Steve Shannon Says Vote NO

Steve Shannon says:  "Deliberations within the legal community and the general public over the past two years suggest, however, that this amendment could result in far-reaching unintended consequences as courts attempt to interpret ambiguous language contained in the amendment.  These considered deliberations lead me to conclude that voters should reject Ballot Question #1 in November."  Read the whole article here.

Comments

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Thanks Steve!

I respect your feelings regarding the issue of same-sex marriage, but this amendment is both unnecessary and goes far beyond affecting the "definition" of marriage in Virginia.

Thank you for recognizing this and saying so.

And if you can talk to Mark Herring, maybe?

[Bryan J. Scrafford]

Steve is yet another example of how more and more Virginians are beginning to realize that this amendment is completely unnecessary and will affect ALL Virginians, not just those in same-sex relationships.

I never understood why someone as feminine as Steve Shannon would vote for this amendment in the General Assembly.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

Anon 12:39,

You're one sick tard.

[Bryan J. Scrafford]

If you are wondering why Steve Shannon would believe that the amendment would have consequences that reach well beyond reinforcing a concept that is already illegal in Virginia, you may follow this link, http://ambivalentmumblings.blogspot.com/2006/07/text-of-marshallnewman-amendment.html in order to read the full text of the amendment.

Then why did he vote for this in the House. If the lanuage is so poor and far-reaching, why didn't he vote NO, or try to amend the lanauge so it did what he would like.

Although it wouldn't normally be needed, judges in other states have gone too far in promoting and mandating homosexual marriages. Constitutional safeguards against unsound policy is necessary. Jim Webb and the majority are right : marriage is between one man and one woman. It doesn't matter how it's worded, the wave the rainbow flag folks will complain about anything.

[plunge]

Anonymous coward, I don't know if you are actually from Virginia, but unlike in other states, our legislatures appoint our judges, and we have quite a fairly conservative crop indeed. The idea that they would be likely to hand down a gay marriage decision is pretty ridiculous: they are way conservative than the NY SC, which refused to do so.

On top of that, virtually every paper, legal scholar, and heck, pretty much half the conservatives on the blogosphere, say that amendment is too broad and ill-conceived. It isn't just a gay thing: it's a principles thing.

4 polls in the last 24 hours show Jim Webb with a 4+ point lead.

[Newport News Dem]

This referendum is so important to me. My life hangs in the balance.

If we fail to pass the ban, I am leaving my wife of 28 years, my 2 grown children and running off with another man. This ban is the only thing keeping my family together.

[Doug]

NND- take comfort that Rush Limbaugh's three divorces will probably save your marriage. I know it does mine.

[GinterParked]

And, 12:48, we "rainbow flag waivers" don't complain about everything. In fact, we only complain about:

* The fact that a Gay or Lesbian Virginian can be fired becuase of his or her sexual orientation.

* The fact that landlords and home owners are legally permitted to discriminate against Gay and Lesbian renters and purchasers.

* The fact that this amendment makes it likely that an interfering relative will be able to challenge the enforceability of the legal structure my partner and I have placed on our 19-year relationship.

* The fact that this amendment is a transparent effort to permanently marginalize a significant portion of Virginia's population, all for craven political gain.

There may be some other things we complain about, but we don't complain about *everything*.

Have a blessed day.

[Doug]

Somebody please remind me again: why would gay marriage be a bad thing. I'm not talking civil unions, I mean allowing gay marriages would hurt whom?

NND, just don't become a Republican staffer.

[Doug]

And Ginter- that is lovely. Thank you for posting that.

I was going to ask Doug in MV if I could give him a job just so I could fire him. Those laws really just disgust me, and I still don't have an answer back about offering benefits to partners. I know for a fact that state jobs still cannot, which keeps my childrens' grandmother and her partner 3 hours away instead of moving near us as they would like. It's complicated, but it is a fact and it is bigots like those who post here who affect my children through stupid laws.

Allowing Homo's to marry will only serve to legitimize gays in our society. We don't want children to think gays are anything but vile and disturbed people.

Stand with the good and rightous people of Virginia and say no to perverted marrages.

[Doug]

Anon- 1:19 I'd like to think there is a special place in hell for you, but your hell is here on Earth, I'm quite sure.

People that don't think like me are "haters". That makes my life easy. I just wake up and think "that man there is a hater" and I feel better about myself.

[Doug]

It is always good to see the cowards show up for an issue like this.

Doug, we love seeing you get bent out of shape. It's a good laugh.

Two men violating each other is disturbing and vile. Now, two women is a differnet subject.

I say in Virginia we split the difference, allow and encourage lesbians but throw gay men in prison or force castration.

Gay people should not be allowed to breed.

[Newport News Dem]

NND, just don't become a Republican staffer.

Posted by: | October 31, 2006 at 01:12 PM

The gay agenda....what do you mean by "staffer"?

Is Shannon joining the homo crew of legislators from NoVA?

[Doug]

Great to see all the big talking cowards show up. I see Bill White did in the other thread too. Somebody has some relationship with daddy issues never worked out.

Gay people's brains are different.

now there is a man who can read and does live by the polls

[Not Brad Davis]

Steve looks like a tool.

[TLM]

Oh please. Talk about coming late to the party. He voted for it in Assembly every chance he had and supported it up until Chap! and most every other Dem and moderate GOP said it was OK to say he was against it. Spineless. But better late than never. His votes in Jan will be interesting to watch.

[Jane Oldham]

Ah, yes, another example of our confused democrat representatives in Richmond. They don't know what the heck they are voting for, according to them. They voted to put this on the ballot but claim they didn't know what they were doing. Lame. Very lame. And very incompetent. What else do they vote for that they don't understand? Thank heavens they aren't the majority party! They're clueless!

How many more democrats will be able to claim, "I actually voted FOR the marriage amendment, before I voted AGAINST the marriage amendment".

Incompetent fools. Steve Shannon is toast.

[Jane Oldham]

Steve isn't gay, he just doesn't know what he's doing. Obviously.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Jane, you nailed this one. Steve Shannon is toast.

The toast of Fairfax...

[David Englin]

TLM - Try not to be too hard on Steve or the others. Sometimes it takes more guts to admit you were wrong and open yourself up to attacks from both sides than to hold to a flawed position in the name of strength. He and the others could have sat this out and been fine regardless of Tuesday's outcome, so I'm proud of Steve for jumping into the fray on this, and I think his thoughtful analysis may win us some critical swing votes.

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