The New Intimacy

Should the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) be repealed?

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Contributor: spiced spiced
Today, the Justice Department filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. link

In case you don't know, DOMA is a 1996 US federal law defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. Among other things, this means that same-sex partners aren't eligible for federal benefits.

What do YOU think? Should DOMA be scrapped?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Yes, DOMA should be repealed.
33  (79%)
No, DOMA should NOT be repealed.
6  (14%)
It's complicated; I'll explain in a comment
3  (7%)
Total votes: 42
Poll is closed
02/22/2013
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Contributor: js250 js250
Personally, I feel they should stop with the legislation dealing with all personal choices in how you live your life. I mean, come on!!! Isn't there something more important out there to deal with than who can and cannot get married? Let everyone who wishes to get married do so--what in the hell does that hurt??? No--it is not an illegal issue but a moral one...hmm, go figure.

It is about time we put our foot down on moral laws versus harmful and helpful laws. Do you know what they are wasting our money and time on here in Montana??? Eating roadkill!! Yep--after work I can mow down an elk and take it home for dinner. (Okay, an elk would taste pretty good, but still!!)

Repeal the act, let us eat dead animals, whatever--start working on useful and productive laws!!! This lifetime would be good!!

(Sorry to rant and rave, just caught me after an argument with a friend about eating the damn roadkill. Tell ya what, though--cost of good meat keeps going up and I am adding a grill guard to my truck. Going shopping on the way home, lol!!!)
02/23/2013
Contributor: big b big b
man and woman
02/23/2013
Contributor: spiced spiced
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
Personally, I feel they should stop with the legislation dealing with all personal choices in how you live your life. I mean, come on!!! Isn't there something more important out there to deal with than who can and cannot get married? Let everyone ... more
LOL, the last time I hit a deer with my car (actually, the deer hit ME), we were down South and a shirtless guy rolled up on an ATV about 60 seconds after the collision, asked if we were OK - and then asked if he could have the deer! Of course, we said "sure".

I'm 100% with you on "legislating morality". I'll be so glad when the current generation of moralizing windbags retires from politics.

If you read the article, in this case it comes down to a very practical question: should same-sex couples be eligible for the same federal benefits as hetero couples? The couple were legally married in their state, but, because the federal gov't doesn't recognize same-sex marriages (because of DOMA), the survivor is on the hook for a lot more inheritance tax than she would have been if her deceased spouse had been a man.

The question is ultimately: is that unjust discrimination?
02/23/2013
Contributor: sillylilkitten sillylilkitten
Of course it should be repealed, government shouldn't have the right to tell you who to marry.
02/23/2013
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
Personally, I feel they should stop with the legislation dealing with all personal choices in how you live your life. I mean, come on!!! Isn't there something more important out there to deal with than who can and cannot get married? Let everyone ... more
I am now picturing you with a buck strapped to your hood and a chicken or two caught in the grill....and many mowed down fences.

Seriously though, I agree with you. Who cares who marries who or how many they marry so long as it doesn't lead to fraudulent behavior. Or how about we let morality stay out of our laws?

Still, I would leave the already dead on the road...that way leads to disease and illness and leaves a poor carrion animal hungry, you know law makers, politicians and lawyers gotta eat too!
02/23/2013
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by big b
man and woman
Succinct but not a valid argument. Marriage begins in the heart and ends in the heart. You can tell me I'm not allowed to marry two men but I'm still gonna be married in my heart and seeking any legal means I can to be allowed to visit both of their sick beds and BE a wife to them.

I know all of the folks who aren't looking for a heterosexual marriage feel the same way. All we want is to be allowed the same rights as our fellow human beings are granted.

Marriage is the coming together of loving hearts and the forming of family and home with them not a private members only club ordained by God...any God. It's time to grow up and realize that black and white are only colors in a crayon box.
02/23/2013
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
Marriage has been an ever changing concept since it first came about (in ancient Rome gay marriage was actually allowed, until Justinian ruled otherwise and had those in such a marriage killed), and those who wish its definition to remain in stone need to get the fuck over it.
02/23/2013
Contributor: tami tami
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
Today, the Justice Department filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. link

In case you don't know, DOMA is a 1996 US federal law defining marriage as only between a man and a ... more
if you want to marry you should be able to marry whomever you chose, the government needs to stay out of peoples bedrooms
02/24/2013
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
Quote:
Originally posted by tami
if you want to marry you should be able to marry whomever you chose, the government needs to stay out of peoples bedrooms
This is erroneous. You can marry whomsoever you choose. However, if you want that marriage legally recognised, and gain the benefits you're legally entitled to from such a union, it is very much the government's business.
02/26/2013
Contributor: GirlOnGirl GirlOnGirl
For me this is an equal rights issue. I don't believe some citizens should be allowed to marry while others cannot. Besides that, I find it hilarious when people that are opposed to same sex marriage try to say it's about morality. Divorce courts are full of heterosexual people that show us all what the "sanctity of marriage" really is!

Also, I think it's ridiculous that if someone runs off to Las Vegas, has too much to drink and on a whim decides to get married to someone they barely know it's perfectly fine, just as long as it's one man and one woman. However, if someone wants to make a serious lifelong commitment to someone they actually know and love and that person happens to be of the same gender, then that's somehow unacceptable. Sigh...
03/22/2013
Contributor: FieryRed FieryRed
Quote:
Originally posted by Errant Venture
This is erroneous. You can marry whomsoever you choose. However, if you want that marriage legally recognised, and gain the benefits you're legally entitled to from such a union, it is very much the government's business.
Okay, I agree that "marriage" as such is not an issue of what goes on in people's bedrooms. Rather, it is a social custom and legal contract between two people (or more?) who want to bind themselves to each other, to socially tell the world that they are a team and are looking out for each other's best interests, and to legally become a family and have the rights, benefits, and obligations that come with being a legally-recognized family. The problem arises when two people are spouses to each other in all practical ways, but the government refuses to recognize that fact simply because some of our society has a bias against same-sex romantic partners for religious reasons; therefore, the law unconstitutionally discriminates against homosexual people wanting to marry each other. There is no argument against marriage equality, other than certain religious beliefs.
03/23/2013
Contributor: Alyona Alyona
Yes, DOMA should be repealed.
03/28/2013
Contributor: Allison.Wilder Allison.Wilder
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
Today, the Justice Department filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. link

In case you don't know, DOMA is a 1996 US federal law defining marriage as only between a man and a ... more
I personally think it should be repealed.
04/06/2013
Contributor: mailroomorder mailroomorder
Quote:
Originally posted by spiced
Today, the Justice Department filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to rule the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. link

In case you don't know, DOMA is a 1996 US federal law defining marriage as only between a man and a ... more
This isn't tricky at all. DOMA should absolutely be repealed.
04/22/2013
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
DOMA codifies the non-recognition of same-sex marriages for all federal purposes, including insurance benefits for government employees, Social Security survivors' benefits, immigration, and the filing of joint tax returns.
One of the more diabolical aspects is that a same sex spouse CANNOT be covered under a federal employee's health care insurance, no matter which state they live or work in.

One foolish person I was discussing DOMA with, said that it was done to save tax payers the cost of covering "those spouses". My reply was that if it were a cost saving measure, don't cover anyone's spouse then. That did not sound right to that individual, but fair is fair.
04/22/2013
Contributor: Gdom Gdom
Yes, DOMA should be repealed. It's legally and ethically indefensible.
04/25/2013
Contributor: SelectZen SelectZen
I think it should be repealed.
04/25/2013
Contributor: chicmichiw chicmichiw
Gotta be repealed. I haven't heard a convincing argument, for society as a whole, yet.
04/25/2013
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
Quote:
Originally posted by chicmichiw
Gotta be repealed. I haven't heard a convincing argument, for society as a whole, yet.
That's because there just isn't a logical argument against DOMA.
Thumping the bible is the only argument that the opposition has, and that is not a valid argument at all.
04/25/2013