http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/samesexmarriage/ en-us Fri, 3 Jul 2009 20:06:58 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285042/posts SAN FRANCISCO - The attorney representing two same-sex couples who were denied a right to wed in California said on Thursday he expected the case to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to hear a case on the gay marriage issue. "When it does get to the United States Supreme Court, we expect to win," Theodore Olson, who was solicitor general under former President George W. Bush, told reporters after the first hearing on federal lawsuit that was filed in May. A high court ruling potentially could trump state laws prohibiting same-sex unions. Five out of... Newsmax http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2285042/posts#comment Fri, 3 Jul 2009 20:06:58 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284214/posts Judge Vaughn R. Walker Sacramento, Calif., Jul 1, 2009 / 06:02 pm (CNA).- The U.S. District Court has agreed to allow ProtectMarriage.com to defend   Proposition 8 in a lawsuit, after the state's Attorney General, Jerry Brown, refused to do so. The ruling will allow the coalition to defend the successful California initiative from last November that restored marriage to being only between a man and a woman in the state constitution. Andrew Pugno, general counsel for ProtectMarriage.com, has said that he is “pleased that the court will allow us to defend marriage and the will of the people against challenges to... cna http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284214/posts#comment Thu, 2 Jul 2009 17:07:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283383/posts WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama, under fire from the gay-rights community over slow action on its priorities, promised to deliver by the time he leaves office. [Barack Obama] Barack Obama The president gave no new details about how he would advance these issues, but he made passionate remarks saluting the pioneers of the gay-rights movement and expressed solidarity with those working for equal rights. "Welcome to your White House," the president said at a reception Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of the birth of the modern gay-rights movement. His remarks were greeted warmly by a cheering crowd of some... http://online.wsj.com/ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283383/posts#comment Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:10:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283036/posts A D.C. Superior Court judge Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking to delay the implementation of a law recognizing same-sex marriages performed in jurisdictions outside the District and rejected efforts to bring the issue before voters. The lawsuit was an attempt to salvage a referendum drive that would have put the question of same-sex marriage on the ballot. ...snip The plaintiffs, seven D.C. residents led by Bishop Harry R. Jackson of the Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, said they were disappointed by the decision. "Essentially, today, the D.C. residents have been disenfranchised and unable to vote on an important public policy... http://washingtontimes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283036/posts#comment Wed, 1 Jul 2009 04:44:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283040/posts  Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr. http://www.youtube.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2283040/posts#comment Wed, 1 Jul 2009 04:58:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282570/posts New York's annual Gay Pride parade was a colorful celebration of 40 years of progress toward civil rights for gays, but once the dust settled, gay couples who wish to marry in New York state remain thwarted. A bill to legalize gay marriage in the state that saw the dawn of the gay rights movement is mired in political stalemate in the state capital Albany, where Democrats and Republicans are battling over control of the state Senate. "I had hoped today's march would have been a bit of a wedding march. It's not," Christine Quinn, the gay speaker of the... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2282570/posts#comment Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:36:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281366/posts Same-sex 'marriage' loses support among Americans Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 6/28/2009 4:00:00 AM A recent poll indicates that Americans are not as supportive of homosexual "marriage" as they once were. A CBS-New York Times survey shows that support for redefining marriage to include same-gender couples has declined. Jenny Tyree of Focus on the Family Action tells OneNewsNow that, according to The New York Times, the figure dropped slightly -- but she believes nine percentage points is more than slightly. "I think that this really digs into what Americans really feel about marriage -- that they like that [marriage is]... onenewsnow http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281366/posts#comment Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:01:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281214/posts A recent poll indicates that Americans are not as supportive of homosexual "marriage" as they once were.A CBS-New York Times survey shows that support for redefining marriage to include same-gender couples has declined. Jenny Tyree of Focus on the Family Action tells OneNewsNow that, according to The New York Times, the figure dropped slightly -- but she believes nine percentage points is more than slightly. "I think that this really digs into what Americans really feel about marriage -- that they like that [marriage is] defined between a man and a woman," she contends. "And also it's a bit of a backlash against the five states... OneNewsNow http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281214/posts#comment Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:07:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281108/posts Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr. grew up thinking everyone has a right to be heard and that the right to vote is a near-sacred privilege. The son of a civil rights activist who fled Florida with his family when a state trooper threatened his father at gunpoint, Mr. Jackson knows firsthand the struggles to be recognized in the democratic system. But same-sex marriage, according to Mr. Jackson, is no civil right. "How dare someone piggyback on the civil rights movement?" he said. "What you really have is an elite group of people masquerading as a minority and systematically imposing their... Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281108/posts#comment Sun, 28 Jun 2009 13:34:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2280165/posts WASHINGTON — A Duke University official has been arrested and charged with offering his adopted five-year-old son for sex. Frank Lombard, the school's associate director of the Center for Health Policy, was arrested after an Internet sting, according to the FBI's Washington field office and the city's police department. According to an affidavit by DC Police Det. Timothy Palchak, an unnamed informant facing charges in his own child sex case led authorities to Lombard. Authorities said that Lombard tried to persuade a person — whom he did not know was a police officer — to travel to North Carolina to... pioneer depressed/ap http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2280165/posts#comment Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:48:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2278688/posts Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is being sued for millions of pounds by a former lover who claims she was dumped without warning after nearly eight years. Toni Layton, 56, who married the nine-times Wimbledon champion in an official wedding ceremony, is demanding a share of four multi-million dollar homes bought during their time together. Her lawsuit extends to the 'emotional, mental and physical trauma' she suffered after being 'removed' from 52-year-old Navratilova's life a year ago. Layton said: 'Martina has got a fight on her hands. Without any warning, my life came crashing down around me. I was kicked out... Mail UK http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2278688/posts#comment Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:05:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278395/posts New York governor David Paterson placed the marriage equality bill at the top of the list of items for senators to consider in a special session called for Wednesday, reports the New York Daily News. However, the fate of the bill remains anything but certain as chaos continues to reign in the chamber, where a protracted leadership struggle has upended business since June 8. On Tuesday afternoon, the special senate called by the governor broke down as Democrats and Republicans, who include one Democratic defector, held separate sessions -- at the same time. Different sets of bills were voted on,... Advocate.com via Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2278395/posts#comment Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:32:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2277056/posts Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre has publicly confronted Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi after the latter announced his support of homosexual marriage in a New York Times opinion piece. Mr. Suozzi “certainly admits that he knows he is contradicting some basic moral teachings of his own faith,” Bishop Murphy writes. “This is not the first time he has done this. He has already placed himself publicly in the category of ‘pro choice’ on abortion. While homosexual orientation is a neutral reality on a moral level, homosexual acts are not morally neutral. They are wrong and they are sinful. Abortion... Catholic Culture http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2277056/posts#comment Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:42:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276635/posts ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson said in an interview Sunday night that he would make sure that the State Senate votes on same sex-marriage legislation before it breaks for the summer, hours after he and his administration had refused to commit to forcing a vote on the issue. The development came as the governor announced plans to call the Senate to a special session on Tuesday, after trying unsuccessfully for two weeks to broker a compromise in a leadership battle that has deadlocked the chamber. But Mr. Paterson dismayed gay rights groups in his comments at a news conference... NY Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2276635/posts#comment Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:30:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274924/posts New poll finds only 33 percent of Americans favor, a 9-point drop since April The number of Americans who support same-sex marriage has plunged over the last few months, according to a new poll. The CBS News/New York Times study found that 33 percent of respondents favor same-sex marriage. That represents a 9 percent drop since April. Everett Rice, legislative coordinator for the California Family Council, said he has a theory about the decrease. "People really recognize their core and their values, their heritage," he said. "When people want to go in and redefine that, it really goes against everybody's... CitizenLink http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274924/posts#comment Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:07:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273851/posts Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today told a federal court in San Francisco that the state does not dispute that Proposition 8 may violate the federal Constitution and called for quick action to resolve the legality of the ant-gay measure law. "Plaintiffs' complaint presents important constitutional questions that require and warrant judicial determination," the governor said in a written response to a federal challenge of the anti-gay marriage ballot measure. " In a constitutional democracy, it is the role of the courts to determine and resolve such questions. … The administration encourages the court to resolve the merits of this action expeditiously."... Los Angeles Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273851/posts#comment Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:04:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273509/posts President Barack Obama. Credit: White House, Pete Souza Washington D.C., Jun 16, 2009 / 06:07 pm (CNA).- Although the Department of Justice filed a brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) last week, the Obama administration has made it clear that promoting same-sex “marriage” will be an important focus of its political agenda. Last Friday, the Department of Justice filed a brief to dismiss a federal lawsuit brought against DOMA, an act that allows states that limit marriage to a man and a woman to be exempt from recognizing homosexual “marriages” from other states. The act had been... cna http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273509/posts#comment Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:56:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273337/posts U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, one of the nation’s leading gay rights champions, blasted President Obama yesterday over a controversial anti-gay marriage court filing and is calling on the commander in chief to explain himself. The Boston Herald http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2273337/posts#comment Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:12:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271805/posts I dupe, I dupe! While political arguments rage, New York City has certified its first gay marriage -- of two men who fooled the City Clerk's Office into letting them tie the knot. Hakim Nelson and Jason Stenson married on May 26 with nary a raised eyebrow among the oblivious city bureaucrats who not only OK'd the marriage license, but conducted the ceremony, despite gay marriage being illegal in the state. The plucky couple filled out their marriage application online at the Apple Store on 14th Street in May. A few days later, they went to the City Clerk's Office... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271805/posts#comment Mon, 15 Jun 2009 01:18:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271666/posts June 14, 2009Obama's Other Controversial ChurchBy Andrew Walden "This is a guy (former Weatherman terror-bomber Bill Ayers) who lives in my neighborhood ... the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago - when I was 8 years old - somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense." -- Barack Obama on the Campaign trail, 2008 As President Obama prepared to commemorate D-Day, the Associated Press dug up old details and photos to write a warm fuzzy story about the WW2 service record of Obama's maternal grandfather... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271666/posts#comment Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:06:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2271712/posts (VIDEO AT LINK) As America's second-largest city celebrates gay pride, it's worth revisiting all the promises made to the folks marching today by a certain White House resident. And by "promises" we mean all of President Obama's broken ones. You know all those 1,200 rights and privileges enjoyed by heterosexual married couples? Obama once promised to give gay people those same rights. It's something he promised he would "change" as president. Then he opted not only to do nothing about the Defense of Marriage Act, but to actively endorse it. Once upon a time, Obama said: "You don't poll whether... Queerty http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2271712/posts#comment Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:18:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271127/posts A Michigan lawmaker wants to change state law to recognize gay marriages. The proposal scheduled to be announced by state Rep. Pam Byrnes on Saturday faces an uphill climb. Michigan voters in 2004 passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman, effectively banning the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. But Byrnes was scheduled to launch an effort to repeal that provision at the annual gay rights Michigan Pride event at the state Capitol. The joint resolution by the Democrat from Washtenaw County's Lyndon Township would have to be approved by two-thirds of the... Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2271127/posts#comment Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:18:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270978/posts SANTA ANA, CALIF. -- President Obama, who said as a candidate that he would seek repeal of a law denying federal recognition of same-sex marriage, has angered gay rights groups with court arguments portraying the law as a nondiscriminatory measure that "preserves scarce government resources." Obama called the law "abhorrent" during the presidential campaign and said he would work to overturn it. "We ask him to live up to his emphatic campaign promises, to stop making false and damaging legal arguments, and immediately to introduce a bill to repeal (the Defense of Marriage Act) and ensure that every married couple... SF Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270978/posts#comment Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:05:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270789/posts President Obama’s Justice Department filed legal papers late Thursday to dismiss the first same sex marriage case filed in federal court. The Justice Department defended the Defense Of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which as a candidate then-Sen. Obama opposed, saying that the plaintiffs Arthur Smelt and Christopher Hammer are seeking a ruling on "whether by virtue of their marital status they are constitutionally entitled to acknowledgment of their union by states that do not recognize same-sex marriage, and whether they are similarly entitled to certain federal benefits. Under the law binding on this Court, the answer to these questions must... abcnews.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270789/posts#comment Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:31:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270284/posts Tami Farrell, the newly crowned beauty queen who is replacing the ousted Carrie Prejean as Miss California, apparently holds the same view as her predecessor, Carrie Prejean, and President Obama that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Fox News host Neil Cavuto asked Farrell, who is Christian, on his show today: "[Prejean] went out and said that a marriage is between a man and a woman. Do you share that view?" Farrell responded in the affirmative with a simple, "Uh huh." "You do, OK," said Cavuto. Farrell quickly added: "I don't think that I have the right... worldnet daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2270284/posts#comment Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:53:28 GMT