Have Gay Rights Advanced in the 40 Years Since Stonewall?

[DJacqu8351]

LGBT or hetero, we're all the same! Love is love!

[MrDaleaaaa]

howabout somones who has be discriminated against sueing thestate of califoria for damages .the civil rights act (like the patriot act ) of 1878 make whoever or whatever states that imposes laws that are not constitutioal liable for damages encured by enforceing unconstitutioal laws under color of law (that means like like jim crow laws that where only inforced on exslaves).they know that its unconstituional but they do it anyway.they are liable for damages$1000000000000000000000­0000000000000000

[TruthAlwaysHerts]

FAGGOTS WANT TO MANY RIGHTS... WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE... F--ED UP IDIOTS. THEY CAN SCREW THEMSELVES. YEAH, I AM ANTI GAY !!!!!!

[MansonFan64]

@TruthAlwaysHerts Obvious Troll is obvious.

[TruthAlwaysHerts]

@TruthAlwaysHerts All homos are idiots

[bkole]

@TruthAlwaysHerts Too, the word is too that you are looking for.

[Clitorisaurus]

What does the toleration of bullying have to do with gay rights?

[BlackRepublican2010]

Shame on our govt!!!

Homosexual acceptance has been the downfall of many a successfull society.

Marriage is one woman one man!!

Shame on our senators and govt reps!!

You are voted in and voted OUT!!!

[Grrxmaster]

@BlackRepublican2010 How has homosexual acceptance destroyed ANY society? Please, do explain!

[mikeyinqc]

@BlackRepublican2010 which society? when? be specific? because it is not true! In fact gay populations have been great leaders of societies, thinkers, artists, actors, philosophers. I could give you a list of some 10000 noteable gay/bi/lesbian influences- but what would be the point?

[mikeyinqc]

@BlackRepublican2010 and just so you "know" the truth- one man one woman marriage is an invention of the 14-15 hundreds-- not a biblical thing at all. Marriage in the bible often included multiple wives, concubines, slaves etc etc

[hipstermi]

@BlackRepublican2010

"Homosexual acceptance has been the downfall of many a successfull society."

I know this conservative trick... you will say "well Rome had gays...they fell!" and ignore all the reasons they did fall.

Using THAT logic...how many Christian societies fell? does that "prove" how bad that religion is?

Fun fact- in the 1920s-30s, gays in Germany started to gain rights. That is...untill a guy with a funny mustache started making speeches and wrote a book quoting the BIBLE.

[Proud2bgay84]

I told someone I was gay at college now most of the tutors look on the floor when I smile or say hi to them. It makes me upset but I'm not changing for anyone.

[poodtang1]

I'm gay but i still realise that as long as gays are only 5% of the population. Politicians don't have to give a shit about us.

It's reality.

[goldiecolfax]

don't ask don't tell -was omitted from my previous comment.

[goldiecolfax]

was bullshit..but clinton was one of the authors! one of the biggest bullshitters of our time!

[anthonynewsome]

very true, but the real issue is how religion has used hate/fear/lies in this issue, they have managed to turn homosexuality into the worlds biggest evil,

they have done this so as to distract from their own corruption, using God to preach their hate is something that lgbt people need to address,

1969 changed a lot of things in lgbt history for the better, but today everything is stagnant stale and the homophobes are winning,

Harvey Milk who had little money won in 1977

[muellerican]

This state-by-state gay rights movement thing is

bullshit. I'm happy for those states that have achieved full marriage equality but where I live (Puerto Rico) ever since gay rights are up for

debate it's been nothing but backlash. Backlash in the government, backlash on the

radio and even on hate crimes. The

Pandora's box has been opened already, now

the Federal Government needs to bring Full

Equality from MA to Texas, from Guam to Puerto Rico.

[rextrek]

40yrs -- in the supposed land of "Liberty & Justice for All"??? America is a disgrace!

[hermitttss]

Obama sucks. How many ammendments are protecting his relatives now eh? Now we gotta protect homo's with laws. Political correctness is ruining the united states. Obama sucks

[Kalexandrian1010]

it wouldnt be a problem if citizens werent attacking gays on the basis of their orientation, but they are....

were being attacked, we need protection! we shouldnthave to live in fear anymore

[VomitTV]

fuck off and die nazi!!!

[idaman12345]

spoken like a true brainwashed conservative

[endofearthdays]

Are you a transgendered or are you coming against the gay movement? Was hard to follow. Thanks.

[7jerryv7]

Don't ask don't tell.

Lack of universal gay marriage.

High suicide rates among GLT youth.

Why oppose hate crime bills? Well, supposedly we will need to teach homosexuality and its acceptability in schools. In other words we would have to be consistent - teaching and laws.

[IrishClaudius]

Yes you should have been a lawyer

[IrishClaudius]

Yes and if a teenager is bullied or beaten because he or she is fatter than most then people and judges do not look on that positively. What tends to happen in worst of those cases is that the kid commits suicide. What usually happens in the worst cases of homophobia is that the person is brutally murdered.

[caltrop69]

I'm only OK if the Republican AND the Democratic parties aren't involved.

They're both only about political favors to the connected.

[caltrop69]

I could absolutely get behind a party based on rationalism and the scientific method. The progressives, unfortunately, don't fit the bill.

They completely ignore the objective fact that some of their ideas are neither new, nor have they succeeded, when tried. They ignore the science of economics. This causes them to come to poor conclusions.

The value of a widget that involves 12 labor hours to produce is ZERO, if no one else wants it.

BASIC.

[ArcaneKarma]

A rationalist party? what would that be? the Librarians?

[freesk8]

I support LGBT rights, but I have an important distinction to make.

Rights do not come from governments. They come BEFORE govts. A good govt defends rights, and a bad one does not, or worse, violates them.

Rights come from self-ownership. We own our own lives, not the govt, not the community. This gives rise to our equal, individual rights to life, liberty and property.

The right to liberty is where marriage equality comes from.

LGBT folks HAVE equal rights, but the govt violates them.

[freesk8]

I believe in equal rights for LGBT individuals.

But hate crimes are thought crimes. It is Orwellian. Murder is murder and harassment is harassment, and should be illegal regardless of the motivation.

And congress always lags public opinion. It is public opinion that has undergone a revolution. Vast swaths of society view homophobia as just as bad as racism (as it should be.)

But congress never leads. It only follows in order to get re-elected.

Real change comes from the people.

[IrishClaudius]

Mmmmmm and that means they must do nothing about gay rights....

[caltrop69]

Wow! I didn't even mark you as spam. I don't do that sort of thing. It was done, even before I had a chance to respond.

Difficult audience. Maybe even those who agree with you aren't fond of vulgarity?

[eskimosurferdreamer]

gays already have rights

[caltrop69]

Yeah...The problem is they think the government is something that can "grant" them.

The government can only remove rights.

[marsCubed]

caltrop69, I am going to stop now, I really wanted to get your views out, to see what you were.

now I want to stop.

i am really not interested in your opinion, sorry, it is a curiosity, useful information.

goodbye.

[caltrop69]

Wow!

And NOW you have a moment of clarity? Why didn't you speak like a normal person, before? Did you expect a normal response when you spoke like the headlines of a second-rate Tabloid?

I don't get it.

[caltrop69]

In case this needs clarification:

GAYS need no PERMISSION for rights from the government. The GOVERNMENT needs permission for powers..

[caltrop69]

Ha ha. That was a "rational" argument?

You just wanted to show off your Tourette's syndrome, didn't you?

[caltrop69]

You pretend to not understand and then show bias?

THIS...I do not understand.

A "progressive" party has become synonymous with the idea of large government and control of behavior.

The question really should be, "why do you want a government that is able to control behavior?" What happens when those who control the government want to control YOUR BEHAVIOR?

Don't doubt that they'll take advantage of the power you've handed them.

[marsCubed]

caltrop69, Consider that Alex Jones led the anti war movement into obscurity. then into the hands of the far right.

Jewish banking conspiracy?

Attacking international relations?

pro inequality?

The right are the authoritarians.

They want 'freedom' to for corps to rule without democracy or account.

That is not freedom.

If the USA had the same tax as Europe, average Americans would be 11,000$ better off.

Corps get you to fight for inequality, not balance,

look up the 'reactionary' aka fascism.

[caltrop69]

It looks like you're speaking in the secret bumper sticker language.

I'm not a fan of the right, either. There is no doubt that they are as equally into behavior control as the left.

Alex Jones is a kooky conspiracy theorist that I don't take seriously.

Both sides are guilty of corporatism. That's why government should shrink. The bigger you let it get, the more power you give the other side, once the government changes hands.

[caltrop69]

I'd like to see your source for this so-called tax savings of $11K.

Americans would be much better off if we blew up the IRS. No income tax, whatsoever, would be fine with me. The government can go back to it's pre-income tax means of raising money.

[marsCubed]

Norway or Sweden, have the highest taxes in the world.

As a result they are the most equal societies.

they have the wealthiest populations, many Swedes have 2 homes. They are the best educated, healthiest, lowest crime, best qality of life.

educated people are more flexible economically and difficult to push around.

You are the far right.

You push for an agenda almost identical to the NAZIS, pro corp rural morons who saw themselves as liberators too.

wake up, they make you follow evil trash.

[caltrop69]

You are simply making things up, at this point. You first claim that if we adopt a European structure, then we'd save money. Then you turn around and say that a couple of European countries have the highest taxes in the world.

Then you whip out the old strawman and call me "the far right."

Do you even know what that means? I'm not even remotely authoritarian, and there was nothing in my post that could lead a reasonable person to that conclusion.

[marsCubed]

I am not making anything up.

High taxes means taxing the rich not the regular middle class working citizen.

The corps take a money out of the system as bonuses. It is vast sums of money, this is not going around and is all at the top.

If you tax the rich then it goes back into society as new businesses, welfare (jobs), education (jobs) and it takes the burden off the middle class.

It is win win, only the wingnuts on the right are trying to pull it down in the USA. they are pro nastiest corps.

[caltrop69]

You've been busy, here, I see. No day job, eh?

To take something from a person without their permission is theft. It is immoral. Furthermore, when you target individuals for this action, it is bigotry and hatred.

I disagree with your idea of Utopia. Particularly when you think that it can somehow be built on such unpleasant building blocks.

My idea of Utopia is to be left to my own devices, and be neither bullied by the left-wing mobsters, or the right-wing corporatists.

[marsCubed]

The far right argue for competition.

To compete they say we must free the corps so they can succeed.

they say communism harms the cops, welfare is a burden, unions and democracy get in the way of making profit.

deregulate then so they can cut wages and use slaves.

shut up the left wing moaners in the media always talking about human rights and making agreements with enemies.

it is nazi ideology, just turn up the volume.

you were duped by the far right.

you and friends should turn against RP.

[caltrop69]

The far right uses capitalism as a political crutch. They understand it as a means by which they can reward those who bought them power.

True capitalism does not require the use of government to destroy competitors. True capitalism involves trust in your fellow human being. A transaction by which both parties benefit is not EVIL.

If you may think people acting peacefully amongst each other is vile, then carry on trying to control people.

[marsCubed]

caltrop69, see if any of this rings a bell.

Jewish banking conspiracy.

Unions should be broken,

state organizations should only be army and police (try asking for civil rights there)

How's about anti gay, or schools, hospital, run by and owned by your boss.

if he don't like you...

no taxes see.. you work for da man, ask da man rights..

it is a boss charter, the worst kind of society.

Everywhere this kind of Laissez fair stuff has been tried, it is called fascism.

in the USA morons say it is them

[caltrop69]

OK...You've degenerated into to bumper sticker slogans, again. Try to develop a coherent thought and get back to me.

[marsCubed]

caltrop69, Imagine this for a moment. You and friends all supported Obama. Demands for more equailty.. not communism, just more, to bring some back to Earth orbit. Having it done sensibly; tending towards with popular agreement. benefits would be for everybody. educated people, healthy, wealthy. creative., innovative. not sweat shops anymore. we do not need to do that. the rest of the world is doing the same kind of thing. build robots You are right BTW the straw man IS laissez fair capitalism.

[caltrop69]

"the straw man IS laissez fair capitalism"

Ha ha ha! You are SO right, even if you have no idea what you're saying.

[marsCubed]

LOL Capitalism is a system in which a merchant employs workers to make commodities. he sells these on a market and pays himself and workers. the remainder is invested to enhance competitive advantage (capital). Competitors do the same. Investment soars, saturation, crisis in profit. some fail. Recovery is buy-up and new venture. blocks get bigger, it tends to monopoly. Fail becomes the misery of mass unemployment. tax the top hard. regulate to keep it sane and make wealth producing markets.

[caltrop69]

You've mis-defined "capitalism" for a selfish reason.

Why don't you just rob people at gunpoint? It's more honest, and, quite frankly, less cowardly, than having someone else do it for you.

[caltrop69]

"Coward!" Stand up to the "TERRORISTS!"

It's no time to "cut and run."

Help me out, here...They had almost as many good bumper stickers as you.

You are the result of too much LSD, I think. Not that I'd mind LSD being completely legal, or anything...Just saying that I think insane people, like you, are cool.

I want all drugs legal.

[caltrop69]

Why DO you keep removing your comments, marsCubed?

It's almost like a "Youtube stutter" or something.

Why don't you remove the asinine comment below about ME being "fascist," even though I'm the opposite, as an individualist?

You may as well remove them all, for that matter. I'm sure you've got a copyright on at least two of these sound bites. Probably don't want them stolen.

[marsCubed]

You are considered far-right and nuts even by libertarians everywhere else.

An innocent, badly misled for you mean well.

It is because you know nothing else except cold war dogma, this reinforced with what seem like revealed secrets. an easy solution.

conditioning was purposeful, a backstop..

Bush harmed the USA very deeply IMO.

Legalize drugs, knock yourself out.

The Great USA run by the free beer party set to damage allies and nature.

Here is an idea; why not ban traffic lights too?

disgrace.

[caltrop69]

Whoa!

Calm down. The aliens are NOT out to get you. The Angels aren't going to eat your socks. Take another anti-psychotic.

I almost feel guilty for picking on someone so out of their league. You had me fooled into thinking you were a sane individual with a penchant for the dramatic. Now I realize that you're either insane, or have done too many drugs.

I apologize. I didn't know. I don't usually debate the mentally challenged.

[marsCubed]

YOu are an unread moron spouting right wing fascist trash,

[caltrop69]

You are a flying wombat that likes Cheese-its!

So there.

Ummm...Neener neener?

[caltrop69]

"Rational"...yes.

"Progressive"...I'm afraid I disagree.

[gramamge33]

He's incorrect when he says don't ask don't tell is taking something away as you weren't allowed to serve in the military to begin with.

As to Darthbyss there "only being human rights" those rights include the right to live freely regardless of gender race or sexuality, and it's ok to talk about a section of something. In America thats like saying shut up about the first amendment there is only the constitution

[cavejourney]

I came out more than 30 years ago when gay bars didn't have windows and 99% of gays were frightened in their closets. Bashings were common and you wouldn't dare call the police for fear that they would out you. I never dreamed that I would ever have straight male friends.

Today I no longer walk in fear and I am socially accepted in many circles. Most people think it's wrong to kill gays - that's huge progress. Yes there is still work to be done but to say nothing has changed is crazy.

[TrollingIgnorance]

I agree there, well, at least we should have more than two parties being taken seriously by the public AND the media...

[DarthByss]

There is no such thing as gay rights, women's rights, and civil rights; there is only human rights. Quit lobbying to be treated as a special class of people. Get the government out of the marriage issue entirely.

[kshackleton]

They are lobbying to simply have *the same rights* as everyone else.

If two gay people get married...who does that harm?

NOBODY!!!

[caltrop69]

It only harms people who pay taxes or health insurance.

Remove the government from those issues, and gay marriage will harm no one.

[kshackleton]

You will need to support your claim.

[caltrop69]

it's a logical inference as to why the politicos on the right are so against it.

If government is able to collect less taxes due to the benefits of marriage and corporations are suddenly required to provide more group coverage for an expanded group, they'll have to charge more.

I did NOT say I advocate this view. In fact, I'm against the government telling anyone what to do with their private lives.

[kshackleton]

If they are actually justifying the denial of rights to a select group of people on the basis of cost, then they are immoral.

If the benefits of marriage are such a burdensome expense, then those benefits for all should be reined in. You don't arbitrarily choose groups of people to exclude.

The religious right claims moral superiority and they are the most immoral and hypocritical collection of assholes that I have run across.

[kshackleton]

However...now that the rant is over....I know that they are simply afraid of [or hate] homosexuals. It's primal fear, and this is their justification for it.

[caltrop69]

People SHOULD be more afraid of allowing government the power to target groups of people with specific laws.

I guess their priorities are scrambled?

[ImperiusRex]

Not a very good speaker.

[MrRockythesquirrel]

it is the best of times and the worst of times for l.g.b.t. folks