[GCFL-discuss] New York, etc.

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

Common Sense in NY
No matter how much you love your car, you can't get a license to marry
her
The Court of Appeals of New York has provided a small victory for common
sense. In a modest ruling, the court found that "the New York
Constitution does not compel recognition of marriages between members of
the same sex. Whether such marriages should be recognized is a question
to be addressed by the Legislature." This case reveals the important
distinction between "what I want" and "what my community owes me." Our
constitutional system of government is long overdue for a similar
distinction, between "my desires" and "my constitutional rights." There
are differences.
The usual media headlines have trumpeted how this case works for or
against various interested parties. There have been the predictable
sound-bytes from the predictable collection of advocacy groups. But why
should informed citizens allow our own thoughts to be molded by such
interpretations? The entire decision of the court, including all
concurring and dissenting opinons, is available on the web, 
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/ny/cases/app/86-89opn06.pdf
If you care about the subject at all, read the decision for yourself.
If anyone is up for a more long-winded rant on this subject, feel free to
try these links.

http://siarlysjenkins.blogspot.com/2006/07/common-sense-in-ny.html
http://siarlysjenkins.blogspot.com/2006/07/loving-v-virginia.html

Go ahead Jeanene, we almost agree on this one, although I won't really
care if state legislatures start changing the statutory definition of
marriage.

Siarlys