Defending the Truth

Originally Posted by tristanrobin

until very recently we had some people who were slaves in this country

then we wised up

past mistakes are not a validation of future ones

Originally Posted by Sharon den Adel

Gary, I have often wondered what the words 'Village Idiot' under your username meant.

Now I know.

Originally Posted by fxashun

Children can't enter into contracts either. But some states until very recently allowed 14 year olds to marry. A couple still do I think. And the law changes weren't brought about by a change in contract law.

Originally Posted by fxashun

Gay are aberrant to planetary life, not just American ones. This problem is much larger than slavery ever was. Hell you can still buy a nice sex slave child in some countries. What a society chooses to do is one thing, but being born with a dysfunction considered as such by the whole planet is another.

Originally Posted by tadpole256

You see, the problem with your statement is that it is not true that "the whole planet" considers it a dysfunction. The fact is, fewer and fewer people do every day. That is how we are able to make the progress we are as a society. Only those who cling to the old ways are slowing us down.

Originally Posted by tadpole256

That's a separate issue, no one is arguing to let children, gay or straight, marry.

Originally Posted by tadpole256

Study Says Gay Marriage Could Bring $683 Million to CA in Three Years





An article in Advertising Age presents an interesting new niche market.
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — When California opens its doors to same-sex nuptials this week, it will be a boon for its economy and savvy marketers. The wedding industry pumps billions into the coffers of retailers, hotels, florists, bands and caterers each year, with the average price of wedded bliss now tallying $28,704, according to the Wedding Report.
Photo Credit: David McNew
A study conducted by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles projects that the Golden State will see $683.6 million in direct spending over the next three years, thanks to California couples and out-of-state couples flocking there to seek same-sex marriages. During that same period, the study projects 2,178 jobs will be created in the state to service the industry.


In total, the study, authored by Brad Sears and M.V. Lee Badgett, estimates that in the next three years, California will play host to 51,319 resident couples and 67,513 out-of-state couples tying the knot.
“For over 20 years, analyses of other states’ consideration of opening marriage to same-sex couples have argued that the first state or states to do so would experience a wave of increased tourism from out-of-state couples that would bring millions of additional dollars in revenue to state businesses,” the report states. “In the spring of 2004, the issuance of gay-marriage licenses in Portland, Ore. and San Francisco provided support for these predictions. … Furthermore, in anticipation of the availability of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, cities in that state experienced a spike in hotel reservations, catering requests and other wedding-related orders.”
Richard Markel, association director of the San Francisco-based Association for Wedding Professionals International, estimates that the average same-sex wedding costs about $15,000 and includes 40 guests, based on figures from 2004, when San Francisco allowed gay couples to marry.
Prenuptial concerns
He said some vendors are already advertising in anticipation of a windfall, although he suspects many are taking a wait-and-see approach and will ramp up marketing in the weeks to come. Indeed, with a voter referendum on the matter slated for the November ballot, it’s likely that marketers and couples alike will proceed with caution.
Wedding planners hope the events will eventually become a profitable piece of the business. Mr. Markel said 98% of the group’s 790 members plan to work with same-sex couples.
“With luck, the parties will get as big, if not bigger, than heterosexual weddings, which would be great for the economy,” he said. “To me, the real money will be if couples come into California. They’ll bring guests, and those guests will stay at a hotel, eat and shop.”
Tapping into guests’ wallets is a strategy Macy’s is already employing. The retailer has run full-page ads for its wedding registry in the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, which read in part, “First comes love. Then comes marriage. And now it’s a milestone every couple in California can celebrate. Let Macy’s Wedding Gift & Registry help you start your new life together.”

Originally Posted by tadpole256

You see, the problem with your statement is that it is not true that "the whole planet" considers it a dysfunction. The fact is, fewer and fewer people do every day. That is how we are able to make the progress we are as a society. Only those who cling to the old ways are slowing us down.

Originally Posted by tadpole256

Now you are talking... But we still can't do the beastialty one... An animal cannot consent. But why not allow polygamists?

Originally Posted by OnTheLeft

You are right, tadpole256. In fact, it's only a small number of closed-minded haters that still cling to the misconception that homosexuality is a dysfunction. Being gay is, in reality, as normal as being left handed. Gay people aren't the majority, of course, but it's certainly not a "dysfunction." The poster can't prove that it is either.