TimesArgus.com - We Are Vermont

Sad day for Vermont



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Published: April 11, 2009

It is a sad day for Vermont. Many legislators have chosen to vote based on "influence" from the PACs and their money. They have forgotten about the citizens that they were elected by.

It is also a sad day because yet another one of the institutions that I was raised to honor – the institution of marriage – has fallen. It has been made a mockery of, it has been defamed. When I was growing up here in Vermont, we started each day in school with the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. One day several years ago, both of my sons asked me about the Pledge of Allegiance. They asked me what it was about and why we used to do it and how come they never did. I explained that we did it because we were raised to respect and honor our flag and more importantly, what it represented. They asked me why the pledge wasn't done any more and all I could say was that it had lost its honor and it offended a few people.

Some day, my now grown sons will have to explain to my grandchildren about another institution that has lost its honor here in the great state of Vermont. Yes, it is a sad day for Vermont.

Michael Gates

Waterbury Center







READER COMMENTS


How is allowing two adults who love each other fostering a breaking down of morals?
Marriage is not made a mockery of, I believe it is stronger by allowing our gay friends and family to partake in it as well.
And, I do not believe that our legislators voted based on money from PAC's, the ones I spoke to truly struggled to make the right decision.
Kevin, I saw the ad in Sundays paper, it was truly disgusting. It is one thing to oppose gay marriage, but that ad was hateful. They opposed far more than gay marriage, they opposed gays and called them "anti-species" and worse. I wont repeat the worst of what they wrote but that ad was nothing more than hate speech.
Like I said, I support the right to oppose gay marriage and to put an ad in the paper stating that(eventhough I disagree). This ad went way further.
-- Posted by Andi Rosin on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 3:07 pm EST

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What in hell is wrong with Vermont lawmakers>>? What is in the water at the state house..first
1. civil unions
2. state wont accept jessicas law
3. pedophiles get just probation more than jail more often than not
4. homosexuals get an ammended version of civil union, pseudo GM
5. and now legalizing texting porno between teenagers without severe penalties. ( sever penalites are a deterrent)
WHAT IS wrong with these bird brains? Cant they see the breakdown of morals and social decay and then wonder why society is so screwed up>>>>?
-- Posted by Are you Kidding? on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 1:30 pm EST

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Kudos Michael, well put and I completely agree...
-- Posted by Mel on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 1:12 pm EST

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I hear ya Michael!
-- Posted by How do I heart thee on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 11:41 am EST

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Mr. Gates, I'm a citizen of this state, and I'm overjoyed that same-sex couples can get married now. It's not fair for you to presume that everyone in the state thinks the same way you do, and I don't understand how something loses its "honor" just because it is made more inclusive.

I did notice your attempt to connect patriotism to "traditional" marriage, and that's really offensive to me. It is not unpatriotic to want to be with the person you love, or to have the state recongnize your marriage the way it does for any other married couple.
-- Posted by Isaac Demers on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 11:22 am EST

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Didn't a judge in IOWA grant a same-sex marriage last August?
Vermont's not that radical. We're the fourth to legalize it.
I think some people just want something to be against, regardless of what it actually means.
-- Posted by J W on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, 7:19 am EST

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Oh none none go back to waterbury and take some meds, all you do is insult people here that do not agree with your narrow mind...I know your type little fellow, have agood life sport, don't be so narrow minded, im not, just said it's a wast of time, could of put some food in a hungry kids mouth for what was probably spent on this.
-- Posted by who cares on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:56 pm EST

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Sure, ya don't care, little fella. Sure, ya don't. That's why keep bringing it up with your ignorant characterizations and observations.
-- Posted by None None on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:52 pm EST

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I could care less who marries or sticks what where, I just think it a lot of wasted time and effort over a piece of paper.
-- Posted by who cares on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:39 pm EST

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Just a piece of paper the pole pokers and tounge$groove experts need so that they can stir up trouble....should of stayed in the closets.
-- Posted by who cares on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:38 pm EST

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In other words, same-sex couples have just as much right to be as happy or as miserable as the rest of us do.

Gee, thanks for clearing that up, sport.

The civil rights of other people are not yours to judge, little fella. It's not your call to decide whether it's a "big deal" or not. Make a note of it.

The only ones responsible for making this such a "distraction" and a big deal are Douglas and the opponents of same-sex marriage.

Feel free to stick them with the tab for this. Douglas can take it out of his campaign war chest.
-- Posted by None None on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:33 pm EST

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Apparently there was an ad in today's Times-Argus from the folks with all the money, and it wasn't on the pro-marriage side. It came from Utah, headquarters of the anti-gay forces.

I'm glad our legislators here in Vermont listen to their constituents instead!
-- Posted by Kevin Moss on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 2:31 pm EST

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If some the main things that matters in a relationship is love and respect then why is a piece of paper such a big deal to the pole vaulters and lillie lickers? There are not that many benefits of being married, some tax breaks, more of a pain when you seperate..ect. Spend all this wasted time on working and getting real world problems dealt with.
-- Posted by who cares on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 12:21 pm EST

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Well, JP, that's life in a free society. Even knuckle-draggin' nitwits and brain-dead bigots who can barely walk upright have the right to participate in the process, too.
-- Posted by None None on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 10:12 am EST

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I can't beleive that in 2009 there are still people that don't think gay people should be allowed to get married, two adults that are in love should be able to marry regardless of what they have between their legs, why the heck do you people care what two adults do with their own life? I beleive this is long overdue and now gives equal rights to an entire group of people that were being discriminated against.
-- Posted by J P on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 8:57 am EST

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This author of this letter here probably misses the authority to tell which people can marry and that we have to salute the flag or else be branded as "unpatriotic," and jailed or deported. That's probably what this author misses the most. You can control people better when you channel them.

If gays/lesbians want to get married so what. Who cares? Vermont finally went for humanity instead of bigotry and those that would rather have the latter instead of the former lament it. They have lost.
-- Posted by Watercloset on Sun, Apr 12, 2009, 12:29 am EST

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It is indeed a shame all those PACs and out of state money that went to fight against marriage equality. One out of state group called practically every household in Vermont to urge them to support Douglas's veto! And the lying faxes?

Fortunately a majority of legislators listened to their constituents, instead of the outside folks (Utah, Virginia), and voted for marriage equality.
-- Posted by Kevin Moss on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 7:24 pm EST

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AYK - That's not going to happen........you were going to reverse civil unions too, remember?
-- Posted by walt amses on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 5:44 pm EST

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Yes Duffy it can change,. notice they did this in legislature and dint wait until reelction time??? Well we just wont forget, vote for anyone that has morals and values and vote out the left wing loons.
We can vote out the bunch in there now & ammend and change the entire gay idealogy thing as it relates to defiling marriage
-- Posted by Are you Kidding? on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 5:07 pm EST

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You had a choice - and still do - regarding who you vote to represent you in Montpelier. That's representative democracy at work. I don't believe the majority of Vermonters are against gay marriage nonetheless; and rather than becoming a laughing stock I think the state distinguished itself nationally by demonstrating (again)
what America is all about. I think we'll be perfectly fine.......just as we've not self destructed after civil unions, in 5 years folks will wonder what all the fuss was about.
-- Posted by walt amses on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 2:37 pm EST

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it just feels like its never going to end.i guess i hate change.it has nothing to do with equal rights for everyone.this law has passed and there is nothing the opposition can do now.whats next, i just feel like this should have been voted on by the citizens of vermont. to be honest im not really sure which way i may have voted.didnt matter i had no choice and thats why im sour over this..we are not bigots. just want this rapid takeover of vermont to stop .vermont has become the laughing stock of the nation.between
-- Posted by duffy b on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 1:48 pm EST

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPrQOiS_zLQ
-- Posted by its me again margrette on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 11:02 am EST

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I'm still shocked in the closemindedness of people in such an open minded and diverse state. I hope the new law allows all people to realize that slowly but surely Vermont is becoming more accepting. I have lived in Vermont my whole live as has my husband, as has our parents and their parents, and their parents. I've been married to my husband for 10 years and certainly wouldn't want to deprive anyone of any race, color, ethnicity or sexuality that same right. I wonder if when slavery was abolished close minded bigots that the same type of thing...."it's a sad day for our children b/c I grew up thinking it's o.k. to own people, and for some people to have no rights." That type of thinking is absolutely ridiculous and I'm only disappointed in Vermont that it took this long. It's not a sad day for Vermont, it's only a sad day for those who want to hide behind old laws and say they don't discriminate, it's just the way things have always been and should continue to be. Give me a break.
-- Posted by Amy None on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 10:20 am EST

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Still without a life of your own, eh Margie?
-- Posted by walt amses on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 9:52 am EST

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well walt, if marriage is so bad, why in the world would gays want it too? man and women can make something great from marriage, what can gays make from it? childern or sickness? hmmm i think the word just makes the feel better about there disorder. should vermont make drugs legal because some use or, should vermont seek help for them?
-- Posted by its me again margrette on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 9:37 am EST

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It is hard to understand how allowing committed, loving couples to marry is going to harm the institution of marriage. The institution of marriage has fallen, Mr. Gates? I think it has been strengthened.
-- Posted by Black Book on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 8:08 am EST

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Marriage has "lost its honor" because of Vermont having approved gay marriage? But it hadn't up to now, when 50 % of straight marriages didn't last? When half the people in it, didn't even honor it? It kept its honor when thousands of people murdered their spouses? Kept its honor when thousands more abused their partners and their children? Kept its honor when men were allowed multiple wives?.......and on and on and on............Trust me Michael, the only way gay marriage will a problem for your grandchildren is if you (or your sons) make it one.
Did you ever think that they might be gay, and want to marry one day? I'll bet not.
But its possible..........it even happens to nice people.
-- Posted by walt amses on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 7:57 am EST

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You'll live.
-- Posted by news reader on Sat, Apr 11, 2009, 7:15 am EST

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