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News & ArtsMonday, January 23, 2012
Olympia Gay Marriage Bill Hearing Now (Live Slog)
Posted by Dominic Holden on Mon, Jan 23, 2012 at 11:15 AM
![The Matrimony of Church and State: Anti-gay Seattle Archbishop Peter J Sartain tells senators, Would the definition of marriage change there would be no special laws for these [hetero] couples.](http://www.thestranger.com/images/blogimages/2012/01/23/1327346094-peter_sartain.jpg "The Matrimony of Church and State: Anti-gay Seattle Archbishop Peter J Sartain tells senators, Would the definition of marriage change there would be no special laws for these [hetero] couples.")
- The Matrimony of Church and State: Anti-gay Seattle Archbishop Peter J Sartain tells senators, "Would the definition of marriage change, there would be no special laws for these [hetero] couples."
Anyone who has been waiting for a debate on same-sex-marriage—the sort conservatives have been running from—here it is. It's a public hearing on state senator Ed Murray's bill to allow same-sex civil marriage before the Senate Government Operations, Tribal Relations & Elections Committee. It begins on TVW starting on 10:00 a.m. The bill requires only one more senator's vote to pass.
Watch LIVE HERE.
Here we go!
Senator Craig Pridemore, the committee chair, insists that there will be no interruptions or jeering, "so that no one is uncomfortable." If he has to give three warnings, he says, he'll clear the hearing room. If anyone's testimony is creating a "hostile environment," he'll end that too.
Christian radicals are out in force this morning (both elected officials and civilians) and will be making the most forceful arguments they can. They'll be out at 1:30 p.m. when a similar hearing is held on the House. But don't expect these hearing to change any minds. Each side has locked down its votes and, by most counts, only five senators are undecided.
First up, a few words from the senators. Murray points out the bill provides robust protections for religious entities that don't want to involve themselves with gay marriage. You can read the full bill here, which states: "no religious organization is required to provide accommodations, facilities, advantages, privileges, services, or goods related to the solemnization or celebration of a marriage unless the organization offers admission, occupancy, or use of those accommodations or facilities to the public for a fee, or offers those advantages, privileges, services, or goods to the public for sale." Republican senator Pam Roach (R-Handgun) expresses concerns that this section could be vetoed by the governor.
- TVW
- Michael Shiosaki, Senator Murray's partner for three decades, is first to testify in favor of marriage equality.
Here comes Pastor Ken Hutcherson and Family Policy Institute of Washington director Joseph Backholm. Hutcherson is on a sanctimonious tear. "Since you think god is not smart enough to make it fair, you are saying you are smart enough to make it fair," Hutcherson tells the senators. He argues that approving same-sex marriage is "just as bigoted" as opposing it, or something. He's hard to follow.
A man joining them contends that the bill would force "faith-based adoption providers to shut their doors." He adds that photographers and other businesses would not be allowed to discriminate against same-sex couples. He asks to amend the bill to to allow "religious liberties" that allows business owners to ban black people from sitting at the lunch counter refuse services to gay couples.
- The Religious Right's Own Twink: Joseph Backholm says he'll put gay marriage up to a public vote if the senate votes to approve the bill.
Backholm promises senators that if they approve the bill, he will put it up to a vote this November. "We will exercise our right to referendum, we will gather the signatures, and place it on the ballot," he says. "After considering why the fence was erected, [voters] will conclude that the fence should not be torn down."
Jennifer Roback Morse warns lawmakers that approving the "redefinition parenthood" will put them on "the wrong side of history." She says taking parenthood from "the natural moorings of biology" will make parenthood a "genderless institution," adding that lawmakers are using "equality as battering ram."
"Whether you are ready or not, I will hold you accountable," says Roback Morse.
In a less vitriolic tack, progressives are each rolling out their touching personal stories: a military vet who wants to marry his partner, parents who want their lesbian daughter to have the right to marry, Murray's partner Michael Shiosaki who wants to marry, a woman who wants to marry her partner.
There are two distinct strategies at play: The marriage equality advocates are connecting with people's lives; the traditional marriage advocates are warning the senators that society will crumble, while grasping to name specifics, and will deliver payback at the ballot if the senate defies them.
Next up we have Seattle Archbishop Peter J. Sartain, who, as I've reported, is forcing Catholic churches to advocate against marriage equality on the basis that gay couples deteriorate humanity's ability to procreate. "The state has long recognized the societal benefit of strong families... and permanent male-female relationships are the best," says Sartain. "Would the definition of marriage change, there would be no special laws for these couples."
- Anti-Gay Nun: Tweaks the trope about the Bible mentioning "Adam and Eve," saying the Bible doesn't mention "Eve and Susan."
That pious prejudice is quickly balanced by a firecracker speech by Rabbi Jonathan Singer, who speaks in favor of marriage equality. "There are times to look into our spiritual mirror and see that we are the ones who are oppressing," Singer says. He makes the case that he wants to legally perform marriage ceremonies for gay couples: "I along with other religious representatives believe that the state is not only discriminating against same-sex couples but us as religious leaders."
It was inevitable. Here comes the gays-are-carriers-of-diseases-like-AIDS argument. "The lifespan of a homosexual is half the lifespan of a non homosexual," says a man. Allowing same-sex marriage, he contends, "destroys families and destroys society."
Next up is a self-described conservative Republican who says same-sex marriage proves "no threat to our marriage by gay couples being married." His gay son suffered an aneurysm, he says, and is now being cared for by his partner. "The same rights me and my wife enjoy should be extended to his partner."
A woman who says she works with children warns that a lack of fathers will cause the "downfall of our nation." She's concerned about motherless kids, too. While she acknowledges that hetero marriages "are not all healthy relationships, you have to have a strong foundation to have good fruit."
Now the anti-equality side really going for it. A man contends that lawmakers should block the bill because NAMBLA wants it to pass. "They are supporting all the gay-rights marriage bills because they have a plan," he explains, to incrementally expand laws to allow for pedophilia. Of course, there is no evidence that NAMBLA is supporting this bill.
It's like a tennis game, back and forth: On one side, terrified speculation based on biblical superstition; on the other side, personal experience and evidence. Speaking of which, a woman citing actual science points out that no evidence exists suggesting that same-sex parents are less competent that opposite-sex parents.
Last, a nun literally reads biblical passages and speaks about Sodom and Gomorrah.
That's all, folks. The House hearing begins in at 1:30 p.m. Senators says they will give the bill further consideration at an executive session on Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
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I also can't believe how many minorities are against this. When I saw that black pastor all I could think was that he would be fighting for "equal" freedoms 30 years ago if he loved a white woman!
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She's taken the "want to punch in the face" award away from Pam Roach.
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By the way, will this be available to watch later? I am at work so I keep missing part of it. :(
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- Supporters: "This will help many other people."
- Opponents: "This will harm *me*."
People who support gay marriage are generally selfless and concerned with the well-being of others.
People who oppose it are almost entirely doing so because of how they will be personally affected. "Don't label our organization discriminatory, or we'll loose money. Wahhh!"
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http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law
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Oh God, here comes the pedo defense!
Gays getting married = kiddy fucking!
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Wonderfully said. Excellent point.
Gay couples want to be treated equal, be able to show to others that they are "normal" and just want a normal marriage so they/we/I don't feel excluded, and don't want to worry what will happen in the future (i.e. hospital visits, children, what not)
Opponents:
I don't want YOUR equal rights trampling my bigoted thinking, my religious beliefs matter more than your REAL life, and won't somebody think of the CHILDREN!!!
I really hope this does pass so me and my partner can marry in Washington when we move there next year from Texas.
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The media should check.
http://www.ruthinstitute.org/pages/DrJBi…
She currently lives in San Diego, CA. She and her husband are the parents of a birth child, an adopted child. From March 2003 to August 2006, Dr. Morse and her husband were foster parents for San Diego County. During that time, they cared for a total of eight foster children.
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I hope she's right; that would be the 25th vote, assuming that this hearning did not make any of the other 24 change their minds.
Who knows? Maybe the crazy, illogical arguments against equality pushed some of the other undecideds toward equality.
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On another note, comment #8, from lookitsaustin, is inappropriate. As much as I diagree with Dr Morse, it is not ok to make a comment about choking her until she stops moving. It only detracts from our position, even if it is done in jest.
Perhaps you are right, it may be a bit harsh. I don't regret saying it, but would perhaps refrain from saying something like that again. I had a bit of trepidation when I did post it. You are probably right about it detracting from our stance.
I must commend the people that were up there in support of the bill refraining from going as low as the ones who opposed it. All I heard from them was love and compassion and all I heard from the opposition was hate and bigotry.
Now that I am a bit cooled down, I still do wish people like her would just crawl back under the rock from whence she came. Maybe that would have been better to say.......
Also glad to hear that it will be passed!
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Feel angry, but there's no need to vomit it out like that and give them smug self-justification for what they want to do to all of us.
I'm sure they are smug enough already without needing me to help them.
I already said I wouldn't say something like that again, though I don't regret saying it the first time.
Obviously I don't actually mean any harm to the woman..... as much of a bitch as she is.
And yes, the fact of the matter is so, they want to deny me rights. Rights that they have no business at all keeping from me.
(Also, your avatar is scary/creepy looking!) : )
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Your officiating over this FOURTH celebrity marriage harmed marriage FAR more than anything any other resident of Washington has done this century.
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Another closeted queen babbling on, spreading Pope Rat's hateful nonsense about how gay marriage is the biggest threat to the human race since - wait for it! - religious wars!
http://blog.beliefnet.com/beliefbeat/201…
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