Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Ohio Gay-Marriage Push Divides Some Advocates
This article talks about reservations that proponents of same-sex marriage in Ohio have about putting the issue on the ballot for the 2014 election. Many of the organizations who have been working to reverse the ban in that state feel that 2014 is not their year, while others are arguing that they are tired of waiting and after all the work that has been done to advance the cause it should be put up for a vote. The major worry by people such as Micheal Premo from Why Marriage Matters Ohio who support marriage equality is that if the issue is put on the ballot and fails, it will give fuel to the opposition making it significantly harder to pass the reversal in the future.
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We have seen this issue arise in many of the articles posted on the blog this year, and it seems as though many of us have agreed that who you marry and if men marry men and women marry women is not an issue that the government should be a part of. Marriage is definitely something that should be kept separate from laws and whatnot, because is it really anybody's business who you decide to marry?
ReplyDeleteBut despite all this, the article did mention that conservatives are giving up their push to ban same-sex marriage. This is probably a good thing if marriage is going to become a more private matter. I mean, same sex marriage may be part of legislation, but at least it would seem to be dealt with and not challenged any further.
I do not think that Gay Marriage is an issue to be decided by a ballot. As we continue to discuss in class, just because a majority of people want something, or because a majority of people don't want something doesn't make it good or bad policy. I think that Gay Marriage is an issue that should be tacked through the courts. I would agree with Michael Premeo, if the ballot fails, it would only fuel the opposition.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Michaela and the article, that if the ballot fails, it would just fuel the opposition more. Katie's other article emphasized the growing strength of the Tea Party wing of the republican party. Even if public opinion is growing less adversarial towards gay marriage, a lot of political activists are probably going to hold firm in their beliefs, and this could cause a ballot vote to lose. And such a loss could have more serious implications for the future.
ReplyDeleteAlthough hopefully ten years would be enough to repeal the ban on same-sex marriage in Ohio, I definitely agree with Michaela and Noelle that it could have the opposite effect. If some of the groups are correct in saying that 2014 is not the year to make this happen, these conservative opponents would definitely show up to vote against it. It does seem like a good time after the flipping of voters in Ohio, but the whole thing is a risk I wonder if supporters are willing to take.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my classmates that marriage is a private issue and a ballot is no way to handle the issue of same-sex marriage. It's understandable that many people are tired of waiting after years of hard work, but if the ballot does not go in their favor, they face a much more difficult future. As someone who does not find same-sex marriage to be at all controversial, I would hate to see it handed by a ballot but rather in a more formal and sure fashion.
ReplyDeleteI think that marriage and who you love should not be anyone's business besides your own. I think that political action in this matter is inevitable though. I think that both sides have valid reasons for either wanting it on or off the ballot. I find it sad that this has taken so long already to begin the journey for equal human rights.
ReplyDeleteLike many of you I also believe that there shouldn't be a ballot deciding the fate of same-sex marriage. I'm surprise that though gay-rights groups have been working hard for years to gain marriage equality that some are still willing to be patient and not have the vote. I guess they want the perfect conditions to the point where they're 100% sure they'll win before they decide to take a vote.
ReplyDeleteWhile I see the points being made for not using ballot measures to allow same sex marriage, I disagree. The gay and lesbian people of Ohio have had their right to marry withheld for years, and have been patient enough. Although I do agree that using the courts to work out this issue is also an option, at this point it seems we should be doing whatever we can. If the research showed the over 50% of the people on Ohio supported same-sex marriage, I think putting it on the ballot is worth the risk. Everyone already knows the liberal and the conservative views on this issue, it's not like putting it on the ballot would suddenly alert voters to some new decisive issue, it already is one.
ReplyDeleteEveryone always has an opinion on same sex marriage. Personally, I think that gay people deserve of get married and for that marriage to be recognized by both the state and federal governments. Anyway, the article stated that there were 56% of the Ohio citizens that supported the vote, but when the vote was cast, they didn't have enough support. With controversial issues like same sex marriage, many people may say one thing but vote another way. Also, the article said that the 56% was reached after churches and places designated for worship were exempt from performing the marriages. So I think it is safe for me to assume that part of that percentage were religious. Whether they changed their mind or did not fully tell the truth about their actual stance on same sex marriage, I think that gay rights activists still have a long way to go before homosexual people gain their full rights.
ReplyDeleteIf people like Micheal Premo are worried it will not pass, who should be. He should be very confident about his opinion. There is no way to get marriage equality without trying. They need to put it on the ballot and try there hardest so that a reversal can not be passed in the future. I do not see the logic in that republicans do not want to argue over same sex marriage. It is a big deal and needs to be treated as such.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my classmates as I don't think the personal issue of marriage should be decided by a ballot. It is clear to me, however, that this is the only way that the issue will move forward. With that said, I think laws allowing gay marriage are long overdue. I believe that we are moving in the right direction to get such laws passed, but I'm worried the murder of a gay marriage bill in 2014 will make bills of this nature hard to pass for years to come.
ReplyDeleteWhile intervention in this part of peoples' lives shouldn't be any of the governments concern, political action is necessary. I understand the urgency of the issue after this long of a battle, but like most of my classmates, I think this should be settled through the courts. The chance of failure is too high of a risk in this case.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with many of my contemporary students on the matter of gay marriage. For the sake of this argument, my personal opposition to gay marriage needs to be put to the side. I strongly object to gay marriage being decided in the courts—why is it that an entire state of people ought to have their will unrightfully quashed by a few unelected judges? Gay marriage should be left to the individual voters of the states and not to the federal government or anywhere else. The courts deciding gay marriage would inevitably place the issue before the Supreme Court and result in it becoming a national issue (I think I should be clear that I am opposed to any and all action on the issue of marriage at the federal level—I believe that it should be left to the states… period).
ReplyDeleteThe fact that many people can be opposed to the right for members of the LGBT community to marry whomever they chose are part of our nation that promises equality for all citizens can sill lead our us underneath this hypocrisy. When the leaders of the rights activists say that they should pull back from trying to have legislation passed because the world is not ready for this type of change seems to me like they are giving up. I think that they should push even harder than they have before so that they have this crude system corrected.
ReplyDeleteLike all of my classmates, I too think that marriage is a private issue and should not be decided by a ballot. I do agree that the failure of this ballot would only fuel the opposition and make it harder for gay marriage bills to be passed in the future. I agree with Josh that we are moving in the right direction to get laws like this passed.
ReplyDeleteIm glad to see that Same-sex marriage cases are having success and i think the issue could definitely have an impact on the 2014 election. The government regulating marriage,in my opinion, is government overstepping its grounds, regulate trade: fine, regulate environmental standards: fine, regulate marriage: not okay.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what the more beneficial decision is concerning putting same sex marriage up for a vote. I can see why some people have reservations about putting it up for a vote too soon and having it fail. It would be devastating if after so much work on the same sex marriage issue if the ballot failed thereby setting the issue back yet again.
ReplyDeleteAs just about every person has said at least once throughout the posting of same sex marriage articles, it should be your choice who you marry. The government shouldn't have control over people's personal choices, such as marriage. Whether it be to a man or a women, it is your individual, personal choice. It's good to see conservatives in the government are beginning to diminish their opposition to these laws.
ReplyDelete