Mass. Democrats back gay marriage [” ...It's a historic day."

The Boston Globe ^ | 1/30/2004 | Raphael Lewis and James Vaznis

[johnny7]

LOWELL -- Massachusetts Democratic Party leaders last night backed a resolution advocating unambiguous support for gay civil marriage, ignoring deep divisions in the party's ranks. The resolution, approved in a nonbinding vote that left the party's official platform untouched, would appear to be only the second by a state party in the nation. It was approved by a majority voice vote by the approximately 200 members of the state committee present, less than two weeks before the Legislature is scheduled to decide on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. State Party Chairman Philip Johnston said the vote sends a clear message to the nation that "we support protecting the rights of these individuals, and I think most of the rest of the state will support us." "I think it's very important the party speak out on this issue," he said.

[johnny7]

“To have the party behind this issue is a blessing to me and every lesbian, bisexual, and transgender.”

I gotta take a shower... better use lava.

[TYVets]

" although the most recent surveys appear to reflect a state that is now almost evenly divided on the issue."

Massachusetts has a sizable number of catholics, what have the bishops said about gay marriages in that state?

[Jim Noble]

what have the bishops said about gay marriages in that state?

The same thing they have said about Catholics who flout all the other teachings of the Church.

Nothing.

[johnny7]

The bishop is against it and the majority of priests are instructing their parishoners to be against it. John Forbes Kerry denounced the Popes statement on the issue. F'n John Kerry... a quisling with medals. The state government is so overwhelmingly democrat that it can deny the will of the majority of voters.

[Joe Boucher]

The Catholics in Mass are a pathetic joke. For decades they have supported Ted(the swimmer)Kennedy though he flouts the teachings of the Catholic church.
Killer Ted has broken how many of the 10 commandents? and continues to.
The Bishops continue to let him take all the rites of the church. NOw the state is trying to shove gay crap up the butts of non freaks. And the church is silent. Great job there oh moral church.
How is the buggering going there boys.
HOw come you are losing parishoners?

[independentmind]

Nothing.

You are incorrect. Take a look at FReeper seamole's posts.

[Jim Noble]

You are incorrect. Take a look at FReeper seamole's posts

I apologize for polemical excess.

I meant, almost nothing.

[mewzilla]

And Toon was just saying at that conflab how moderate John Kerry is...Oh, is this gonna bite them on the butt...

[TYVets]

Here in Missouri the outstate vote elects enough republicans from time to time to over come the st louis - kansas city demos.

That is not to say the republicans are even close to being perfect, but at least some of our tax money is used out side the two largest cities.

[The G Man]

I'm glad I moved from Mass to Ohio earlier this month.

[HostileTerritory]

By any measure, you're wrong. Don't compound the error.

The problem is that the Church has much less political influence than it used to before the abuse scandals. That, and only 1 in 6 Catholics go to mass.

[HostileTerritory]

Did you mean to post that to a different thread?

[chatham]

IN my opinion I Believe the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts, Democratic Legislators are Perverted and Mentally Disordered.
Any Legislator who voted for Homosexual Marriage should be put out of Office along with the Activist Judges who create laws from the bench.

[chatham]

The Bishops have sent out letters which were read in all parishes against Homosexual Marriages and Most churches also gave sermons against Homosexual.

However on the heels of the Sexual abuse scandal of Children by Criminal Homosexual Priests who were protected
by many Bishops the Catholic Church is without the Moral Strength to lead on these issues.
I don't think the Church will be able to rebound from this crisis for many years if ever.
Homosexual marriage is just plain wrong.

[TYVets]

Post #4: The state government (Massachusetts) government is so overwhelmingly democrat that it can deny the will of the majority of voters.

Post #9: Here in Missouri the outstate vote elects enough republicans from time to time to over come the st louis - kansas city demos.

That is not to say the republicans are even close to being perfect, but at least some of our tax money is used out side the two largest cities.

Your Post #12: Did you mean to post that to a different thread?

No, I was comparing Missouri and Massachusetts.

In Missouri, we kick out the Swimmer Teddy Kennedy types after we make the mistake of electing them. I think the writer of post #4 is stating that the will of the people is denied in Massachusetts.

I apologize to the writer of post #4, should I be in error.

In other words, Missouri voters do not keep electing the same liberal, pro gay marriage, pro abortion position's year after year like the voters of Massachusetts.

Have I made myself clear?

[TYVets]

politicians,

[Night Hides Not]

The problem is that the Church has much less political influence than it used to before the abuse scandals. That, and only 1 in 6 Catholics go to mass.

Don't know where that statistic comes from, but I'm not going to doubt it. My family is a part of the community of a very active parish in North TX. It has grown from a few hundred families to over 6,000 in the course of the past 15 years.

Once our new church was finished, I ran the numbers. If every weekend Mass was full, which they weren't, an additional 5 masses would be needed for the rest of the community. So I guess we're doing better than the national average.

I am not a cradle Catholic, nor do I attend Mass every week (I miss 3-4 times a year). But I do wonder why attendance is so poor, when attending weekly Mass is so important.

[Vinnie_Vidi_Vici]

I think it only right that the democrats in a show of solidarity take a ride down that "Hershey Highway" With Rep. Bawney Fwank!!!!

[HostileTerritory]

I did not pick up on the final sentence of the message you were replied to; in that light, I genuinely did not understand your response. I was not trying to be obnoxious.

As it happens, our legislature has very little it can do with the decision as it was handed down by the Court. The decision is pretty strong. Also, every poll in this state shows that there is no clear majority opposed to "gay" "marriage."

The politics suck, but the forests are pretty, the dining is excellent, there are tons of museums, and my hardwood floors are older than my grandparents.

[HostileTerritory]

The 1 in 6 number was in the Boston Globe a day or so ago. They're consolidating parishes here so actual attendance and not just membership is a factor. Always a tough thing to do but Massachusetts was so heavily Catholic and ethnically diverse a century ago that the Church is carrying an infrastructure too heavy for its back. We don't need quite as many Lithuanian and Polish parishes as made sense 80 years ago.