Share your reaction to the gay marriage decision
Massachusetts's highest court ruled 4-3 that same-sex couples are legally entitled to wed under the state constitution, but stopped short of allowing marriage licenses to be issued to the seven couples who challenged the law. The court ordered the Legislature to come up with a solution within 180 days. What are your thoughts on the issue?
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Why not. Maybe now all couples can choose to experience the benefits and pitfalls afforded by marriage.
Tony, Quincy, MA
. . . 'bout time!!
Susan, Hyde Park
AS A STRAIGHT MAN WHO'S BEEN MARRIED FOR 25 YEARS I SAY GREAT. IF GAY FOLK WANT TO GET MARRIED COME ON IN. MISERY LOVES COMPANY. GOOD LUCK TO ALL
BOB, WEYMOUTH
I am proud to be from Massachusetts today!!! And very disappointed to have voted for Romney. This is not a difficult concept to grasp, every person has a right to love and be recongnized for that love no matter what. Those rights are not reserved for a certain majority of society.
Kyle, Beverly
I am a straight man, and I am thrilled that this ruling has come down today. The time for old politics and views are over. People would rather hide behind the bible rather then stand up and voice their OWN opinion. The people that claim they know God's will and that he/she is against gay marriage are spineless. My God does not promote and welcome hate towards mankind. For those who say homosexuality is an "epidemic", I feel sorry for you. If there is an epidemic in this country and world, it's called "stupidity", and I'm afraid you have it.
Kevin, Boston
I'm a married heterosexual and I think this is a great decision. Gays are taxpayers and citizens with every right to wed or form partnerships with whomever they please. Unlike the obsessed bible-thumping imbeciles who are undoubtedly screaming and crying about this, I believe in actual freedom, and letting people live their own lives, make their own decisions, and follow their own path. For years religious crybabies have whined about gay people to all who will listen, moaning that gays are out to destroy society. Please. Personally, I've never been so much as insulted by a gay person, nor has my own marriage been endangered in any way by the prospect of them forming any union with one another, but I have grown very fed up witnessing the hysterical persecution by religious fanatics of any group whom they disapprove of. This intolerace poses a much larger threat to this society than the concept of gay marriage, so I applaud this as a good step forward and hope it will serve as a lesson to those intent on running around telling others how to live and trying to punish those for not sharing their beliefs.
Mike, Boston, MA
The only drawback to today's decision is all of the ignorant "outrage". Comparing this to marrying your dog or cat? Claiming your children are somehow going to be negatively affected? Declaring that "God is angry" (oh, did he tell you this?)? Marriage is supposed to be for procreation only? I don't think anyone tells straight couples this crucial piece of information! I can't even believe some of the things I'm reading. It's sad that it's the year 2003 and there are still people who think like this. The bottom line is GAY MARRIAGE CAN'T HURT *YOU*! Ever hear of live and let live?? Please!
JM, Danvers
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. So whether or not the bible condones Homosexual activity is irrelevant. It is the right of individual people to love whom they want. Who are we to tell them no. How does someone else’s love life or marriage affect my own. Not at all. People need to stop trying to run everyone else’s life. It’s not up to them. Why is everyone so upset with calling a union between same sex couples a marriage? A couple that vows to be with one another is a marriage. Screw the definition. Definitions are constantly changing. Why get in the way of progress. And yes it is progress. And by the way, my sexuality as a hetero male doesn’t have anything to do with whom I am as a person. Just because there is a woman in my bed at night does not make me a different person than if I had a man in my bed. Either way I’d still be Brian. I would still pay my taxes, still go to work, still go to the Red Sox games, and Patriot games. I’d still have to take out the garbage, and help with dinner. I’ve yet to meet a person that solely defines them selves as Gay. That is the last thing you learn from someone, and even so it doesn’t change the way I look at them or treat them. We are all individual people first. Everything else is gravy. People seriously need to stop minding everyone else’s business, and grow up. Just because you think one way doesn't mean the rest of the group has to go along with you. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT WE WANT. WE CAN HAVE DIFFERING VIEWS. YOU DON’T HAVE TO PUSH YOUR IDEAS ON ME, and I DON’T WON’T PUSH MY IDEAS ON YOU! Our heads will not explode if we do not think the same. It is an amazing thing. I can disagree with you without calling you or your ideas ignorant and ancient, while you can disagree with me without calling me liberal. People need to grow up.
Brian, Manchester, NH
This is disturbing.............The thought makes me sick.
Steve, Allston
As a member of the Vermont Legislature when we ruled on civil unions, I wanted to say how happy I am to see the ruling from the Mass SJC. I am now a MA resident (since 2001) and I'm pleased to see that the same rights that we wrote into law in Vermont will be written here as well. I was so proud to cast my vote on that historic day in Vermont, and will remember it for the rest of my life. The MA legislature should be ready for an onslaught of hate - every day I received hate mail and hate calls telling me I would be going to hell for my vote. We had armed guards at the statehouse for the first time in Vermont history. My name was published in newspapers across the state, as well as my address and telephone number. Well, guess what. Since then I've been blessed with a wonderful marriage to a great guy and a terrific baby boy. If this is hell, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Good luck to those legislators - they will need it.
Alysia, Pepperell
