[Reverend Blair]

As long as there is no shotgun involved and both (or all) parties are consenting adults, if somebody says they are married then the government should recognise that marriage.

[whelan costen]

Honestly I think we beat this issue to death a few months ago...can't remember the actual original post..but I think if you do a search on marriage, you'll get plenty of views...

[Jesse]

Yes, there's been lots of discussion on the topic. <p><a href="http://www.vivelecanada.ca/search.php?query=marriage&type=all&mode=search">vive search results for 'marriage'</a></p>

[Crankster]

Always good to open debate on any topic.Even when it is something that has been debated time and agian. <br /> Homosexual marriage is homosexual marriage.Call it what it is!! The only thing that annoys me is the fact that the gay community rubs our noses in the fact that they are gay.Parades and all. They would argue that heterosexuals flaunt it all over the place as well.Do we parade it down streets and bash you over the head with the fact that we are heterosexual.? <br />

[Kory Yamashita]

Well, yes, Crankster, we do!! <br /> <br />I know a lot of people feel the way you do and think that gay people should stop flaunting their gayness. But really, we need MORE parades and MORE partying in the streets, not less. <br /> <br />If gays take to the streets and party, everyone gets angry. "We don't have a straight pride parade" is what straight people say to justify their anti-gay arguments. To which we must reply "Well if you weren't so goddamn lazy, you would. Parades rule!" <br /> <br />Why are we mad that gay people are having fun in the streets? And does it really disgust us? Personally I think the gay pride parades are hilarious, with all the crazy costumes and such. Maybe we're just jealous that they feel more liberalized and are having more fun than our prejudiced minds allow US to. <br /> <br />

[Reverend Blair]

I'm just baffled as to why this is an issue. We don't worry whether hetero couples are going to have children or commit sodomy or smooch in public, why the hell would we worry about whether gays do? <br /> <br />Actually, about the smooching in public...a quick peck or hug is okay, but I think most of us could do without the half-hour tongue-hockey/groping matches. That has nothing to do with sexual orientation though, it's just, "Get a room!" <br /> <br />As for parades...there should be one a week in every village big enough to warrant a sign on the highway. Gay pride should just be another reason for people to dress up and act goofy while standing on questionable conveyances.

[Stymiest]

I believe Homosexuals should be recognized by the State as being married. I am not religious (I actually am atheist) and feel very strongly about individual rights and freedoms and think its is the pinnacle of our society. <br /> <br />I do feel though that The term should be called something else. I think civil union is perfectly fine besides I think government and church should remain completely seperate anyways. <br /> <br />Marriage is a term coined by the church and it should stay with the church. I also don to feel that Churchs should have to marry a gay couple. Like I said marriage is a religious thing and churches should not have to alter their beliefs for this. I do believe though that the state should recognize homosexual unions and that homosexual couples should recieve all the benefits a heterosexual couple recieves.

[Kory Yamashita]

Yeah I tend to think churches should make up their own minds about gay marriage. If you happen to belong to a church that doesn't recognize gay marriage, and you're gay and trying to get married, then maybe you should be looking for a church more in line with your beliefs. I think there ARE some churches that perform gay marriage, so I don't really understand the desire to force churches to do it. <br /> <br />It seems like any time someone mentions "gay", about half the country gets all worked up over non-issues. One guy from a neighbouring town actually did a cross-Canada anti-gay-marriage protest, including meeting with Stephen Harper during his campaign (highly UN-publicized) and gathering hundreds and maybe thousands of signatures supporting his lack of support for gay marriages. And all this from a town where the unemployment is sky-high ever since all the mills in the entire region have shut down. Such a waste of energy if you ask me.

[Crankster]

Oh man,still we debate it.I should think that we would all be mature enough to let people do what they feel is right in that respect. <br /> No,I don't like the kissy,smoochy stuff in public.An affection peck or even a healthy smooch,but,swapping spit till you drool,no way.

[Kory Yamashita]

Crankster, I agree... people should have the respect to keep their sexual outpourings away from other people. And that goes for everyone. Heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, asexuals, etc should keep it out of public space... except maybe at mardi gras!?!?!

[Stymiest]

or at a Woodstock concert ehm lots of breasts <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/twisted.gif' alt='Twisted Evil'>

[whelan costen]

Stymiest, your hormones are showing! As for swapping spit in public, I can live without the show, but I think that those of us who really don't like it probably aren't into the public aspect of our sexuality, period! <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/rolleyes.gif' alt='Rolling Eyes'> Most people consider it a private thing and prefer privacy to participate, not sure why some people prefer an audience, could be that they haven't got a private place??

[Crankster]

Got nothiong to do with sex in the public eye.Its healthy to be unabashedly sexual.Its healthy to feel alright about a peck,a kiss,or a loving pat. <br /> Its the moral issue that is broken.Have some common decency.

[whelan costen]

I thought the objection was to full blown making out in pubic, not 'a peck,a kiss,or a loving pat'. The latter implies affection, respect and consideration for another human being, the former is a public display of sexuality to me, with the intent either to shock or just because they lack respect for themselves and others, sorta like two dogs going at it, they really are driven by drive, but humans are suppose to be above animals; suppose to be. <br /> <br />That applies to other areas of our society as well, survival of the fittest and kill or be killed are animal drives, which have become more common in our accepted human practices, such as waging wars to protect ourselves from something that we think might occur someday in the future or ceasing to fund healthcare, education, seniors needs and otherwise look after the weaker elements of our society! <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/mad.gif' alt='Angry'> <br /> <br />Sorry off topic but one thing leads to another, in animal behavior. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/wink.gif' alt='Wink'>

[lesouris]

[QUOTE BY= Crankster] Always good to open debate on any topic.Even when it is something that has been debated time and agian. <br /> Homosexual marriage is homosexual marriage.Call it what it is!! The only thing that annoys me is the fact that the gay community rubs our noses in the fact that they are gay.Parades and all. They would argue that heterosexuals flaunt it all over the place as well.Do we parade it down streets and bash you over the head with the fact that we are heterosexual.? <br /> [/QUOTE] <br /> <br />Concidering that the gay parades occur in the gay ghettos I hardly would say it is <i>rubbing heterosexuals noses into it</i>. I mean like it or not, there's still a lot of homophobia out there and parades work to break down that hate. For some reason, no one cares when Carabana rubs non-Carribeans noses into their culture, the Santa Clause Parade rubs non-Christians nones into it, or that the St. Patrick's day parade rubs non-Irish peoples noses into it. The GLBT community has its own culture too and celebrates that, and if you don't like that, don't go! <br /> <br />As for heterosexuals...I suppose that when heterosexuals kiss in public, go out on intimate dates, and go to the prom together, with no one staring or making rude comments, heterosexuals are not rubbing homosexuals' noses into it? Its like that age old conversation all children start: <br /> <br />CHILD: If today's father's/mother's day, when's kids' day? <br />PARENT: Everyday is Kids' Day. <br /> <br />Its the same with the LGBT community; let's face it, in non-homosexual areas, homosexuality is not concidered by mainstream society to be public. <br /> <br />As for marriage, separate but equal is not equal.