Al & Family Pose for "NOH8 Campaign"

[Way_Moby]

i wonder why gay people would even want to "get married." straight people have ruined the state of marriage with all their divorces.

There are a million reasons, just ask any gay. A big issue is situations like hospitalization- their partner will not have the same rights as a husband and wife would. Other financial and law based reasons stand, too. And, of course, they want to marry because they want to be treated equally. What's wrong with two people in love wanting to marry?

And I think Well Well Well's post was a joke...

[weirdojace]

Sorry, but anytime I see someone refer to themselves as "us" I instinctively assume that that person is very insecure and needs reinforcements to help them with their group think mentality. I made no comment one way or the other regarding my personal feelings on gay marriage, what I did comment about was the polarization regarding the topic and the inflammatory rhetoric. My point is, it's extremely divisive to refer to someones position as "hate" when you clearly do not know that persons motives or ideals. I believe it was the French philosopher Voltaire who once said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it." I stand by my position that it was wrong for WAY to take such a hardline stance and align himself with polarizing people, he runs the risk of alienating some of his fans. Keep in mind I would be saying the exact same thing had he taken a stance against gay marriage. Does he have the right to take such a stance, absolutely, but I also have the right to disagree with him doing so publicly; and I don't need to say "us" to do so. Civility is becoming a lost art in this country, and your post is an indication of that.

So what you're saying is that Al shouldn't ever make his opinions on these kind of issues public? On the grounds that he might alienate some fans? I disagree, and think it's great that he did make this one public.

Al may be a celebrity, but he's also a person. With actual feelings and opinions, just like the rest of us. And I don't think he should feel the need to hide who he is publicly.

[Kristine]

Not trying to single you guys out, but I want to make sure that I refresh everyone's minds on WHiZZi's wishes. This topic isn't here to convince people to change their minds on the issue. I understand that you guys are trying to understand what the other side is actually thinking. That's fine, I just want to make sure it doesn't become personal. Some of these posts could be taken by the recipient as an attack which could turn ugly.

As WHiZZi said, respond like an adult.

A question was asked, and I answered it. I think that's fair. I wasn't yelling at anyone.

[Driew_La_27]

A question was asked, and I answered it. I think that's fair. I wasn't yelling at anyone.

Yes you did answer the question. It was fair. I was mainly highlighting your post, along with other posts, that they could be interpreted as defensive responses. WWW, was making a joke, at least that's how I took it. You, on the other hand, took it as a serious question. That's what I was trying to explain. The same post could be taken as a serious question or as a joke.

I want to make sure you guys understand that you weren't in "trouble" just trying to prevent defensive responses such as:

Sorry, but anytime I see someone refer to themselves as "us" I instinctively assume that that person is very insecure and needs reinforcements to help them with their group think mentality. I made no comment one way or the other regarding my personal feelings on gay marriage, what I did comment about was the polarization regarding the topic and the inflammatory rhetoric. My point is, it's extremely divisive to refer to someones position as "hate" when you clearly do not know that persons motives or ideals. I believe it was the French philosopher Voltaire who once said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it." I stand by my position that it was wrong for WAY to take such a hardline stance and align himself with polarizing people, he runs the risk of alienating some of his fans. Keep in mind I would be saying the exact same thing had he taken a stance against gay marriage. Does he have the right to take such a stance, absolutely, but I also have the right to disagree with him doing so publicly; and I don't need to say "us" to do so. Civility is becoming a lost art in this country, and your post is an indication of that.

The bold part is not necessary and only results in backlash. In the future just state your opinion please.

[Way_Moby]

Politics and online forums are like an explosive... No one will be completely happy.

[Mystik Tomato]

Politics and online forums are like an explosive... No one will be completely happy.

I can think of a few people.

[Driew_La_27]

Politics and online forums are like an explosive... No one will be completely happy.

Which is why WOWAY tries to stay away from it at all costs, and why we're being so cautious with this topic.

[Well, Well, Well]

i like when i am 30 percent serious and then people address my posts with like 100 percent seriousness. i guess that's how it goes though. i know exaclty why gay people would want to get married. and i don't have any problem with that. or with al taking a stance, however futile and fleeting the stance may be. i think that gays should be given those certain rights that are otherwise inalienable. however i also think it should not just be called "marriage" - it needs a different legal term to keep it distinct from "marriage" between a man and a woman. it should be different, because as much as gays don't want to admit it, marriage between a man and a man is different than between a man and a woman. not different in a lesser, degrating way, just different, like the general difference between men and women altogether. so until they get rid of the male/female namesake on forms and bathroom doors everywhere there will continue to be a difference between men and women. not that there is anything wrong with that.

[FredHuggins]

Sorry, but anytime I see someone refer to themselves as "us" I instinctively assume that that person is very insecure and needs reinforcements to help them with their group think mentality.

Well, I HAD just mentioned Al's apparent agreement with my stance. The crux of my anti-Prop 8 argument is my inability to find ANY reason why this is "political" in the first place, for the exact reasons I stated outside the two-letter word you chose to focus on. I haven't found a single non-hatred-based reason to discriminate against gay marriage*, nor can I find anyone who has. And I've talked to many, MANY people about it who feel the same way, so pluralizing the seekers seemed appropriate. But fine, maybe subconsciously I was just trying to inflate my argument. Thank you for using your x-ray vision to peer into my soul and discover my actual motive and ideal.

My point is, it's extremely divisive to refer to someones position as "hate" when you clearly do not know that persons motives or ideals.

So...we shouldn't use our "x-ray vision" to peer into our opponent's souls and make instinctive assumptions about their subconscious based on things they say. Wow, good thing you didn't just do exactly that earlier in your own paragraph.

BTW, if you think Al's getting too political, just be glad we're not Ray Stevens fans...

* - Yeah, I know I mentioned the indifference thing earlier, but indifference isn't exactly a reason. In a way, it's the polar opposite.

[weirdojace]

Oh god don't even talk about the new Ray Stevens songs.