Comments on: Illinois takes up gay marriage bill

By: myki

myki — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:58:17 +0000

I was always told growing up that America was free. Land of the free and home of the brave? Who is free? Who is brave? Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people are not FREE! The brave must be the Christians who make it there business to say what can and can not be done in this country we all call free! Gay’s, lesbian’s, bisexual’s and transgendered men and women are the new African American’s! African American’s were forced into slavery, sprayed with water, attacked with dogs, raped, murdered, sold, and some were even torture. Gay people have always been discriminated against. Not only were gay people denied of equal treatment in court but they also have been victims of violence and harassment in our own society on the base of their sexual orientation. African Americans faced hardships because they are black. Gays face hardships because of being gay. Blacks and Gays need to take a stand and unite and put a stop to all this hate in America! If God hates gays so much why would he have made them? Personally I don’t care if I have a gay son. In a way I hope I do so I know there will be one less kid going through emotional hell because his parents are idiots. Plus I’ll be able to say “My gay son could kick your son’s ass!”

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:27:01 +0000

Watch those Mormons you guys! And each and every one of you who can…come out to everyone you know.

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 23:41:28 +0000

I’ve been with my partner for almost 11 years (May 2). I know someday we will be able to be married, but I hope our new president works to at least give gay partners equal benefits that come with marriage on a Federal level. That would be a huge step forward. Even states that allow gay marriage can’t give Federal benefits. Until that happens, we only have quasi marriage rights.

By: Aiden Raccoon

Aiden Raccoon — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:41:55 +0000

Oh boy, here we go. Can’t lawmakers pass laws anymore without putting them on a voter ballot? If Illinois get a ban on marriage then we are going to end up just like California. Lawsuits everywhere. We have sexual orientation as a suspect class just like in CA and our laws are fairly progressive for the GLBT community. Look, whether we get gay marriage in IL in 2010 is not important. What IS important is that there will not be a ban attempt made. Maybe this time HRC will concentrate their efforts on a major fight.

By: Bobby

Bobby — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 03:43:07 +0000

Well, as corrupt as our government is in IL, Chicago is a very GLBT friendly city. We are one of the few states that protects not only gay and lesbian individuals, but also transgender. We were also the first state to throw out our sodomy laws (well before Stonewall ever happened), and it surprises me that it has taken this long for the gay marriage debate to reach us.

I’m just glad it’s finally starting.

By: JayC

JayC — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:14:41 +0000

I suppose we can hope that gays in Illinois are just as corrupt at straights.

By: Morgan

Morgan — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:13:29 +0000

Dave W,
I intend to have a church wedding one day.

By: Alexander16IL

Alexander16IL — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:47:41 +0000

Chris Sullivan Said:
“One can always hope, but IL is such a corrupt state – down to its very core…”
the depressing thing is that it is true… but the even more depressing fact is that our whole government, no matter where you go has some sort of corruption. look at Detroit when Kwame Kilpatrick was in office. He was promissing money he didnt have, and destroing the city, not helping it. I highly doubt it, but hopefuly one day we can get a trustworthy government everywhere you go in the U.S.

By: Dave W

Dave W — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:40:28 +0000

I stepped into a church on Saturday….yikes….for a wedding. It was Congregational. I thought they were mild..what a strange mix of superstition and geekyness. They priest is known locally as the guitar playing priest. Everything he said was about the marriage being a union of 3..the two humans and their god. How weird is that. Then he never said “by the power vested in me” which is supposed to refer to the state granting him the power to perform civil marriages.

I wouldn’t want to put a blot on the couple’s happy day but I don’t think they got married….he never performed the civil part of the ceremony.

We need to remember marriage is not religious nor sacred, it has been around long before we invented gods. Saying a church wouldn’t have to perform a wedding is an insult to our constitution as they can’t do it today. If you want a priest to do your wedding he/she has to be given that power by the state.

Take away religious marriage completely, do it like they do in England and the churches would have to shut up.

It is called civil marriage for a reason…the authorizing party is a civil institution, a local government.

By: little_earth

little_earth — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:22:25 +0000

“The bill also makes it clear that no church would be required to perform or recognize same-sex marriages.”

It is funny how Churches are worried about performing or recognizing same-sex marriages. Technically I’m a bastard to the Catholic church because my Dad married a Baptist…