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Loading ...Group wants Wa. partner law repeal put on ballot
04.17.2009 3:36pm EDT
(Olympia, Washington) A socially conservative group said Friday it is preparing a referendum to repeal Washington state’s newly enacted domestic partner law, which is similar to civil union laws.
The Washington Values Alliance said it hopes to collect enough signatures to have the question put to voters in November. President Larry Stickney said the legislation is a step toward legalizing gay marriage in Washington.The legislation makes domestic partnerships equal to marriage in areas of community property, guardianship and powers of attorney. It allows partners the right to refuse to testify against partners in court. And it provides the same remedies as married couples in ending a relationship, including the division of property.
The legislation expands on previous domestic partnership laws by adding references to partnerships alongside all remaining areas of state law where currently only married couples are mentioned.
The domestic partner law was enacted after the state Supreme Court upheld Washington’s so-called Defense of Marriage Act in 2006, which limits marriage to opposite-sex couples.
The court cited the argument that marriage was designed for the procreation of children. But the court noted the legislature could overturn the law or amend it to include gay pairs.
Since July 2007 when the original domestic partner law went into effect, more than 5,000 couples have registered as domestic partners.
Under the law, partners must be 18 or order and not already married or in a domestic partnership with someone else. The law also requires that couples share a home and be financially dependent up one another. It also allows opposite-sex couples to register if one partner is at least 62 years old.
“We see this as the marriage bill,” Stickney said, alleging it would would be used to mount another challenge of the Defense of Marriage Act.
As a Washingtonian, I felt compelled to respond in person to this “WAVA” and let them know how much their efforts mean to me.
I went to their website and took a look at their mission statement. Funny note, one of the links on their site was “8 Reasons to Defeat Marriage Equality Bills”. Yep folks, that’s what this group of “Good Christians” is all about…defeating equality.
My e-mail to WAVA:
“If Lucifer is the Prince of lies, then I know from whence your inspiration is drawn.
Let’s take a look at your own mission statement and see how it maps out your attack on equality.
“To promote and reinforce the fundamental American principles of individual liberty,”
You would promote individual liberty by denying it to individuals who are gay?
“…personal responsibility,”
This one really gets me. I love how those attacking gay Americans use the stereotype of the “promiscuous” gay lifestyle and then in the next breath promote denying gays the right to legal recognition of their monogamous, committed relationships and the legal formation of gay families.
“…to encourage respect for the Constitution(s) of the United States”
You aren’t respecting the Constitution by promoting Theocracy, attacking equality and using your religion to attack American citizens and families.
“…the institution of marriage”
As long as it meets the criteria of YOUR religious beliefs.
“…religious freedom,”
This is a blatant lie. You are promoting your own brand of Theocracy as a sort of Psuedo-Christian Taliban. There are (and have been for decades) Christian congregations who sanction the joining of their gay congregants in Holy Matrimony. Just because it doesn’t fit in with YOUR narrow interpretation of dogma, their beliefs are meaningless and you would probably say “Well, if they believe that then they aren’t really Christians!” Un-American AND un-Christian hypocracy that I’ve heard from your type of “true” believer time and again.
“…and Judeo-Christian values.”
Just because you wave a Bible and cut out passages to twist into supporting your message of hate doesn’t make you Christian.
The Bible in your hands is like a POW. If you torture it enough, you can make it say anything you tell it to.”
I actually want to see the looks on their faces when it fails. Maybe it would get some Republicans in the legislature to SHUT UP about getting the people to “vote on this controversial issue”.
A Catholic once told me that the Catholic church does not approve of gay marriage because marriage is for procreation.
I said, “That’s not true. The Catholic church routinely marries women past menopause, as well as infertile and sterile people.”
The response: All that matters is that they want to have children. After all, a miracle might happen.
So I said, “Well, then, the Catholic church can have no objection to gay marriage after all.”
What!?
I said, “You said it yourself, all they have to do is want to have children.”
But that’s impossible!
I said, “You never know, maybe a miracle will happen. Mary herself thought that the Virgin Birth was impossible, but the angel said, ”With God, all things are possible.’”
Yawn.
Tell me when these groups start solving problems instead of ensuring their continuance or being the cause of them.
As a WA resident I will be happy to vote against this if it ever makes it the ballot. Go find something else actually worth holding a vote over instead of wasting precious time and resources.
May the Washington Values Coalition be submerged head-down in BOILING BULL-$HIT!
The whole WA Supreme Court decision saying a ban on same-sex marriage is legal because marriage is for procreation is real black eye on the state’s judicial history.
Not counting the wild contortions and gross leaps of logic you have to assume to arrive at a conclusion that marriage and procreation are that dependent on one another, it just looks so small and petty compared to the legal reasoning used in the Iowa SC decision.
I don’t think there was anything in WA state law that made that outcome inevitable. I think it was just a matter of not enough WA justices having BALLS to stand on principle even when it isn’t politically popular. The Iowa SC, thankfully, wasn’t so timid.
Well this just proves their motives are malice in nature… not just “the sanctity”.
Come on, we all know that “Referendum Groups” are just the new evangelical money grub! Come on.
I am originally from Washington State 9currently residing in AZ). For the most part, I am proud of the state, but there have been times when the conservatives just can’t wait to be the a$$holes all over again. Today is one of those days. I only hope the more liberal (west) side of the state wins out on this one. (time to call the friends in Seattle)
I’m disgusted by this. These social conservatives just can’t let gay and lesbian folks live in peace….
I wouldn’t worry too much. We had a similar situation in Oregon in 2007 and the opponents did not get enough signatures. But if they do get enough, like in Oregon, most of the social conservatives live in the sparsely populated east I think that votes in our favor in Vancouver, Olympia and Seattle-Tacoma Metro should outnumber conservative Central Washington and Spokane.
So, the “honorable” judges think the purpose of marriage is to have children! Is there really that much ignorance on this court? If that is true, there are an awful lot of void marriages in this nation!!!
WHAT TOOK THEM SO LONG ??WE GOT ONE WHOLE DAY TO CELEBRATE BEFORE THEY PUT THE DAMPER ON,,,,,,
They keep pushing shit like this and it will definitely backfire on these nutcases..
The moderates in this country are beginning to get pissed with these talibanical christians.