Do you think the Constitution should be used as a tool to specifically take rights away from a group & create a new civil rights underclass, or do you think it should be used to give addition rights – or at least make consistent grants to – all Americans?

I’m not worried about those rights being taken away, TS, but I am worried that they’ll take away other rights from me. Believe me, as a Jew, I know all about rights being taken away.

Is nobody else worried that the Christians will take away everyone else’s rights if they are successful with this? Or am I just crazy?

But I’m glad I made YOU think.

Wow.

It’s what I do!

What is even more interesting to me is that people are comparing the gay community with the blacks of the civil rights movement. But who were the major supporters of Prop 8? Black and Hispanic people, the same people who had to fight for their rights before. Definitely something to think about.

I don’t know where these hateful pro-gay marriage people are…unless you are talking about the minority of them who are vocally and angrily boycotting and protesting. I’ve seen some loud protests..but none were angry or mean-spirited. “ugly and vile?” You need to attend a gay pride parade and watch how ugly and vile those “religious-sign carrying protesters” are!!! Now that is ugly and vile…and very loud!

This is different than the ones posted by TMc… in those cases, anyone who is passionate about an issue would be a bigot. So, am I a bigot because I believe in a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion? Or because I think people should adopt pets rather than buy one from a breeder? Or I am intolerant of people who commit crimes against children or animals? No.

I think the key word in the M-W definition is “hatred.” I don’t hate anybody, regardless of their sexual orientation. But it’s becoming increasingly clear to me that we here in America have nothing better to do that to try to force our government to sanction something that people are already free to do. We are all free to eat, sleep and mate how we want, without penalty. I think we should be happy that we live in the safest, most prosperous, freest country in the world. In many countries, practicing a certain religion, expressing an opinion, or even dressing a certain way can get you in serious (even life-threatening) trouble. Why can’t we just enjoy our freedoms and appreciate how far we’ve gone? I think that we eventually will get there. But there is a time for change, and apparently most of California thinks this isn’t the time.

“Definitions of bigot on the Web:

a prejudiced person who is intolerant of any opinions differing from his own
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

One strongly loyal to one’s own social group, and irrationally intolerant or disdainful of others
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bigot

Narrow minded or prejudice in your beliefs.
http://www.godonthe.net/dictionary/b.html

Intolerant person: somebody who has very strong opinions, especially on matters of politics, religion, or ethnicity, and refuses to accept …
http://www.creationism.co.uk/index.php/Main/Definitions

A person obstinately and unreasonably wedded to a particular religious creed, opinion, or practice; a person blindly attached to an opinion …
http://www.iyfradio.com/reference.htm”

Draw your own inferences. I think those definitions cut both ways with respect to the no/yes on 8 extremists.

Yes, a very vocal minority. I daresay that if you had a boot on your neck, you’d be vocal too. Or would you just lie down and let your rights be walked all over? Would you lie down and let anyone else’s rights be stripped away?

Calling someone a bigot if they ARE a bigot is perfectly fine. Let’s be accurate here – if someone advocates taking a right away from someone who has the right just because of their social class – well, that is bigotry, isn’t it? I don’t think the reason really matters. You can still love a bigot; I have family members who I know will never change, but we have to be realistic about this. Saying, well, I love them and they’re good people in other ways, so how can they be a bigot? is kind of dishonest and, frankly, irresponsible.

The minute we allow bigotry to be socially acceptable is the minute things like Prop 8 pass. If we didn’t allow it, it wouldn’t happen.

Look in the dictionary – the word is not being misused. You can put it in scare quotes to imply you don’t believe it’s accurate, but unfortunately the English language disagrees with you, and I daresay it will win this argument.

Just because you love your friends & family doesn’t make them non-bigots. Are only people you hate allowed to be bigots? I don’t think so. This kind of NIMBY attitude is pretty pathetic, but that’s just my opinion.

But moreso than that is the real vile and hatred that is pouring out of this very vocal minority. For people who claim that love has no boundaries, they sure are quick to turn to hatred of anyone who disagrees with them. We all have a right to an opinion, and many of my family and friends disagree with me on many issues. But I still love them, and I don’t retreat to calling them names like “bigots” just because they have different opinions than me. It just seems to me that there are so many issues that are more worthy of fighting for, than for this silly thing. Animal and child abuse, violence in the home, crime rates, carjackings, the fact that most people in the world don’t have enough to eat, etc. etc. Just seems so silly and frivolous. That’s my take. You may leave it as you wish.

Suzy, you would change your vote and vote to strip people of their rights due to the character of the protests? I’m not sure I understand. So because people are angry and protesting, that makes you think they don’t deserve the right to get married, but before they protested they did?

So, you’d rather they just shut up and take their lumps, is that what you’re saying?

My wife has a good friend who is a Leatherby. She is just so sick and disgusted by the actions of her family, it’s really sad. Too bad you can’t divorce your family, I guess, no matter how cruel they are.

I disagree with boycotting with signs out front. Not a good thing IMO.

I’ve never eaten at Leatherby’s and I won’t. I let my pocketbook speak for me.

I voted NO on Prop 8, but the increasing nastiness of the NO side is making me sad and sick. If given the chance, I would probably change my vote. And it has nothing to do with how I feel about gays in general.

Seriously, even one star? For what??