Pride takes on prejudice with same-sex ceremony

Well, apparently at PSU main where I once went to college and slacked off, they had a same-sex 'commitment ceremony' with protesters in the area and the two sides managed to not attack each other (physically), at least.

And they had church-goers on both sides, with the Unitarian Universalist contingent helping to protect the couples' ceremony, and other church groups representing the other side. I wonder if the UU churches do this a lot or if it's just a fluke. Unfortunately, the article doesn't say much about what the counter-rally was up to...

The rally, which began with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem, featured speakers who rejected gay marriages and upheld biblical teachings about human relationships.

As usual, the punchline for me came from the simplest of observations. Although the people attending the rally said it wasn't a protest, I suppose we should just take it as a coincidence that they showed up that particular day. Yeah, right.

Lyn Freymiller, a gay Penn State instructor, listened to the speakers out of curiosity and wondered why a same-sex commitment ceremony would upset them.

“In what way has (the couples’) relationships caused any change or interruption to these people’s lives or relationships?” he said.

I wonder if the UU churches do this a lot or if it's just a fluke.

Ours does. Also our pastor presides a lot over heterosexual 'mixed faith' marriages, since a lot of local churches won't marry a couple if one happens to be from another faith (that includes if one is Catholic, other is not).

Then there's a the little fact that our pastor is gay, and married his long-standing partner in Canada......

My general feeling has always been -- if you don't like gay marriages, well then don't get married to a gay. Case closed.

straight weddings.

Especially when you consider all of the gays in the wedding and florist industries it's a disgrace that the bigots keep having their little parties and throwing us the bird.

We need to make it uncomfortable and expensive for everyone to throw a wedding in any state except for Massachusets

What I do not support are Hollywood marriages. Those are the ones that have made a mockery of marriage.

"Especially when you consider all of the gays in the wedding and florist industries it's a disgrace that the bigots keep having their little parties and throwing us the bird."

What would that accomplish? What if the couple getting married aren't opposed to gay marriage?

"We need to make it uncomfortable and expensive for everyone to throw a wedding in any state except for Massachusets."

Oh yeah-- giving the people who say it is an attack on marriage something real to complain about.

A matter of tactics - I'm less worried about giving bigots something to compalin about than I am forcing a change in the law

The present tactic of "please sir may I have part of equal rights, when you aren't too busy ?" hasn't been very successful

Personally I would oppose such protests, and I don't think you will get much support for them.

The way forward IMO, is the following way:

1) Legal challenges to ensure that same-sex marriages from Mass. are seen as valid when a couple moves elsewhere.

2) Using these to undermine rational means analysis elsewhere.

3) Protests: civil resistance/disobedience (not mere marches) doing things like blocking access to county clerk's offices and the like.

Civil rights struggles usually require people who are willing to go to jail in order to make a difference (MLK being one example). In states with freedom of conscience provisions, one may even be able to challenge arrests as unconstitutional (the same provisions which prohibit prosecuting JW's who don't take their kids in to get blood transfusions can work to your advantage too). Talk to a lawyer. Work out a strategy. Get other people involved, and make it happen.

Turning the other 90+% of the public against you isn't going to do that. Showing everyone that this is important enough to challenge the law for will do it. Remember that heroism gets respect.

Although I'm more in agreement with einhverfr here, I have to ask -- what's the practical difference between the ideas of messing with people's weddings, and messing with their access to a county clerk (if not all the county services in the building)?

I can imagine blocking access at the county courthouse back where I grew up, people would end up interfering with a lot more than just a clerk.

3) Protests: civil resistance/disobedience (not mere marches) doing things like blocking access to county clerk's offices and the like.

Actually that is exactly what I am advocaing, except that instead of blocking county clerk's offices - which as been tried and doesn't work, and is illegal - I'm advocationg perfectly legal demonstrations at the actual contract signing, the wedding.

No arrests needed

Yes, from all appearances the UU church does seem to be a front for homosexual activism.

2Ti 4:3
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2Ti 4:5
But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

It wouldn't be legal if the marriage is held on private property, as the marriages I have officiated have been. And you would be targetting the wrong people-- those who you want as allies would become your enemies.

Although, quite frankly I think you are just trolling.

1) The County Clerk's office is otherwise neutral territory.

2) The disruption need not be for very long. Weekly protests of, say, an hour ought to be sufficient.

3) It is visible, and shows people that one is serious about it.

4) I can't think of any other place worth targetting with such protests. Civil disobedience needs to cause some level of inconvenience to make the point.

Well, I think having a few gays standing outside the church door (or whatever the venue is), carrying a sign saying "I'd like the chance to marry my true love too" may not be a bad start........don't actually 'block' anything....just give all those attending a little something to think about.

einhverfr:

Although, quite frankly I think you are just trolling.

Why do you think tip is just trolling?

Because I think that Tip is smarter than to think that is a good idea.