LGBT News Arkansas judge strikes down gay marriage ban

6 of Missouri's eight neighbor states now have some sort of equality or a court case that is being appealed. Will we really stay in the stone age of the Midwest this long?

 

It's good to see more things like this happening...

OK, I snooped about a bit and good news: The ACLU is representing 8 same sex couples in the case of Barrier v. Vasterling, in Missouri.

More here.

 

The homophobes made a house of cards with gay marriage bans. Someone knocked it down!

 

This is good! and I'm happy Ga has a lawsuit filed against SSM ban here, maybe stuff will get moving soon.

 

Last I heard Missouri was being sued back in February. I haven't heard anything in a while, though.

 

Awesome!!!

 

Yay!!! I hope Louisiana's one gets struck down too!!

 

I'm really impressed with the South right now. I'm surprised they did it before PA, but I'll take it.

 

I think every state that still has a ban has a lawsuit in progress now. Including my state of Wyoming. Our case is Courage v Wyoming, isn't that an awesome name for a lawsuit.

 

Yes it is! Very appropriate!

 

The whole 'Equality State' thing is a nod to Wyoming's early advances with women rights, but that's besides the point.

I never thought that my own state would be so quick to strike this down (i.e. it takes effect immediately). This was quite a surprise to me!

 

I hope the case stands, but it looks like it has a long road ahead of it: Next, it's being appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court. After that, the next appeal could be the Arkansas (federal) district court. Then, onto the US circuit court, and possibly, the US Supreme Court.

What amazes me is that conservatives always blab on and on about wasting money, while at the same time wasting in in mass amounts, on all these crazy appeals to deny a group it's rights, which only seem inevitable.

 

The South isn't legalizing same-sex marriage voluntarily, courts in conservative states are striking down voter-approved constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage.

As long as those constitutional amendments stand, Southern states couldn't legalize same-sex marriage through the ordinary legislative process even if they wanted to- which they don't. Public opinion is still against marriage equality in conservative states like Arkansas and Utah where bans have been struck down. And conservatives control their legislatures and governorships.

Pennsylvania actually doesn't have a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, it is only banned by statute, which means a Democratic-controlled legislature and Democratic Governor could easily pass and sign marriage equality into law. But you have to get rid of that dunce Tom Corbett first (and elect more liberal Democrats to the state legislature).

Pennsylvania is currently the only Northeastern state that hasn't enacted same-sex marriage equality, so you guys better get with it! I know PA isn't a pure Northeastern state, with conservative Pennsyltucky in the middle and Midwestern-oriented Western PA, but I want to be able to say the Northeast is a total marriage equality region without having to use those technicalities to exclude PA!

 

Well, even in states that allow SS marriage, if and when the republicans should get another chance i.e. control of state legislators and state senates and state governorships, republicans will start the attacks up all over again against Gay people if republicans should regain full power.

Take Iowa for example... Iowa's only firewall has been their democrat controlled senate which refused to allow things like SS marriage bans and other duplicate law as was vetoed in AZ but their governor, where Iowa house republicans have introduced and passed several times laws allowing business to refuse service to gays, and also passing laws to put Iowa's SS marriage up for a state ballot vote.

Only the democrat controlled senate has blocked every one of these attempts and attacks against gays in Iowa.

If republicans should gain control in the Iowa senate, with the Iowa house which is already gerrymandered to stay republican FOREVER MORE, if republicans controlled the Iowa senate then no doubt on day one republicans would pass every anti gay anti SS marriage law they could stir up in their witches cauldron of Gay hate.

Republicans would and will pass hoards of anti gay laws in Iowa, if only given the chance by taking control of the Iowa senate in November 2014.
Unlike with AZ, Iowa's republican governor WOULD GLADLY sign every and all anti gay laws that would hit his desk.

And while SS marriage has been legal in IOwa since 2009, 5 full years, republicans would absolutely try to kill off SS marriage in Iowa if ever given the chance.
Regardless and despite what it would cost the state in legal costs when challenged in the courts.

Iowa is a state to watch close this November with their state senate elections.
If republicans gain control in the Iowa senate, Iowa will become hell on earth for all Iowa gays and all Iowa's SS married folks.
You better believe republicans would absolutely in the name of religion cause all this grief and hell on earth in Iowa without even blinking an eye.

 

Congrats to Arkansas!!

Yep, exactly, nothing but liars. Not only is it fiscally wasteful it's also the opposite of minimizing government intrusion into personal lives that they claim to value. They're ok with government intrusion as long as it's not into their lives and doesn't hinder their ability to discriminate against people they don't like.

 

Well it depends on the state- and how polarized the parties are in the state on social issues. Iowa Republicans are notorious for being social conservatives.

That's why the all-important first-in-the-nation Iowa Republican Caucus in presidential primary selection is dominated by social conservatism; in 2012, the Iowa GOP caucus was won by "gay marriage is like man-on-dog" religious fanatic Rick Santorum, propelling him from nobody to Mitt Romney's #1 opponent. In 2008, the Iowa GOP caucus had been won by former Pastor and eternal Bible-thumper Mike Huckabee.

Iowa is a Democratic-leaning but closely divided swing state. The Republican Party in the state is dominated by Evangelical Christians.

In liberal states, there is less of a threat of A) Republicans taking control and B) Republicans trying to repeal same-sex marriage.

In New Hampshire, in the 2010 Republican wave of elections, the Republicans took solid control of both houses of the state's legislature, but attempts to repeal same-sex marriage in the state stalled and failed because not enough NH Republicans were willing to go along with it.

Not too many Evangelical Christians in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire state Republican Party is substantially more liberal, especially on social issues, compared to the Iowa GOP or the national GOP.

(Fortunately in 2012 Democrats took back control of the New Hampshire House and made dramatic gains to create a virtually even split in the New Hampshire Senate.)

But yeah the best way to win marriage equality and other civil rights- and to safeguard against repeals of marriage equality or AZ-style "freedom to discriminate" bills- is to NEVER NEVER NEVER vote Republican.

The Democrats are far from perfect, but with them there is a chance of progress, whereas with the GOP the best thing you can hope for is that you won't regress. Even in a conservative state like Kentucky, the Democratic Attorney-General, who refused to defend the state's gay marriage ban in court, has announced a run for governor. It would be interesting to see how that race turns out.

 

I hate these stupid governors or attorney generals who support gay marriage but defend these horrific bans. I also hate democrats who actively oppose gay marriage. If you want to oppose gay marriage be a republican because I am fed with these democrats who call themselves democrats and oppose some gay rights or all gay rights. It is because of their own selfish interests and the fear of losing re-election because of rural bible thumpers.