Kansas Governor Brownback

[teddybear]

This man is beyond belief. When he was running for governor I tried to warn people he was bad news, but no one believed me. One of the first things he did, was to push for stricter laws regulating abortion, for the most part doing away with it in the state completely (the law is currently on hold by order of a federal judge). Now he is meddling with marriage and spending money the state doesn't have to do it.

http://www.kansas.com/2011/07/03/191972 ... boost.html

A group sharing marriage program ideas with Gov. Sam Brownback and state health officials includes one person who has said polygamy is more in line with core values than same-sex marriage.

Besides David Blankenhorn, the founder of the Institute for American Values in New York, another of the 20 people who offered advice at an April meeting was consultant Maggie Gallagher. She has said Christians had to be the "visible light" for people failing to grasp intricacies of the institution.

The governor urged people invited to the gathering to think in terms of "Hail Mary" approaches to boosting marriage rates and slashing divorce rates in Kansas.

Maggie Gallagher is one of the leaders of NOM, the group that runs around all over the country fighting marriage equality for gay folks. NOM is a shadow organization that is funded by the Mormon and Catholic Churches, coming up with millions of dollars, but who also refuses court orders to show where the money is actually coming from. They are scary folks. And I can guarantee you, if they win against the gays, they will be coming after anyone else they don't agree with next.

[Wolfie]

He gives "mainstream" Mennonites a bad name.

(we're not all that narrow minded)

[musicalbookworm]

Brownback gives me the heebie-jeebies. The only worse thing I can think of is if David Miller had won against Graves. Personally, I don't have a problem with polygyny or polyandry. Please let Brownback be a one term gov. It gets harder and harder to tell people that Kansas really is (marginally) saner than Oklahoma.

[Crackedeggs]

wow.. if they want to increase the number of couples shacking up and having babies out of wedlock, they are headed in the right direction. A 200 Item list of objectives to be completed before marriage????? Jesus!

[Austin]

A group sharing marriage program ideas with Gov. Sam Brownback and state health officials includes one person who has said polygamy is more in line with core values than same-sex marriage.

Besides David Blankenhorn, the founder of the Institute for American Values in New York, another of the 20 people who offered advice at an April meeting was consultant Maggie Gallagher. She has said Christians had to be the "visible light" for people failing to grasp intricacies of the institution.

The governor urged people invited to the gathering to think in terms of "Hail Mary" approaches to boosting marriage rates and slashing divorce rates in Kansas.

Oh, so the problem with those who support equality for everyone is that we fail "to grasp the intracacies of the institution"? If that wasnt such a condescending, asshat, ignorant statement, it would be funny.

What's a "hail mary" approach to boosting mariage rates and slashing divorce rates?

[Crackedeggs]

Oh, so the problem with those who support equality for everyone is that we fail "to grasp the intracacies of the institution"? If that wasnt such a condescending, asshat, ignorant statement, it would be funny.

What's a "hail mary" approach to boosting mariage rates and slashing divorce rates?

He's referring to a last - ditch, crazy oh my god this will never work will it? kind of football play reserved for those games where there are 5 seconds on the clock and you need a touchdown to win.

[Austin]

Oh, I know what a "hail mary pass" is, but I just don't get how that concept fits into the Brownback's argument. Probably would have helped if I had read the whole article, but we have Gov. Ka-suck here in Ohio and I can only read some much drivel from these right-wing-nut governors - lol

[dawn9476]

wow.. if they want to increase the number of couples shacking up and having babies out of wedlock, they are headed in the right direction. A 200 Item list of objectives to be completed before marriage????? Jesus!

How very "Small Government" of them. :lol:

[Austin]

Just small enough to fit into our bedrooms!

(One of the best lines ever on West Wing)

[dcmhejbl62]

"includes one person who has said polygamy is more in line with core values than same-sex marriage."

This doesn't surprise me. When I was anti-gay marriage, my reasoning was that if we allow gay people to marry, if we break down that legal barrier, we'll have to let anybody marry, and next thing you know, polygamy will be legal. That was long before I understood the QF etc. intricacies of "modern" fundamentalism. It's already practiced in small secret sects, but polygamy will be their next big thing, wait and see.

[teddybear]

"includes one person who has said polygamy is more in line with core values than same-sex marriage."

This doesn't surprise me. When I was anti-gay marriage, my reasoning was that if we allow gay people to marry, if we break down that legal barrier, we'll have to let anybody marry, and next thing you know, polygamy will be legal. That was long before I understood the QF etc. intricacies of "modern" fundamentalism. It's already practiced in small secret sects, but polygamy will be their next big thing, wait and see.

Well, God did bless it in the Old Testament, just look at Solomon and David, after all.

[Witsec6]

Did anyone else read NOM and think of this:

[dawn9476]

NOM is right up there with the AFA, FRC, and FOF. They are just an awful and hateful organization.

ETA: NOM succeeded in getting rid of the justices in Iowa who voted down the gay marriage ban. They have also pledge $2 million to fight the new gay marriage law in NY.

[Crackedeggs]

The only way I wouldn't fight against legalized polygamy with every bone in my body would be if the laws legalizing it contained the following caveats:

1. Existing marriages remain as the first, or primary partner, retaining all legal and property rights. There will be a lot of women that get pushed into polygamy who don't want it, when it becomes legal, and this gives the "real" wife and her offspring some protection that they have a right too, as the life agreement they entered into was for one partner only. In addition, if a woman wants out because the husband chooses poly, she has primary rights to the custody of the children, the house, alimony and support.

2. New marriages must, on their marriage licenses, select " Yes, we will be polygamous " or "No, we won't be" and they have to, if they say no, STAY as a diad.

3. If an existing marriage couple or a new couple who selected " yes" take additional partners, they can add additional husbands as well as wives.

[Burris]

NOM is right up there with the AFA, FRC, and FOF. They are just an awful and hateful organization.

ETA: NOM succeeded in getting rid of the justices in Iowa who voted down the gay marriage ban. They have also pledge $2 million to fight the new gay marriage law in NY.

I have a sucky head-cold and can't really think straight right now. Even in this condition, however, I am seriously underwhelmed with NOM. It's a sad state of affairs that anyone takes them seriously, no matter how well-funded they are.

I just went over to NOM's website to see their arguments against gay marriage. The talking points are even weaker than I expected - filled with fallacious arguments and appeals to emotion.

There's one point they tried to drive home again and again - i.e., that allowing same-sex marriage would 'dramatically alter' the supposedly universal understanding of marriage.

They never bothered to try proving how a mere expansion of the definition of marriage would hurt heterosexual unions. They simply asserted it and left the rest to their readers' imaginations.

[Childless]

Seriously? Why on earth would I bother to get married if I had to go through that crap? I'd be fine just living with my husband and having a family without a silly piece of paper. And what about those who aren't religious? Because I'm sure Christian counseling of some sort falls in those 200 items. Are those items only going to be required of people marrying in the church or of anyone marrying at all?

Why do right wingers feel the need to shove their big, fat noses into everyone else's personal lives? It's none of their business who I sleep with, who I marry, how I marry, who I divorce, how many children I have, how I prevent the conception of children I don't want, and how I raise the children I decide to add to my family. Their lives must be pretty pathetic if they're that concerned about how I live mine.

[dawn9476]

Apparently, Brownback has nominated Operation Rescue's lawyer to oversee the board that gives out licenses for clinics. :roll:

[starfish]

I have problems with polygamy b/c, among other reasons, of what happens to the young boys in these groups. Apparently the old guys make them leave town when they hit about 18, b/c these geezers want the young nubile girls all for themselves. Pardon me while I throw up.

I know all the tv shows make polygamy look this great thing, but I don't see it that way. I have a hard time watching these conservative political candidates speak about the sanctity of marriage (translate: they hate the gayz) and they never mention enforcing laws against polygamy.