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Loading ...Wash. gay foes upset over ballot wording
05.28.2009 1:24pm EDT
(Olympia, Washington) Opponents of Washington state’s newly enacted domestic partner law that gives same-sex couples all of the state rights of marriage without the name are demanding changes to the wording of a ballot measure to overturn it.
The language that would appear on the ballot was set by the Washington Secretary of State’s office.It notes that while the bill expands the rights granted or imposed by state law for married couples and their families, “registered domestic partnerships are not marriages, and marriage is prohibited except between one man and one woman.”
The Washington Values Alliance which is behind the ballot measure, has asked a judge to remove the language. The state and LGBT rights groups are expected to fight the court petition.
The legal action will delay the Alliance’s requirement of getting 120,500 voter signatures by July 25 to qualify for the November ballot.
“We are confident that once the ballot title is finalized, the voters of Washington will not be misled by attempts to equate domestic partnerships with marriage, and that they will reject this attempt to strip couples in Washington of their rights,” Lisa Stone, executive director of Legal Voice said.
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the partner bill last week. It was to have gone into effect in July, but because of the filing of the referendum it has been postponed until it is determined whether the Alliance has enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot.
If it does get the names required, the law would delayed until voters decide the outcome.
Why would anyone be surprised at this – this is typical of the Christian Taliban throughout the entire country. And it is always done “in the name of god,” their god that doesn’t exist except in their twisted minds. It is always “their values”, “their definition of equality”, “their definition of marriage,” and of course there is never any room for a different opinion because they get their information downloaded from their god each evening at exactly 5PM.
Good! I’m sure their adds will be dishonest and misleading to try and sway voters. Therefore, this clear language is needed.
As I understand it, this argument over the wording might be a good thing because the anti-gay bigots can’t start collecting signatures until the dispute gets settled; and yet they still have to meet the deadline for getting 120,500 signatures by the end of July. So, the longer they argue, the less time they have for signature gathering. If that’s the case, keep ‘em yakking!
I don’t get it…what are they arguing over???
I think the article makes a mistake where it says “the bill expands the rights granted or imposed by state law for married couples and their families”: instead it should say “the bill expands the rights granted or imposed by state law for [same-sex] couples and their families.”
This is a very confusing and unclear article. It does not make sense if taken literally and the message it is trying to convey does not come across.
The anti-gay bigots don’t want the ballot wording to note that “registered domestic partnerships are not marriages, and marriage is prohibited except between one man and one woman” because they want to deceive ignorant voters into thinking that the law creates same-sex marriages. Their best chances of getting Washington State voters to repeal the law is if they can confuse and frighten the voters the way they did in California last year.
I don’t support domestic partnership or civil unions as it is outdated and old fashion now. The word domestic partnership sounds like as if you’re both in business joining together or doing housekeeping together and for civil union’s sounds like a law protecting employment rights for minorities. Basically domestic partnership only classifies you as second class citizen. The real thing is called marriage people. Washington State needs to work on creating a legislature bill to legalize gay marriage. That is America’s most up-to-date 2009 in thing to do these days is marriage neutral for all.
Again. Voting on civil rights for a minority group should be illegal.
This is why I will never vote Republican…
Bryan: Washington’s new domestic partnership law is marriage that the other states have except for the word. Although we want the word marriage we want our rights more. Since the Washington State Supreme Court failed us we have enabled more and more protections for Washingtonians progressively.
Washington Can not “officialy” have same sex marriage because it is one of the few state left to be protected by DOMA once they over turn that I believe Washington will join other states in having same-sex marriage. I am pretty sure the governor and others are working on overturning DOMA in washington
Yep, Right Wing Republican and American Religious Taliban.
When they force all the good, educated and even those LGBT that are “christians” away to another country, then they will have plenty of room for more Islamics to move in…. see what happens to their Christian Bible hugging asses then, they can share their mutual hate for us.
They are just being outright MEAN! When you say you dont want us to have “marriage” but then you dont want us to have anything else, then that is definately discrimination.
Those opponents should not bring the Bible to the state. I respect their religion beliefs but shame on them for oppressing our civil rights for equality.
The support of legalizing gay marriage is in no way meant to change the ideals of the section of Christians who believe that homosexuality is a sin. But we should refuse to let other people’s ideals shape the way we live our lives. Each of us has a short ride on this earth and as long as we stay in our lane, and don’t affect someone else’s ride, we should be allowed to drive as we see fit.