03/23/2007
South Carolina Officially Bans Gay Marriage
South Carolina wrote discrimination into their constitution Thursday, as lawmakers ratified a constitutional amendment declaring "A marriage between one man and one woman is the only lawful domestic union that shall be valid or recognized in this state."
According to the AP, "The state already had a law against same-sex marriages, but proponents said the amendment was needed to prevent judges from opening the door to civil unions, which offer gay couples the legal benefits of marriage but not the title."
Not that they weren't ugly in the first place, but it's interesting how much uglier actions like this begin to look as other states, such as New Hampshire, start opening their doors to civil unions, as is happening more and more often.
S.C. Bans Gay Marriage [washington post]
House panel supports civil unions [concord monitor]
Posted 8:34 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Marriage, New Hampshire, News, South Carolina | Permalink
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South Carolina is the asshole of this nation. NOTHING good ever comes out of South Carolina.
My state, Georgia, is pretty bad, too (for the record). But at least we have Atlanta, where there is a small measure of gay-acceptance.
Isn't it time for SC to secede from the Union again? Or better yet, float away into the Atlantic Ocean, never to return?
Posted by: Jonathon | Mar 23, 2007 8:41:45 AM
Well, these are the same people who see nothing wrong with flying the confederate flag on state house grounds. And this shocks folks?
What I don't understand is, other than the military and Exxon/Mobil, what business can be based out of there who have NO domestic partner provisions? What company would want to be based there? The civil lawsuits are going to start flying as soon as a company there changes their direction.
It's like this country back to the 1940's mentality. Isolation based on ignorance. Perhaps we should play the game? Instead of letting them ram some perverted Christian morals down everyones throats, give these assholes states like SC, Utah, Colorado, etc... and let them live there. "You don't want gays to marry, move to South Carolina!" "You're gay and want to marry, move to Massachusetts". Just a thought.
Interesting how 20 years ago, when you thought of California, let alone San Francisco, you thought of gays, hippies and drugs. Now we have Nancy Pilosi, the third most powerful person on the planet. From California... San Francisco, none the less.
I suspect that these neocons in SC are going to be forced to change.
Rad
Posted by: Rad | Mar 23, 2007 9:08:21 AM
Isn't it 'bout time Sen Lyndsey Graham (R, Christopher Street) was asked his opinion on this?
Also isn't Sen Graham still in the US AirForce Reserves? Perhaps he has a comment on Gen P. Pace's "immoral" comment.
Posted by: zabadak | Mar 23, 2007 9:26:13 AM
You know, I read that during the War of 1812, some enslaved Africans from South Carolina and Georgia ran away to join the British Army. The Brits shoulda' won...well, atleast taken back South Carolina.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Mar 23, 2007 9:38:04 AM
Yes it is ugly. But no, it's not surprising. When you look at the states that have legalized gay union and then you look at states like SC, you see the dividing line in America's culture war.
And funny how it appears to be the same folk (or same types) who were at odds during the civil war?
Posted by: mark m | Mar 23, 2007 9:44:15 AM
A quick inernet fact check
south carolina
out of wedlock births 38.7% ranks 4th worse out of 50 states with mississippi at 1 , louissiana 2, New mexico 3
divorces out of every 1,000 marriages 3.8
life expectancy 74.9 years as compared to the national average of 77.6 9inbreeding causes recessive gene build up = earlier death LOL)
median income per family in SC $27,000....american median income $33,600 (poor SC bastards)
I could have done some more research but I think my point is made. SC has a hell of a lot worse problems than us gays
high school drop out rate 50.8% of south carolinians drop out without a high school diploma (damn that seems high)
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 9:51:14 AM
Guess I can cross this state off as a place to visit.
Posted by: Cody | Mar 23, 2007 9:56:33 AM
Actualy I want to repeat this one
high school drop out rate 50.8% of south carolinians drop out without a high school diploma
DAMN!!!!! Double Damn!!! That is high. Are they all ignorant fools? Sorry to any SC gay brothers and sisters reading this, but that is a sign of a serious problem and it isn't because of us gays
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 9:56:51 AM
Actualy I want to repeat this one
high school drop out rate 50.8% of south carolinians drop out without a high school diploma
DAMN!!!!! Double Damn!!! That is high. Are they all ignorant fools? Sorry to any SC gay brothers and sisters reading this, but that is a sign of a serious problem and it isn't because of us gays
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 9:56:51 AM
All is not lost ... it is good for us to let these people show THEIR true colors.
The South (for all it's good people) has a lot of very bad people and obvious bad history at resisting progress to equality for all.
Only two two states in US history actually enshrined bans on interracial marriage in their constitutions.
Guess who? South Carolina & Alabama.
Where were they? The South.
Though these bans could not be enforced after 1967, these two states still had to have political numbers to remove the amending their constitutions to remove the offending language.
This was did NOT happen until 1998 in South Carolina and 2000 in Alabama.
The following states WANTED to enforce laws on the books that explicitly denied "Negroes" the right to marry but were finally forced by the "Activist" U.S. Supreme Court.
Guess where they all are. That is right - the South.
Alabama 1967
Arkansas 1967
Florida 1967
Georgia 1967
Kentucky 1967
Louisiana 1967
Mississippi 1967
Missouri 1967
North Carolina 1967
Oklahoma 1967
South Carolina 1967
Tennessee 1967
Texas 1967
Virginia 1967
West Virginia 1967
So never believe that the people of the North in 1967 were "just as bad".
HOPE:
These laws were passed up to the point that by 1940, a majority (31 out of 48) of states had banned interracial marriage (or "miscegenation") in some form - the laws were put in place to prevent growing acceptance - just like these new laws against gay civil unions.
Gradually, as attitudes began to change 15 of the states overturned their laws.
Connecticut same-sex civil unions legal !
Maine same-sex civil unions legal !
Massachusetts same-sex marriage legal !
New Jersey same-sex civil unions legal !
Vermont same-sex civil unions legal !
Rhode / New Mexico / New York / California all look to be joining that list soon.
I quess what those of us who can do should do is provide support the campaigns to keep these laws in place and move the last four toward gay civil unions.
Posted by: rjp3 | Mar 23, 2007 10:00:53 AM
I've lived with my partner in South Carolina for the last 5 years. Everything you are saying is absolutely correct. It is the most backwards, fucked up, homophobic, racist, good ol' boy, idiotic state I've ever lived in. Seriously.
Incidentally I'd like to see the statistics that record how many married "family values" types are getting blowjobs at their local parks and church rec halls. Believe me, it's out the roof!
Hypocrisy rules this state.
Oh and even better, just so we look REALLY progressive, we just approved a measure making it a requirement for women to view an Ultrasound before they can get an abortion.
Posted by: Jay | Mar 23, 2007 10:02:55 AM
PS
SC infant mortality rates are 9.3 per 1,000 as compared to national average 7.2
Interestingly america ranks as 2nd worse in world equal to cuba on infant mortality with crazy latvia being #1 on baby deaths(remember latvia in the past couple days news)
anyway; SC has a lot of explaining to do those damn ignorant, hypocritical, inbred fools
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 10:03:12 AM
jay I want to stress my statistics on SC in no way reflect on you, your partner, your family, etc
Though, if you ever get the chance....RUN RUN Jay RUN to another state.
:-)
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 10:06:30 AM
I grew up in a very small town in South Carolina, and left there 20 years ago. Let's just say, they didn't exactly value diversity, especially my kind of diversity.
SC is in the death grip of the Southern Baptist Convention, and will remain backward as long as this is so. The greatest gift of my childhood is that my family was not Baptist. We were nominal Episcopalian, so I dodged the bullet of fundamentalist religion that has wounded so many people.
Posted by: sam | Mar 23, 2007 10:16:13 AM
SC 2005 crime rate (sorry no 2007 that I could find) population 4,255,083 with 217,030 violent crimes reported 1 out of every 19 people in SC will will experience and report a violent crime in SC, Murder in SC 184,646 almost 1 out of every 23 people in SC gets murdered?????? That does not seem right at all That one seems really weird 184,646 divided into 4,255,083 comes out to 23.0445447 that does mean 1 out of every 23 people right???? is there a mathmatician in the house???, 1,807 rapes, etc etc
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 10:17:34 AM
TODAY - South Carolina
"With calls of emotional blackmail from opponents, a measure requiring women seeking abortions to first review ultrasound images of their fetuses advanced Wednesday in the South Carolina Legislature.
The legislation, supported by Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, passed 91-23 after lawmakers defeated amendments exempting rape or incest.
The House must approve the bill again in a routine vote before it goes to the Senate, where its sponsor expects it to pass with those exemptions.
Some states make ultrasound images available to women before an abortion, but South Carolina would be alone in requiring women to view the pictures."
Now this may not be PC of me - but this may NOT be such a bad thing - it would grow up to be the woman's child. I agree with Hilary's talking point "Abortion should be 100% legal and very rare.
As for Jay running - I know I would!
But you have to give props to the people who stay and try to change places like South Carolina. Brain drain is a problem with places like South Carolina (obviously).
Posted by: RJP3 | Mar 23, 2007 10:17:46 AM
My Aunt was a recovering coke addict who converted in 1980 to become addicted to self-righteousness and did so with the help of the Soutern Baptist church ... addiction to self-righteousness is the main problem with Fundamentalist Groups like the current Southern Baptist Church.... poor South Carolina.
Posted by: RJP3 | Mar 23, 2007 10:27:09 AM
RJp3 you got me thinking
turns out
bob Jones University is located in SC
The infamous no interracial dating and if a white and black student are caught holding hands they get expelled and girls must wear skirts down to their ankles Bob Jones University
Jay I feel for you brother and you and your partner, family, and friends have all my sympathy.
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Mar 23, 2007 10:32:17 AM
RJP3: You're right about the "people who stay and try to change places like South Carolina." We who live in the promise lands of Massachusettes, New Jersey, California, etc. forget about the courage of those folks who stay down in hell and work to change it. Bible Belt, humph! Dixie Hell.
Although, it use to fun every summer going down home when I was a little... belle. Y'all wanted me to say "pickaninny" didn't you? Gay Bigots!
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Mar 23, 2007 10:39:58 AM
RJP3, you are absolutely right--fundamentalism is every bit the addiction that drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex can be, only without the societal (at least in places like SC) disapproval. All involve running from difficult emotions and urges into the arms of a "stronger" set of rules and regulations. And the Southern Baptist Convention is, in my opinion, the single most dangerous organization in the United States. As the largest protestant denomination (and largest religious group outside of the Catholic Church), it weilds enormous power, and is becoming ever more heirarchical and centralized in its enforcement of fundamentalist dogma.
Posted by: Acolyte | Mar 23, 2007 10:50:25 AM
The Radical Religious Right have openly professed their desire to relocate fundamentalists to that state in order to make it a 'christian state'. They should dissolve their allegiance to the United States if they want to disregard equality.
Posted by: Gary | Mar 23, 2007 10:50:38 AM
Breaking News from ALABAMA this morning in 2007.
Body Found Hanging From Tree
Friday, 23 Mar 2007, 9:30 AM CDT
BESSEMER, Alabama (WBRC-TV)
Police found a body hanging from a tree near interstate 59 south close to the Academy Drive Exit. Bessemer Police are on the scene.
We have a long way to go in America.
Posted by: rjp3 | Mar 23, 2007 11:04:22 AM
Yes, the baptist church pretty much controls everything in the state. The African American population, which is a large population of the state, is relatively unorganized politically, and like many places does not see the GLBT community as partners in civil rights issues.
Also, no one wants to run as a Dem in South Carolina, because they know, by name only, they don't have a snowball's chance in hell in getting elected, unless they come from a predominantly black district. So, therefore, no change.
If the poor white redneck community (which makes up at least 50% of south carolina's population) would realize they have more politically in common with black voters, the makeup of the legislature would be much different.
Although we personally have not experienced face to face homophobia, it is there. For example, we are both young successful professionals, involved in the community etc. In our small neighborhood lives the president and past president of the local Lion's Club. Although we work together on a variety of neighborhood issues and so on, we are literally the only two males in the neighborhood who have not been invited to join this "club". No sour grapes, I have enough going on. And I'm not a cry wolf type of guy, but it's pretty obvious what goes on.
Enough about that. I unfortunately don't see much changing in SC. And the gay community remains hidden and apathetic for the most part. Still fearing being fired from jobs or kicked out of their churches, etc. Makes it difficult to get anything done.
Posted by: Jay | Mar 23, 2007 11:19:08 AM
Lets not forget the activist putting themself in harms way TODAY in the South working for gay equality...
http://www.blogactive.com
http://www.soulforce.org/equalityride
Posted by: rjp3 | Mar 23, 2007 11:20:37 AM
Sigh... I've got a job interview in Columbia next week, for a far better position than I've got here in NJ. This just reinforces one of the few doubts I have about the Columbia job.
Posted by: Jeff in Deserto | Mar 23, 2007 1:10:03 PM