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Equality for all! I am so sick and tired of people who oppose gaymarriage and say i cant get married because the bible says this or the bible says that. First of all, the bible is really old and says a lot of things such as you cant eat shellfish or talking back to your parents is punishable by death. So I take the bible for what it is a philosophical document, and jesus was just a philosopher. Second of all there is separation of church and state in this country established by the founding fathers which is violated everytime a law is passed banning gay marriage because the bible says its wrong. It disgusts me and makes me not so proud of my country. Third of all I pay the same taxes as everyone else and I believe that I should recieve the same benefits of being a citizen.

I think this is great. Same sex marriage should be allowed. People who are against this just need to know this is the most rediculous fight to have. Why should anyone care who anyone wants to marry? All anyone should care about is age and consent. I'm serious. I don't care about same sex marriage or multi-partner marriages. AGE AND CONSENT!!!! That's it. Get over youselves people. There's more important issues in the world than this.

wrong, Bill. When the US Supreme Court overturned laws forbidding interracial marriage, 70% of the country was in favor of those laws. Segregation laws were the "will of the people". Waiting around for the "will of the people" to change is not always the right thing to do. Equal protection for all is the right thing to do.

Constitution protects the minority from the tyranny of the majority

The poll is a national poll. The DC city council is following the mandate of the people they represent.

Though, in this case, the mandate of the people is the tyranny of the majority.

There comes a time when doing what is right, isn't the popular choice.

Marriage should be a legal union between two consenting adults, regardless of gender.

A same sex marriage doesn't harm in any way anyone else, nor does it erode the fictitious institution of marriage. If you object to same sex marriage, then don't do it. But don't force your religous views onto others, and stop discriminating against gays/lesbians (married couples gain tons of benefits not available to those in civil unions).

It is only a matter of time before same sex marriages become legal, everywhere... get used to it.

This is exactly what I want to see and hear. How spouses arrange their marriage is their own personal business. When I comment on this issue I often add that I commend the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Trans-Gender, and Queer) Groups for their outreach. This includes PFLAG (Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the Pride Groups, and Queer Advocacy Projects. I wish that all 50 of the United States would do this. The spousal and marital arrangements are a private matter, and couples of different sexual orientations should be allowed to go on living their lives like anyone else, no differently than that of one man and one woman.

thank you, DC! set the example for the rest of the 46 states to follow!

Basic civil rights shouldn't be subject to the whims of the people. If they were, we'd still have slavery.

the mandate of the people in the 1940s was that black people should not have equal rights. was that right? the role of the government should be to protect the right of the minority and increase the rights of the majority at the expense of the minority. Two gay people marrying does not make a heterosexual marriage anything less. In fact prisoners who have committed murders have the right but gay people do not. You are not gay so you will never understand Bill what it feels to deny basic human rights and by your crass comment it seems you do not know what it is like to show empathy. Finally for the religious we are a nation of separartion of church and state and if we should follow religion then maybe we should choose the Muslim religion where women should not be allowed to drive, walk alone,
or dress in skimpy clothes. My point is religious leaders are extreme and do not follow common sense. If we followed religion to the tee we would not have made many advances in society, medicine, science, and technology.

Why are our elected officials not listening to the voice of the people regarding issues of marriage and abortion. There is an urgent need for a national referendum to put an end to this drift to same-sex marriage and abortion!

If the "mandate of the people" is deemed to violate the equal protection clause in the Constitution then YES it is void. Whether or not it is in violation of the equal protection clause of the Constitution is a matter of interpretation of the laws by the judiciary. The civil union could be a viable alternative (Except any civil union laws could be struck down because of that whole "Separate institutions are inherently unequal" bit). Its not always as simple as going with the will of the people (whether it should be or not, I don't know, but right now this is where it stands).

To Bill:

Polls, I sure do! It says that there is a definite generational gap when it comes to same sex marriage. 58% of those 18-34 think gay marriage should be legal...just looks like a matter of time.

How old are you again? Bible-thump much?

Enjoy your day.

@ Bill:

Just because the rest of the country is still bigoted, doesn't mean D.C. is. I commend them.

Besides, that same poll reports a massive generational gap - older voters prefer to keep it illegal, younger voters do not.

In other words, the future is legal same sex marriage.

another group crumbling from the pressure from a group of deviants...

The tide is slowly turning. Maybe in my lifetime I will see a day when every American has equal rights. I do respect what the religious right believes, but I also believe in separation of church and state. If you take religion out of the equation, there is no argument against gay marriage.

No, it isn't. The stripping of civil rights shouldn't be allowed by mob majority.

Bill in California,

First, it appears that actually the people of a handful of states (and DC) and their elected officials are among the 44% of those who actually believe in civil rights for everyone. Clearly, they are much more broad minded than your beloved California.

Second, civil rights are NOT an issue of popularity.

Bill In CA, this is not about the will of the voters. It is about equality of the law. If you are married your marriage is not affected one bit if gays and lesbian couples are allowed to marry. Nonetheless opinion is swinging towards acceptance of same sex marriage.

Mitt Romney is talking about "hot potatoes". He probaly eats more expensive food than that. with his ten homes. he is destroying his party. it will be a one man party. with only romney left.

Marriage=Man and woman.

To: Bill in California; Polls or no polls, it's good to see lawmakers know there should be a separation of church and state!

Please try to remember that our Constitution guarantees us Freedom of (as well as from) Religion. Churches do not issue marriage liscences. Counties, cities, and states do.

That also means that no organized religion will ever be forced to perform marriage ceremonies.

I was able to sit in on this vote today and was humbled by the overwhelming support of the members of the DC City Council!
Mr. Barry, (who was reading a newspaper during the testimonials by the way) someone who has been divorced, found in posession of drugs, and has been investigated for tax fraud; should not be calling himself a "moral compass" for the Christian community! Do you want a man who cheated on his wife and then divorced her to tell you about the joys of denying marriage to gay couples?
Polls are misleading and regardless of the numbers; minorities should not be subject to the discrimination agenda of a majority! You could probably get a poll to say 55% of people disapprove of divorce, but yet at least that many have been divorced–so do we say outlaw divorce because "more" people are against it?

54% of a single poll is hardly a mandate, dude

This country of ours is in trouble. This weakens the moral fabric of our society. The foundation for any civilization is the family unit, one whicn can procreate. This abomination of the institution of marrige may be the last straw.

Just because the majority believes something, doesn't make it right. To advance as a culture, sometimes we need change to come from the outside.

IF YOU BELIEVE POLLS, then it is good to see our elected officials following the mandate of the people isn't it?

Well thank goodness Marion Barry can be the one single voice for old fashioned morality. I hope Hell is a very roomy place.

Make no mistake – all democrats are not liberal, all republicans are not conservatives, all independents are not moderates!

Congratulations to Mayor Fenty and the citizens of DC. One more step down the long road to equality!!!!

There is a need for a national referendum on marriage and abortion – to save this great nation from severe moral decadence! This not the time to keep quite, conservatives ( democrats, republicans, independents) need to act fast to save this country!

Why not make all states and pass one bill through Congress to make official "same sex marriage". It doesn't matter what others believe when it comes to marriage,because their voice isn't heard. So let's get it over, then the rest of us won't have to listen to the "carrying on" by the news and the government!

This is great news! i noticed on the poll taken yesterday that 18-34 year olds approve of Gay Marriage. As a Gay man i would like to say..if we cant get our way now...we shall wait out the old people!

D C – Disgusting Crap.

And the right wing freaks that want to force THIER religion down our throats will be chiming in, in 3...2....1.

"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" plus "Seperation of Church and State".....means you all can just STFU! It's the constitution, not the bible...you freakin right wing lunatics, aka "The American Taliban".

Follow your teachings, but don't push them on the rest of the country.

Sincerly,
A Christian that FIRMLY believes in seperation of Church and State!

America's most morally bankrupt city gets a little slimier. Every day I am grateful that I moved far, far away from DC.

The best vote Marion Barry ever cast. Washington DC has been in decline for some time now. With Obama there and now this, it will quickly become the national gutter.

yea right. Legalized it. America is on its way to hell and has been for some time. uuh, uuh, uuh.

Congratulations to this council for recognizing the rights of ALL people, not just straight people.

I hope more places around the country follow their example.

Now all those gay Republicans can come out of the closet and marry their partners!!!

This is very sad news for the future of America.

I love Jesus Christ with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Loving Jesus Christ means obeying Him. Obeying Him means believing and living the Bible. Believing and living the Bible means, among other things, opposing homosexual "marriage" because such unions are sinful and anti-Christian.

The United States of America is a great nation because and only because the American people have historically honored Christ (for the most part). If our next generation refuses to obey GOD, then GOD has no reason for continuing to bless our nation. America will be a scary place to live forty years from now

Marion barry should concentrate on his drug abuse and tax evasion problems before he starts worrying about whether gay people should be married. This man is a disgrace and really, by all rights, should be in prison.

So I am not understanding something here, DC will recognize SSM's but people cannot get married in DC unless your the oppisite sex? So does that mean that all the rights the hetrosexual side gets, the homosexual side can get the same rights? But, they have to go elsewhere to actually get married? If my interpretation is correct, that is as dumb as the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the Military, You can't be gay in the Military, but we are not allowed to ask you, and you are forbidden from telling anyone you are a gay marine, soldier, airman or sailor. Makes no sense to this hetrosexual.

This is great news, yay!

The religious right has no actual facts to base any of their rhetoric regarding the effect of gay marriage on the institution of marriage. The only backing they have is in the bible which depending on the church and the maliciousness of it's congregation and preacher, determines how they manipulate the bible to condemn and disavow any true theory as to the effects. The bible thumpers want Americans to think that it will cause their children to become gay, will decrease the meaningfulness of marriage, and will cause "god" to stike us down due to our sinfulness. The truth is it will do nor cause none of this to occur, and the whole religious theory on gay marriage come from an immoral manipulation of the bible, it's teachings, and without any updates that would make it compatible with the 21st century. In other words it will ensure that we as a country continue our decompensation that was started 8 years ago. Lies, lies, and more lies.

That just proves that our government officals are not looking at what the majority wants, but only what the minority wants. We need government officals with good upstanding morals in this country, not just "YES" to who they think they can get a vote from. This America is turning around to the morals we were established on, so you that think abortion, or homo-sexuel marriages are okay, your day is coming and it won't be pretty.

Marion Barry cast the only vote against this measure. Why does he, of all people, get a say-so? Isn't his judgment a bit "cloudy" from all of those years of drug abuse a sex with prostitutes?

Hmmm, been thinking of a move to DC. Seeing how progressive the city really is puts me one step closer. I think when states passing laws and discriminating against LGBTs see the brain drain it causes them, tides may change.

The Maine House just passed the same legislation. Their Senate did the same. Progress? I think so!

EQUALITY!

From a Lutheran Chaplain in South Carolina who is happily married to the woman of his dreams...

APPLAUSE!!!

Congratulations.

This is just one more step in the direction of true equality among all.

Hopefully someone will see that this isn't a civil issue it is a moral issue.

This is an abomination to Almighty God. Read the First Chapter of Romans (Holy Bible, for those of you who don't recognize the Romans reference).

Although it is against tradition, there is nothing wrong with same-sex marriages. Everyone says that "love is blind" yet refuse to accept this different type of love. It is a violation of privacy to deny recognition of same-sex marriages. After all, those people are not committing a crime or going against the law in any way. People are uncomfortable with the idea of same-sex marriages and are banning it for that reason solely. However, that is not a valid reason and they are being ignorant to the feelings and sentiments of those people. They can't help feeling how they do and they are no different from us. We're all humans and we should undoubtedly give them our support by being tolerant and by letting them live their lives as they choose and not by controlling it and restricting it. That is injustice and discrimination.

When it comes to liberial dems the majority doesn't rule and laws will be made from the bench. It is a dangerous situation.

While I feel for these folks, the public needs to be convinced not forced. This will eventually have a backlash against the dems!

"Fifty-four percent of adults questioned in an April 23-26 nationwide CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll said that marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, with 44 percent suggesting they should be considered legal. "

Aaaaaw, too bad for the 54% that the Constitution was put in place to prevent the tyranny of the majority over the minority.

Can we separate the church from state, please? A marriage is, first and foremost, a civil contract - which is why even in church ceremonies, the officiant mentions that by the power invested in them by the state, the couple is declared married. A marriage performed in a judge's office and a marriage performed in a church have no LEGAL differences. Allow the same-sex civil marriage. It is their right. If your religion denies the validity of same sex relationships, don't let them marry in your church. Period. In the church marriage is a legal contract AND a sacrament, I understand. But to deny the legal union because your religion doesn't allow it is to let religion make the rules of law.

Tyranny of the minority. And that is especially the case in DC..... Last time I checked, African Americans were very opposed to this. They are the majority population in DC, and apparently only Marion Berry is there to speak for them.

Good for freedom.I just wish Limbaugh would come out of the closet and tell us he really wanted to be a priest all his life.Thats just my opinion.

Wow tuff day in lib land. One of the most respected and admired politicians on the left, Marion Barry, dissented. I would assume that Barry gets a free pass since most libs don't care about gays anyway. If the gay person is not a lib marcher then they wish harm on that person in ways that no conservative would ever endorse.

I am mystified that this is still an issue in today's society. I am a straight male living in DC am happy for this initial step towards equality for all. It is not my duty, nor my business, to tell someone how to live their lives. Do I feel threatened by the homosexual population? Absolutely not. Do I feel threatened by the religious right trying to suppress a minority population? Absolutely.

Its the murder and crime capital of the country, but they finally did something to make the CNN proud.

I truly believe this is the tipping point.

All that the enemies of marriage equality have at this point is a much-lampooned commercial about storm clouds, and a beauty pageant spokeswoman photographed topless.

One more step towards real equality and every step on the journey is important. It would be better if they were fully recognizing marriages taking place within DC as well, but we'll get there.

The tyranny of preferential treatment for heterosexuals and far-right religious zealots will end in this country to evolve into a new era of true "liberty and justice for all".

Ruh Roh Rorge

And everyone has to agree, because that's what America is all about.

Yay!

Excellent! Now, what are we going to do to make sure that AIDS is contained? As according to the CDC, left unchecked, AIDS among men spreads like a wild fire.

WOW... never in my life would I think I'd agree with former Mayor Marion Barry.... but seems like he's the ONLY person not high on crack at the DC council.

That's an easy one for D.C. The Washington politicians have been in bed with everyone from pages to lobbists for two centuries.

Now they can do each other legally.

To all the neo-cons stating homosexuality is a "preference" you hold the key to the whole issue!

Just let us homosexual men know how you decide to be heterosexual.

Is it a daily decision, maybe while shaving? One day you shave your face, the next day your legs?

Do you decide at noon? One day beenie weenies and one day tacos?

How does it work out when the wife wants to discuss drilling and you have chosen that day to be interested in drill bits?

What if the little woman has chosen the fondness for flannel, power tools and deck building the same day you are packing wood?

What happens on the day the wife wants to go see "Mama Mia" based on ABBA but you would rather stay home shadow dancing to “Dancing Queen" by ABBA?

I do not know how you guys keep all the balls in the air so to speak!

Maybe we will just start believing homosexuality is no more a choice or "preference" than is heterosexuality.

I guess Marion Barry isn't so bad after all.

What the hell is wrong with this country?

Marion Barry the junkie voted against this bill? Wow. Does he think he's Miss California? Let's see who pickets this guy.