Gay Rights in the United States

[conkermaniac]

I am an avid advocate of gay rights, and I am shocked that the United States, supposedly the defender of freedom, continues to deny gays the basic right to marriage and adoption. Personally, I believe in a "live and let live" approach. I do not find the idea of dating men attractive at all...in fact, I find it repulsive. But that does not give me a right to judge whether it is normal or not -- I am not gay, and I realize that I know nothing about being gay. As long as they do their own thing and don't bother me, I am fine with them having sex, getting married, and adopting children. In fact, allowing gays to adopt children would even ease the number of poor homeless children living in the shelters today. Throughout history, we have constantly redefined the borders of marriage. Blacks and whites once could not marry -- now they can, and we find the idea of interracial marriage normal. Someday, people will look back at us as intolerant bigots when they see how we denied homosexuals the same right.

Christian groups and the media (which undoubtedly is right-wing) in most places in the United States continue to portray gays as losers. As long as this continues, gay children will continue to be teased and beaten up in school. Conservative parents are another major problem -- some will kick their children out of the house just for being gay. As many as 40% of homeless teenagers on the street are homosexual. These numbers are alarming, and yet we do nothing about it.

I think it's about time that the United States moves in the direction of the European nations and Canada. I mean, what image is America portraying to the world when it's legalizing gay sex, while its neighbors are legalizing gay marriage?

[LeX]

I think it's just wrong to raise kids when you have a spouse of the same sex. It's unnatural. It's not right. I think gay people who wants kids are being very selfish. I mean, they don't care what happens to the kid when they grow up. I think that's very unfair to the children.

[conkermaniac]

Originally posted by LeX
I think it's just wrong to raise kids when you have a spouse of the same sex. It's unnatural. It's not right. I think gay people who wants kids are being very selfish. I mean, they don't care what happens to the kid when they grow up. I think that's very unfair to the children.

Love and belonging are at the bottom of Maslow's hierarchy, and I think that it is impossible for children to get any sort of care that even vaguely resembles family love in the often neglectful, and sometimes abusive, orphanages. The only disadvantage that results from gay adoption is that kids are just about always teased and abused at school -- another reason why I believe it imperative that the overly negative attitudes towards gays change in American schools. However, even if the kids do not feel a sense of belonging in school, they can at least hope for a loving environment at home, which gay and lesbian couples are usually willing to provide. Without a place to call home, as is often the case with homeless or orphaned children, this hurts the children more.

Honestly, I believe that a child who is the result of neglectful or abusive straight parents will end up worse in life than a child who has been raised by loving gay parents. We should at least give homosexuals a shot.

[Gayowulf]

I didnt read all of the above, but i read in the paper that a US border guard wouldn't let a homo couple over the border because they declared themselves a family.

[Wojtek]

Originally posted by Gayowulf
I didnt read all of the above, but i read in the paper that a US border guard wouldn't let a homo couple over the border because they declared themselves a family.

ROTFLMAO
Good job border guy!

[striker]

homosexuality is a disease. Nobody is born a natural homosexual, but they develop the behaviour through bad atmosphere. To be gay is just different, and I hope you can agree with me on that.

So, if someone decides to live a different lifestyle, why should they have the same rights that normal people do? Would you ever let an alcohlic work at your shop or store? No. Why? Because they have chosen to be different from the rest of society, and therefore, they can't have the same rights and privelages as the rest of society.

I can't say that being gay is "wrong" and sure, if people feel better that way than do so by all means. But to expect to be treated equally is not acceptable. Its either one or the other. I think that as soon as you make the decision to be gay, you also make a decision to seperate yourself (in some ways) from the rest of society.

Just my thoughts.

[jason]

Originally posted by striker
So, if someone decides to live a different lifestyle, why should they have the same rights that normal people do? Would you ever let an alcohlic work at your shop or store? No. Why? Because they have chosen to be different from the rest of society, and therefore, they can't have the same rights and privelages as the rest of society.

Just my thoughts.

what a retarded analogy. so i guess being gay impairs your motor skills? mmhmm. you say being gay is a disease, then you say they choose to be gay. well last time i checked ppl don't choose to have diseases. make up your mind. weither you are born gay or become gay or choose to be gay shouldn't be an issue, thats a matter of opinion up to debate but whatever reason i don't see why they shouldn't be treated like normal human beings. homosexuality does exist in the animal world too, btw. i don't see why its such a big deal over who ppl f uck.

[jmiller]

Originally posted by striker
homosexuality is a disease. Nobody is born a natural homosexual, but they develop the behaviour through bad atmosphere. To be gay is just different, and I hope you can agree with me on that.

So, if someone decides to live a different lifestyle, why should they have the same rights that normal people do? Would you ever let an alcohlic work at your shop or store? No. Why? Because they have chosen to be different from the rest of society, and therefore, they can't have the same rights and privelages as the rest of society.

I can't say that being gay is "wrong" and sure, if people feel better that way than do so by all means. But to expect to be treated equally is not acceptable. Its either one or the other. I think that as soon as you make the decision to be gay, you also make a decision to seperate yourself (in some ways) from the rest of society.

Just my thoughts.

You make me sick beyond belief.
Come on, the Nazi party claimed that the Jews were nothing more than a disease, and your statement brings you down to their level.
Homosexuals do not CHOOSE to be attracted to those of the same sex, they are born that way.

It's people like you that are the true 'disease' in our society.

[keith]

Originally posted by conkermaniac
Christian groups and the media (which undoubtedly is right-wing) in most places in the United States continue to portray gays as losers.

did you just say the media is undoubtedly right-wing? what?!?! that's about as incorrect a statement as you could make. go do your homework and then come whining to us about your little gay rights lovefest.

one reason (and there are more) why gays shoudn't get hitched is because they'd be even more inclined to adopt some unwitting kid in order to complete their cute little "family"... and ill tell you what, i'd feel awfully sorry for that poor kid and the thousands of dollars they'll be giving to psychologists the rest of his or her adult life.

[Webdude]

I dont think that gays should have ALL rights an priveledges of straight guys. I think gay guys should have the same rights and priveledges of women. For example, if I found my son's coach was gay, I'd rip him off the team. Female coaches cannot go in the boy's dressing room, so a gay male coach shouldnt be allowed to do either.

I dont like the lifestyle and think it's disgusting, but have come to terms with it by making myself believe it it is a third sex. Male, Female, Gay. If it were treated that way, things would go a lot better. Their own public restrooms, etc. I was raised to hate gay people and the lifestyle, but I got around that and learned to at least be tolerant of them as long as they dont hit up on me and respect my lifestyle is not the same as theirs. I have even made friends with plenty of them.

Gays are just as intolerant as straights are. I once went to a gay bar with a gay friend of ours. Other gays threw a fit saying "you arent gay, you dont belong here, go to a club for your type" and we were kicked out. I was even staying cool and trying to calm the situation, but no luck. Good way to treat someone who was trying to learn to tolerate their lifestyle. It all happened because a gay guy hit on me, and I told him "No thanks, I'm straight".

So while I can now tolerate the lifestyle, and might possibly tolerate same sex marriage.....I will not ever be able to tolerate married gays raising kids. What are we trying to do? Raise kids to be gay to bring down the population and teen pregnancies?? Maybe that should be tried over in countries where newborn kids are dying of disease and starvation.. We can ship them vaseline along with the food.

[striker]

Originally posted by jmiller

Homosexuals do not CHOOSE to be attracted to those of the same sex, they are born that way.

I guess I misworded that whole thing. All I meant to say was nobody is born gay and that is a fact. And I tried to think of the best analogy I could, that's why I didn't say drinking and driving because I know gay people are not a threat to other people.

Anyway It was my mistake to say it is a disease when I meant that nobody is born with it so think of me whatever you will.

[7trax]

Originally posted by conkermaniac
...I am shocked that the United States, supposedly the defender of freedom, continues to deny gays the basic right to marriage and adoption...

the United States is based on the constitution made in 1776. in 1776, gays outcasts and in Cuba, the spaniards executed gays by firing squad. Ben Franklin was an avid supporter of anti-homosexual publications, Thomas Jefferson criticized gays and compared gays to the equivalent of the british. if you know your american history, the british werent exactly the neighbors Americans had over for dinner every saturday night. Globally, gays didnt start to recieve fair treatment until the 60s

[jmiller]

Webdude, there was an openly gay female gym teacher at my school who was forced to not be allowed into the girl's changerooms.
If the male teachers aren't, then why should she?

[Webdude]

Originally posted by jmiller
Webdude, there was an openly gay female gym teacher at my school who was forced to not be allowed into the girl's changerooms.
If the male teachers aren't, then why should she?

That's good, and that's how it should be..
1) Straight male adults and gay female adults should not be allowed in the girls locker rooms.
2) Straight female adults and gay males should not be allowed in the boy's locker rooms.

But of course, you know the gays will fight that. They already have more rights than straight people do simply because anytime they get turned down for something, they sue that it was discrimination because they are gay.

Oh, and another incident I had with gays a long time ago.... I was at a "straight" club that was next to a gay club, and they shared the same parking lot. I went back to my car to get something, and a gay guy walks up and starts hitting up on me. He simply wouldnt take no for an answer. He kept bugging me, I kept saying I was straight and to leave me alone. He reached and grabbed my crotch, then he was laying on the ground with a broken and bloody nose. Guess who went to jail??? The cops said I went overboard, but the judge let me go in the morning saying that in his eyes, I was being pretty lenient since I only hit the guy once.. I suspect the arresting cop may have been gay also.

[Gayowulf]

I too have been hit on by individuals who choose to lead an alternative lifestyle.

I never bothered laying down the beats on these individuals, though. but then they never did grab my crotch. in my opinion THAT is overboard.

I'd probably instinctively punch anyone who grabbed me nads.