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FRANKFORT, Ky. - A constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage was defeated Friday in the Kentucky House after Republicans staged a dramatic walkout hours into a contentious debate. In their absence, too few votes were available to pass the measure.

The walkout marked a strange turn of events because Republican lawmakers had been fighting to get the measure approved.

"It's the House Republicans that have killed this bill ... that have killed the amendment they talked so passionately about," said Democratic Rep. Rick Nelson.

The Republican leader, Rep. Jeff Hoover, accused the Democratic majority of an "arrogant abuse of power" by curtailing debate without consideration of GOP amendments to the bill.

Republican members then filed out of the House chamber and assembled for a rally on the Capitol steps with Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher and a conservative group spearheading the push for a ban on same-sex marriages.

Democrats sat, seemingly stunned. Then some got angry.

"They took the coward's way out," said Rep. Gross Lindsay, his voice rising.

Speaker Jody Richards eventually proceeded with a roll-call vote. Sixty votes are required to approve a constitutional amendment. The roll call got to 55-10.

In theory, the House could reconsider its vote on Monday.

The source of the dispute was an effort by Democrats to entwine the gay marriage issue into a single bill with a second proposed amendment - an amendment to limit the judiciary's power to impose mandates on the General Assembly.

Republicans said lumping two constitutional amendments together was an act of sabotage and insisted it would never survive a court challenge.

Kentucky has had a law since 1996 prohibiting same-sex marriages, but proponents of the amendment said writing the prohibition into the state's Constitution was the only way to cement it.

In Minnesota, a Senate panel on Friday killed a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. Although the legislation passed earlier in the GOP-led House, its rejection was expected in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Tensions have been running high this week with rallies drawing more than 3,000 people from each side of the issue.

joshie

I have already read this article, it's in many papers across the USA I am sure. It should just remind all gays that the present adminisrtation is up for re-election and is going to trample on the minorities to win the votes of the majority. It's a real shame that all gays can't join together and decide who to vote for. I am not a Bush fan nor did I vote for him. I voted for Gore. And I will continue to vote for ''all'' Democrats across the board at election time and hope you will to.

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Hi Guys, I am a wild and fun kinda guy that loves to love and have sex as often as possible. If you would like to talk or maybe more just let me know.. My e-address a1xxx at webtv.net

Ostling

For about 2 years now Same Sex Marriages have been protected in Canada as a Right and Freedom, protected by our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The only thing our government has to do is to but this into legalesse...or the language of Politics...So now in canada...if i choose to do so...I can marry the man i am in love with...it is the most recent in the list of Rights we have been protecting over the last 50 years.

our employment rights are now protected
our benefits are now transferable to our same sex partners
our gov't and private pensions are now transferable to our same sex partner
our right to have children and or adopt are protected
and now we can Marry the person we Love

I am not saying that we live in a perfect country...there are still some archic laws that need to be challanged...for example it is still illegal to have certain types of sexual contact...for example...even though i am a consenting Adult..it is illegal for me to engage in sexual contact with more then one person at a time...it is illegal for me to have intercourse with my partner if a third person is in the room/bed/or even for that fact Apartment/house/home...although these laws are never used they still remain on the books...

It is interesting to note...that many of these laws are up to interpertation by the legal professionals and law enforcement agencies of this country...for example I may walk down the street hand in hand with my partner...but if my partner and I chose to kiss each other we could be arrested...because the act of kissing could be considered as Obscene...by the interpertation of a law enforcement officer that may be passing by us...

There is still obviously work to be done....


I am stuck by one interesting fact...the only people in our society that seem to be against the Protection of the Right of Same Sex Marriage is the Religious Right...the Religious Right consists of Fundimental Christian, Jewish and Muslim Groups...these are the only people whom I ever read or hear about objecting about my right to marry...And that is ok...as i do not subscribe to their religious beliefs...they have the right to tell me that i am not allowed to Marry according to their belief system...and I accept that...BUT...these Religious Leaders do not have the Right to tell my Government or myself that I do not have the Right to Marry under the laws of the Country I live in...These Religious Leader seems to forget that we live in a democratic society that charises the Ideals of Freedom and Separation of Church and State...It is alright for these religious group to deny me my right to marry with in their institutation...if i choose to suscribe to their belief system...but it is dangerous to allow them to determine what the larger society and government considers moral and illegal...


One last thought...it is a low estimate that 10 percent of the general world population is Queer...canada has a population of about 30 million...so here in canada there is roughly 3 million queer people...the USA has a population of about 450 million people or roughly there are about 45 million queer living in the USA...and well the world population is about 6 billion people...so the world population would be 6 hundred million people who's rights are being denied....

I was born queer...it is not a choice...and a world religious minority...(are there 6 hundred million religious fundamentalist on the planet)...are trying to dictate to me what my rights are....Would anyone even listen to them if they were trying to curtail the inalienable human rights of a visible minority....

something to think about

have a good one all

Ostling

Ostling

In 1948 the United Nations sanctioned land in the Middle East, surrounding the ancient city of Jerusalem, (Palestine NW of Dead Sea; divided 1948-67 between Jordan (old city) & Israel (new city) capital of Israel since 1950 & formerly capital of ancient kingdoms of Israel & Judah; old city under Israeli control since 1967 population 544,200), to give the Israeli people a homeland. This was done so that the Jewish nation would have a homeland to flee to in the event that the Atrocities of Nazi Controlled Europe ever occured again. Lets not forget that during the horrific event of the early 20th century, thousands of Jews were turned away in boat load...from the Harbours of England, Canada and the United States of America. These people were forced to return to Europe and the Death Chambers of Nazi Controlled Europe.

I do not mean to deminish the Experience of these people what so ever...I am using this Historical Event as a Point-in-Evidence...to support my forth comming arguement.

Roughly 10 million people were sent to the Death Camps: 6 million of which were of Jewish Heritage...the other 4 million were people who did not fit into the strict defination of Aryanism...the Insane, Physically Disabled, Queers and Political Disadents...it is estimated that 1 million Queers were sent to the Death Chambers...Let us not forget that we have adopted the PINK TRIANGLE as one of our emblems in commeration of these million people...Like the gold star the Jewish people were forced to wear to identify them when in public...the Queer was forced to wear the pink Triangle to identify them.

One million Queers during the decade and a half that the Nazi party controlled Germany and much of Europe...but let us not forget the millions of Queers who were sent to the flames during the Burning Times, the Dark ages of Europe, when countless millions were sent to the flame in order that the Roman Catholic Church could gain control over Europe...it was during these years that the term FAGGOT (a bundle of sticks used as kindling to make a Fire) became synonymous with the Queer...We as Queers have a living history much similar to that of the Israeli people...I say living history because these atrocities continue today...Let us not forget Mathew Sheppard and the countless others who have been bashed and murdered simply because they were Gay...

So I say perhaps it is time for our Queer Advocates to form a group of Politician, Doctors, Ambassadors, etc...and Petition the United Nations to sanction some land (perhaps the ancient city-state of Athens, the ancient city where Queers lived openly, held political office and married) so that we can form a Queer Nation...a homeland so that we and our families can flee to if the Atrocities against our people continue or worsens....

A QUEER NATION a RAINBOW COUNTRY