Washington state gov. signs gay marriage bill
Gov. Chris Gregoire, seated, is surrounded by legislators and supporters as she signs into law a measure that legalizes same-sex marriage on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012, in Olympia, Wash.
/ AP Photo/Elaine Thompson"As governor for more than seven years, this is one of my proudest moments," Gregoire said in remarks before signing the bill. "We stood up for equality and we did it together - Republicans and Democrats, gay and straight, young and old, and a variety of religious faiths. I'm proud of who and what we are in this state."
The legislation passed through the state House last week in a 55-43 vote; the previous week, it passed in the Senate by 28-21.
The law makes Washington the seventh U.S. state - in addition to the District of Columbia - to legalize gay marriage.
It will not take effect, however, until early June due to the state's 90-day enactment period.
In the meantime, opponents of same-sex marriage in the state have vowed to undo the law in a ballot measure in November. In order to introduce the measure, they have to collect 120,577 signatures by June 6.
Gregoire said she was confident Washington voters would vote for marriage equality even if the matter does end up on the November ballot.
"If asked, if asked, the voters of the state of Washington will say 'yes' to marriage equality in the state of Washington," she said. "Washingtonians will say 'yes' because a family is a family all facing the same challenges. Can we keep over our heads? Can we keep our jobs? Can we provide for children's health and safety, education and happiness? I believe our Washingtonians will say because it's time for us to stand up for our sons, our daughters, our brother, our sisters, our moms, our dads, our friends and the couple down the road."
A similar law passed through the New Jersey state Senate earlier on Monday, though Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has vowed to veto such a measure.
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You tell them sugar!
There's that cute argument again!
Consenting Adults!
I'm not surprised that you hate that.
It throws 99% of your argument right out the window, and leaves you with only your blatant bigotry to stand on as your ONLY objection to the entire issue.
How can I be a bigot against myself?
I've seen what the world has become under the rule of the "christians", and I see multitude of problems that this country is facing after being guided by the "religious" for the past 100 years.
It's time to turn the page on their historic level of failures, and move on.
--------------
See rightontarget what I mean about us gays being athiests?
Shame on all those bad old Christians!
If ANY politician wanted to end his career, all he'd have to do is run as an atheist, and his career would be over before it began.
That said, how can you say that the leadership of this country for the past 100 years - predominantly christians - has left this nation in "good shape"?
If I was a politician I would also lie and claim I'm a Christian Sort of like our good friend Obama.
It's in good shape for us since they are giving us what we want.
Wouldn't you agree?
Great! That will throw them off the track
Keep using the "Consenting Adults" argument.
I like the way that rolls off the tongue"Consenting Adults"
That's what we will use when we want to marry more than one consenting adult men or a another consenting man "and" a women.
Our bisexual brothers and sisters deserve the same right.
I wish we could marry all the consenting people we want at the same time.
I personally don't care if 100 people marry each other - AS THE BIBLE ADVOCATES AND ENCOURAGES. It's none of my business what CONSENTING ADULTS do with each other.
That said, YOU are the ONLY person that keeps bringing up the subject of bigamy and polygamy. I've NEVER heard a gay person suggest it - only people that OPPOSE gay marriages. I assume that's because you have no logical and reasonable objection to same sex marriages other than "I think it's icky", so you keep throwing out the bizarre and absurd "bigamy / polygamy" and "bestiality" foolishness, as if one has something to do with the other.
There's that cute argument again!
Consenting Adults!
We are not bringing up the bigamy or polygamy yet. That will hurt our agenda. We'll bring that up later. You know, Don't show them the all of the camel's ugly body yet. We just have his head in the tent. We will show them that later.
I thought we loved icky and bizarre?
You tell them honey!
How dare they accurately predict where this will take the nation in the future as it did in ancient Greece or Rome in it's decline.
I don't believe in God since I came out of the closet.
It Free's me of guilt and I can do all the sexually immoral things I can with out his or anyone's judgment weighing me down.
You think that only those that are non-religious are "immoral"?!?!
You might want to look within the walls of your church, and count how many children were RAPED at the hands of your priests and bishops, who were committing their IMMORAL DEEDS in god's name, in god's house, while wearing the clothes of the clergy. And then look at all of the cardinals and bishops that hid the fact that so many of their parishioners children were RAPED, and their refusal to turn the perpetrators over to the authorities for criminal prosecution.
All while your "god" sat by and did NOTHING to stop this travesty from occurring to the most innocent and vulnerable of our society.
You can take that "religion = morality" nonsense and shove it.
You are preaching to the choir baby!
I hope you are not mad at the gay priest as well?
They protect them as well.
Shouldn't we be grateful to the Catholic Church as well?
I'm on your's or our side.
Once we totally blur the lines of what marriage is then anything goes.
Remember?
Who is "blurring the lines"?
Traditional Marriage = one man and one woman, of consenting adult age and of able mind, marrying each other and living their life in wedlock.
Same Sex Marriage = two people of the same sex, and of consenting adult age and of able mind, marrying each other and living their life in wedlock.
What's so "blurry" or hard to understand?
Keep using the "Consenting Adults" argument.
I like the way that rolls off the tongue"Consenting Adults"
That's what we will use when we want to marry more than one consenting adult men or a another consenting man "and" a women.
Our bisexual brothers and sisters deserve the same right.
I wish we could marry all the consenting people we want at the same time.
It's all about SUPERIORITY folks. The "better than" mind set. Sure, some people say it's ok to give gays the same "legal" rights but just don't call it "marriage" because they want "real" married people to be considered "better" than those in a gay relationship. GET OVER IT! Keep your religious theology out of the right to be LEGALLY married. Just because a couple has a legal "marriage license" and are considered married by the government does NOT mean the "marriage" has to be recognized by any particular church. Your religious beliefs are your right but you do NOT have the right to impose those beliefs upon others! You also do NOT have the right to determine what you want to be "socially acceptable". What are you afraid of? That your kids might turn out "gay"? That they might make gay friends or find out that most gay people are NOT the perverts and deviants society would like to make them out to be? There are perverts and deviants that are heterosexual as well as homosexual. I am NOT gay but I have known several gay couples, professional people, educated and who have been in a LONG TERM, committed relationship for many years. In my experience most of them are more loyal and faithful to their "partner" than many who are in heterosexual relationships. So where is the loss of "morality" in that? I wish people would just stop trying to play "GOD". Let God be the Judge. Humanity needs to stop trying to "control" what others believe. Believe what you want, that is your right but you do NOT have the right to force others to see things your way! Live and let live and stay the heck out of other people's business. Stop trying to CONTROL society thinking you are so self-righteous. All in the name of "God and Country". That's crap.
How dare they accurately predict where this will take the nation in the future as it did in ancient Greece or Rome in it's decline.
I don't believe in God since I came out of the closet.
It Free's me of guilt and I can do all the sexually immoral things I can with out his or anyone's judgment weighing me down.
Oh Goody!
Now I can marry my main man in Washington State.
Oh drat!, I wish I could also marry my 10 other men I'm having sex with as well and my gerbils and hamsters.
Oh well, maybe next year in the wonderful state of Washington.
Ta! Ta!
What do 10 men and animals have to do with TWO CONSENTING ADULTS getting married to each other?
Didn't you get the memo from GLBT or NAMBLA?
This opens up the door for "the more, the merrier in the future'!I'm so excited!!
Does / did a man and a woman getting married usher in an era of bigamy and polygamy?
Your circular logic makes no sense at all.
Why not allow marriages with goats?
You consider a goat to be a "consenting adult"?