GOP unveils ad suggesting Obama has basically won presidential race

[westkoast]

And Ted where do colleges provide housing for couples at all?  I didn't know they secured places for married people to stay.  Thought that was up to the person attending.  If it is on the campus I don't think they provide rooms for married people.  At least not the colleges I've been in/around.

UCSB has married student housing...if that's what you are asking...it's not really housing on the main campus but it's housing provided by the university for married students.

I don't know if they provide it to life partners or if it's ever come up.

Maybe the only answer is to do what I was trying to point out earlier.  Drop the word in front of PEOPLE.    See when you say that UCSB provides housing for married couples, no big deal.  As soon as throw gay in front of 'married people' that is when people get upset and fail to realize it's still two people.  Correct me if I am wrong but the #1 requirement for marriage is that the two people are in love right?  That comes first before people jumping in and saying if the marriage is right or okay or going to work etc.  Pretty sure whether you think homosexuality is wrong or not you could admit that two gay people can love one another just the same as two straight people.

[jemagee]

e #1 requirement for marriage is that the two people are in love right

Well see, that's where religion and cultures get involved and it all becomes very tricky...

Pretty sure whether you think homosexuality is wrong or not you could admit that two gay people can love one another just the same as two straight people.

You haven't made many homophobes in your life have you?  Trust me, homophobes don't admit that they are in love, they think it's perverted, wrong, gross, against god, whatever, but they have absolutely no respect for any aspect of a homosexual relationship, they think it's a disease.

Hell, certain religions have 'camps' where you can go and they can cure you of being gay....

[westkoast]

e #1 requirement for marriage is that the two people are in love right

Well see, that's where religion and cultures get involved and it all becomes very tricky...

Pretty sure whether you think homosexuality is wrong or not you could admit that two gay people can love one another just the same as two straight people.

You haven't made many homophobes in your life have you?  Trust me, homophobes don't admit that they are in love, they think it's perverted, wrong, gross, against god, whatever, but they have absolutely no respect for any aspect of a homosexual relationship, they think it's a disease.

Hell, certain religions have 'camps' where you can go and they can cure you of being gay....

I meant marriage in this country, you are right and I should have been more specific.

Even arranged marriages in Indian culture nowadays still fall back on if the two people like each other. 

[jemagee]

I meant marriage in this country, you are right and I should have been more specific.

Still, there are arranged marriages in the US, people 'rush' into marriage not out of love but responsibility (usually due to a pregnancy)...the assumption that all marriages in the US is based on love is kind of flawed, and based on the divorce rate I gotta think most people who htink they are in love don't really know what love actually is

[jemagee]

And BTW - the bigger point is that people who are anti homosexuality don't feel you can be in love with someone of the same sex - not in that way - they think it's wrong and evil and disgusting.

And let me not forget my mothers idea - she married my stepfather not out of love but because she thought he'd make a good father (he wasn't)....people get married for a variety of reasons, some having to do with love, some not

[jemagee]

And not that I didn't see this coming

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081027/ap_on_el_pr/skinhead_plot

[Lurker]

This is getting out of hand. We should be able to find a happy medium. The problem is we have extremists on each side making all of the noise, while reasonable, compassionate (and maybe even religious) people want to find a way to meet in the middle.

I haven't read all the responses yet...but this IMHO hits the entire political scene dead on.  And to put it in terms of the presidential race: McCain lost the middle (actually drove it away), Obama did not win it.  Hopefully Obama can govern from it.

[westkoast]

I meant marriage in this country, you are right and I should have been more specific.

Still, there are arranged marriages in the US, people 'rush' into marriage not out of love but responsibility (usually due to a pregnancy)...the assumption that all marriages in the US is based on love is kind of flawed, and based on the divorce rate I gotta think most people who htink they are in love don't really know what love actually is

Generally speaking, in America, people care about one another when they decide to get married.  I would say the amount of people who get married vs the people who are somewhat forced into marriage does not favor the later.

You and I are on the same page here though.  Let's not get away from that.  That is of course the point that marriage is still between two PEOPLE with out getting much farther then that. 

[jemagee]

The extremists in 'both' parties have too much voice - and too much influence - but as i understand it, a republican can't win without the extremist support - i don't know how it works with democrats

[westkoast]

The extremists in 'both' parties have too much voice - and too much influence - but as i understand it, a republican can't win without the extremist support - i don't know how it works with democrats

Probably with winning the minority vote.

Here is a random and interesting fact....no Democratic canidate has won the majority of the white vote in the past 20 years.

[Derek Bodner]

The extremists in 'both' parties have too much voice - and too much influence - but as i understand it, a republican can't win without the extremist support - i don't know how it works with democrats

Huh?

If you told people in Europe what we consider a "liberal", they'd laugh in your face.  There is no extremist in American politics.  Everyone's in the center.  Sometimes you get VP's that are more extreme (not extreme, mind you, but moreso than the presidential candidates), but we haven't had an "extremist" candidate on either side in quite some time.

[jemagee]

No extremists huh?

Environmentalists who spike trees - not extremists?
ANti Choice people who put death lists of doctors who perform abortions up on the web?  Not extremist

Really don't give a flying frack what europe feels is extremists, don't live there.

[westkoast]

No extremists huh?

Environmentalists who spike trees - not extremists?
ANti Choice people who put death lists of doctors who perform abortions up on the web?  Not extremist

Really don't give a flying frack what europe feels is extremists, don't live there.

Well....while you think those people are extreme I think seeing TRUE communists having a shot at winning an election in other countries is more a long the lines of what DB is saying.

[Derek Bodner]

just because there are people who put up death lists of doctors who perform abortions doesn't mean those are the people who have the influence.  Not only are our politicians running for office towards the center on both parties, but the party bases (contrary to what you hear from the media at times) is near middle as well. 

If you notice what I said is "there's no extremists in American politics", which was in response to your statement "the extremists in 'both' parties have too much voice".  If you can get where I was making the argument that there are no extremists, I'd like to hear it.

[WayOutWest]

I had the prop 8 discussion with a couple of people and at work and one thing I brought up was something mentioned in the thread.  Replace the term "marriage" in all "legal" verbage with something else.  Make "marriage" a religious term exclusively that way each church/org can decide who they will or will not marry and that in no way shape or form will affect the benefits of "unions".  I know plenty of people who are married but did not do so in a church.

There are enough people who get married for reasons other than "love", so why not let gays jump on the bandwagon regardless of who is or is not in "love".  I find it silly that people think the fact that gays, or whoever, having the ability to "marry" makes other peoples "marriages" tainted or invalide.  That's like saying just cause a KKK member can call him/herself and American it somehow impacts me calling myself an "American".  It's silly.