother funkers...

[DemonGeminiX]

Originally Posted by Harpoon

Marquis just owned you mother funkers...

He owns nothing, Fluffy.

[Harpoon]

[DemonGeminiX]

Oh Fluffy, you're such a romantic...



... bend over, you first.

[TheLancinator]

Originally Posted by Harpoon

Marquis just owned you mother funkers...

How so?

[Harpoon]

Dont be so serious all the time Lance..