In that case the tread should have been titled, "George Takei Marries" The discussion started from the very beginning.
It wouldn't have made a difference to you what the title was... Hatred is hatred... I'll be honest with you...gay people bother me. Don't know why, but it weirds me out. I know a lot of gay people, and I value their friendship very much. But when I see them with their partners it weirds me out. HOWEVER, that is my problem not theirs. I don't give a fooey if they get married. Why would I? What harm does it do me? How does it change my life or change the nature of my marriage to my wife? It doesn't. If someone feels it does, or feels their marriage is "devalued" because these people who are different from them have the same thing...its THEIR problem and they should do the world a favor and keep it to themselves just like I do.
While I agree that it wouldn't matter what the title was, I don't think hate (though there were a few predictably derogatory comments) has anything to do with it. The plain fact of the matter is that somewhere in the telling of this story, it was going to have to come out (sorry, not intentional) that the married couple was two men. While I agree with a sentiment expressed in your post and in the one that originally questioned how this became a discussion of gay rights that the genders of the couple shouldn't really be an issue, the concept of gay marriage is still far too new, and controversial, for that. The discussions and debates are part of the process. Regardless of what the law says, there are alot of people out there who just aren't comfortable with gay people, let alone with the idea of them marrying each other. You expressed a very similar idea in your post. However, I'd also assert that calm, rational discussions like this one are part of the pathway to finding a comfort level, or at least not being uncomfortable about a subject. Fortunately, this discussion really didn't get into the aspects of hatred that are often associated with this issue. However, while some of the utopian aspects of ST were discussed, somewhat heatedly at times, we don't live in a society that's anywhere nearly as utopian. As a result until people get somewhat more comfortable with the idea of gay marriage, any story or discussion about such unions, particularly those involving celebrities, is going to have a gay rights component too it. That's just human. Live long and prosper.
Having a opinion is not hate. Some people have a phobia but I don't, I have great friends who are gay. Good friends are hard to find and great to have. I know we don't talk about religion, but gay marriage is against mine.
so this might be a sidelined question, but so with the legality of gay marriages here in the states, does this mean that a person can "SPONSOR" another person of the same sex from a different country.............for the purpose of marriage here? that alone can open up a huge pandora's box...................just food for thought.
Just a guess, but I doubt George Takei wants to join your church. Assuming he wants to join a church at all, there are many that will be happy to receive him with love and respect. My wife is not a trekkie, but news of his marriage brought a smile to her face. I'd be delighted to invite him and his family into my home. I cannot say the same for you.
Nothing wrong with being against gay marriage for yourself - nobody is forcing you to have one. However, forcing your personal opinion (no matter what that opinion is) on other folks, however, is another kettle of fish entirely.
You are free to subscribe to whatever religious beliefs you like (though I will criticize them when they are irrational). The real issue is whether you advocate denying people their basic human and civil rights. You may have genuine friends who are gay, and respectfully tell them that you, personally, would not enter into a gay marriage. But if you support laws that deny them the right to marry, then I submit that they are not your friends. Friends do not try to prevent friends from living the lifestyle they choose, as long as it harms nobody. (Though sometimes people who do not like each other maintain a friendly facade, for a variety of reasons.)
Joan Winston, ‘Trek’ Superfan, Dies at 77 Joan Winston, ‘Trek’ Superfan, Dies at 77 Joan Winston with George Takei http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/nyregion/21winston.html
I know I should stay out of this but I can't. That is a pretty weak argument saying you are not their friend if you support laws against their choice to be gay. If your friend was a pedophile would supporting laws against child porn or laws providing punishment for carrying out the desires make you less of a friend to them? As for it not harming anyone, there's a problem with that too. There are more instances of health care problems for people involved in those relationships and allowing them to marry and receive equal benefits as real married people would essentially drive up the cost of health care for everyone else. It's kind of the same principle as people who drive FSP(fuel sucking pig) vehicles for daily drivers are driving up the cost of fuel for the rest of us by creating a larger demand and further shortening the supply. Feel free to flame away; I have an asbestos-like flame suit so it won't bother me any.
Your premises are flawed. Promiscuous sex is dangerous, whether it be gay or hetero. Child molesting is a crime whether it be gay or hetero. And health care is a right, irrespective of people's marital status or whether or not you choose to recognize their long-term relationships.
Health care isn't a right. That's politico talk. Nowhere in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights is health care referenced.
Just a quick note to ask when everyone chose to be heterosexual? It's not a choice GLBT people make. Why would they choose to be hated and reviled by so many otherwise normal people? And what does George Takei's marriage have to do with pedophilia? And I assume the poster can show statistics from Massachusetts that GLBT people are more promiscuous in their marriages than st8 people? There aren't enough statistics from California yet.
Sorry but this is kind of a ludicrous argument. I'll chime in with a call for a statistic to back up this claim. You don't specifically mention promiscuity and STDs, but it's hard to imagine that you're talking about poor dental hygiene or broken bones being higher for gay couples. The flat-out ridiculous part though, is that gay people who want to get married are looking for long term monogamous relationships, and I just don't see what the increased health risk is in that. Not to mention the fact that even if they're not married, gay people can still buy health insurance.
In the Declaration of Independence, they call life an "unalienable right". Can't have much life if you're dying of an easily-treatable illness.
Of course, healthcare, like everything else, should be reserved for those who can afford it. Poor people don't deserve it, and especially not gays - it's obviously their 'lifestyle' that makes them sick anyway. The rich should get the best and most of everything, otherwise what's the point of having money?
There was a great series on NPR about healthcare systems in other countries and what they were doing well and not so well. Interestingly, both in the UK (where the system is nationalized) and I think it was Germany (where I believe it's mostly paid by employers but set up very differently from our own system), people who were interviewed used the word "solidarity" to describe the idea that people have some responsibility for the health of their fellow human beings. I really do have a problem with the way our healthcare is so closely tied to employment. If something happens to your job and you need to get back on your feet, the last thing you need is to be bankrupted by an unexpected illness. How does that help someone get back to productivity?