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Having gone to high school with David Boies has always been a great weight to carry. When we had our 50th High School Reunion for Fullerton Union High School…..and his spokesman Bob Gosney another Reunionee announced and let us know that Dave wasn’t able to attend due to being called out of the country to Russia….by the President – we were not shocked. Since we were always on opposing sides on the Debate Team at Fullerton….but we kind of miss Debating him on whether or not “The US should adopt the European Form of Education”.
Today, Dave and Ted Olson appeared on Meet the Press to discuss the upcoming decision of the Supreme Court scheduled for next Tuesday regarding “Same Sex Marriage”. The Supremes will have to decide whether or not every state must regard another states law and marriage certificate as legal in every other state. A positive might then require every state to even overturn their own state law on marriage and legally allow “Same Sex Couples” in their states. This would mean of course that these couples could file joint state tax returns and be allowed all rights granted a man and woman married union. They both seemed to think that the result will be a 8 to 1 or 9 to nothing decision. “Same Sex Marriage” will be approved, based upon “Equal Protection under the Law” and “Non Discrimination based upon race, religion, national heritage or sexual preference”. “The Polygamy issue is irrevelant!” …said Boies!
What truly happens on Tuesday will be interesting to watch. The United States keeps getting more interesting every day. What was once considered criminal behavior is today considered OK. The list is too long to mention, but in the old days – if you ran from the police, you were simply shot and killed. If you got in your car and ran from police, you were shot and killed. If you robbed a liquor store, caused mayhem or rioted, you were shot and killed – regardless of race, religion or national heritage. Today, people can join groups like ISIS/ISIL or Al-Qaeda on-line and run off to Syria to kill other Americans. People like Ed Snowden can take US secret information, run off to Russia and does not expect to be imprisioned or killed on sight. Even declares himself an national hero! There is little doubt the ethical, moral and honesty in our society has become altered a great deal from the days when these things were not so easily noticable – as they are now – on the world wide web.
Perhaps, before the days of the 24 hour news cycle, entertainment driven news, car chasing, bloodletting news, bad reporting, poor information gathering and general public stupidity…….when Walter Cronkite said: “It was a day like all days, filled with those events that enter, alter and illuminate ….our time…..and YOU WERE THERE!” maybe things were not so different – but they certainly seem different. We might say, we have become an aware uninformed society, calling for “Legislation by News Cycle”. Remember Ebola……as the President mentioned at the White House Coorespondents Dinner. What about the Measles outbreak? What has 159 people contributed in a country of 320 million done to change rules on vaccines to kids? There were 28,000 cases across Europe just last year. It seems that, If people see it on the news….it must be the gospel, according to Wolf Blitzer, Bill O’Reilly or Brian Williams. Marvin Gaye probably said it best: “Heard it through the grapevine!”
Let’s get serious. Now that “Same Sex Marriage” will march rightly through the Supreme Court, there is little doubt that this issue’s boat had already sailed several years ago – by the way; it will be interesting to see where this ruling moves the moral needle, during the coming election in 2016. Will Warren Jeff, validate his 13 wives and take the full tax break? Will the guy that wanted to be buried with his Lamborgini, be able to marry his vehicle before he dies and take the tax write-off for care and upkeep? Will Jean Seberg finally be able to marry both Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood…in “Paint Your Wagon” and take the tax write-off? Will “Madame Butterfly” not commit suicide and marry another sailor or perhaps half of his crew – in revenge? What about a girl that wants to marry one man and one woman? What about the guy that wants to marry three other guys and one girl? What about the grandfather that wants to marry his grand-daughter or grand-son? Heck, there are just so many creative things that can happen when it comes to marriage. There may be no end to it. A lady wants to marry her cat? A man wanted to marry his horse? Guess those Family Trust rules are going to change soon!
Whatever happens on Tuesday….it will be the right thing to do….no doubt. The LGBT Community has come a long way and put years of effort into making it happen and by finally doing many of the right things in our society – to set the bar higher. Many brought their true kindness, understanding, charity and generosity as examples to others; in many cases which is still hard to beat. Our thoughts about Bruce Jenner? – our hearts go out to him and his family. Tough gig. We know it must be difficult for Bruce, but when you think on it, it must be even more difficult for the whole Kardashian family.
For those who forget who David Boies is – he defended Al Gore against George W. Bush at the Supreme Court during the end of the 2000 contested election. Dave lost that one …….to Ted Olson. Today, they are just two peas in a pod on “Same Sex Marriage” and regardless of our own personal animosity toward Dave…..we must give “The Devil his due!” Someone had to do it and now the final, final answer is now in the hands of the Supreme Court of the United States.
To our dear Family Values friends, we can only say to this issue: “The times they are a changin…” per Bob Dylan. There are no more quarter hair cuts, nickel cokes or smoking on airplanes either! How much are those new I-Pod watches…..anyway?
Olson is doing some good work here, but let’s not forget he is responsible for one of the greatest crimes ever perpetuated in this country in the 2000 “election.”
*Teddy boy went with the Dark Side…..and Davey boy. This could be the 2nd biggest scandal since McCain-Graham………..crackers. We loved Barbara Olson
and still miss her.
Yeah, and that General Petraeus
sure did betray us! He got off with no jail time.
Petraeus shares classified information with his mistress and gets probation.
Bradley Manning releases classified information and gets 35 years in jail.
For anyone who doesn’t believe we have a two-tiered justice system in this country, I give you Exhibit A.
*Is Petraeus really.. a Bi? Does Bradley Manning really wear Eve St. Laurant?
*The Major, by the way……had a Secret Clearance at the time.
*No, he got off with one hot Investigative Reporter…writing the book of her life.
Edward Snowden is one of the greatest patriots of our time.
What aspect of “the government is illegally spying on all us” don’t you get?
Anyone can get in front of a camera and bloviate about “Freedom.”
Edward Snowden actually did something about it. If the country had more Snowdens, we’d all have more freedom.
*Good, you invite him to Thanksgiving dinner. And if you experience a drone strike….don’t expect us to file an FOIA request……to get the details. You are listening to Fox News too much. When you work for the Government or happen to be in the Service of your country……there are usual responsibilities….like swearing not to reveal SECRETS! When you do reveal SECRETS….they send you to the stockade for 20 years. If that doesn’t get your attention, you are put up against a wall and shot. No biggie, that is why you swerar allegieance to your country when you are hired. Evidently, you never served in any of the services. Thank goodness!
It is shocking that you compare legalizing gay marriage to polygamy and marrying a car. This is simply a civil rights issue.
Unfortunately, many do not understand that civil marriage is a contractual relationship, and the person one marries must have the capacity to enter into a contract. Animals are considered property, rightly or wrongly, and thus cannot. Minors are the same. I would say that polygamy should be on the table if all parties are in agreement, but the shrieking precludes any serious debate.
*Florice, please ….we support the gay marriage concept and the resultant tax advantages derived thereof. However, there was a lady that has already left her entire estate to her cat. Also, a man that was buried with his Cadillac. We do not however, assume that other derivations of marriage will not be created eventually and find their way to the Supreme Court.
These are probate and estate matters, not having to do with marriage. I like you folks, but please get a grip.
*Just in case you are interested…….Recognizing the marriage of two people(any two people) between states is one of the arguments in front of the SCOTUS today. Wills, Estates and Probate issues apply across State lines as well. Unless you are saying they don’t – then we would have to disagree. If you leave your entire Estate to some kittie cat in Missouri……. and have an Executor in the State of Missouri……should Missouri recognize your requests? Just asking?
Rarely have I seen so many syllables united in teamwork to search for a thought. Awe provoking.
*and…..Rarely have we seen such elitist remarks in such a confined area!
A will and a marriage have separate legal consequences. Probate imputes a way of leaving your estate based on a legal relationship if you do not have a valid will. So again a lady leaving her estate to a pet is not mean that a approving gay marriage will lead to allowing people to marry their pets. I guess this ridiculous claims were made when when laws w struck down to allow different races married or when the Nazis outlawed marriage to Jews and Christians or allowing women equal rights.
Barnum, meet Bailey and the Ringling bothers.
Damn, I left a very long comment on this post yesterday from my phone. I must not have been logged in; I don’t get any sort of error message when that happens — the post just disappears.
Essentially, Ron — this case turns on the language in Justice Kennedy’s “Lawrence v. Texas,” which outlawed anti-sodomy laws, about a fundamental right of each adult human being to choose to bond with one (and only one) consenting adult human being from a reasonably large pool (which explains the incest proscriptions.) He thought about all of the things you mention here and worked out a way to avoid the problems. You should really read the text of Lawrence. And then read Scalia’s dissent, where he predicted that the Lawrence decision would inevitably lead to approval of same-sex marriage and championed the state’s right to outlaw ALL oral sex — and masturbation! (All together now: “when you pry it from my cold, dead hands!”)
*Yeah, heard Scalia last night during the hearing. He kept piling on …saying that “IF the Federal Law was instituted, it would force Priests and Pastures to marry same sex partners.” Finally, the girls on the court – i.e., Sotomayer came to the rescue and said that Jewish Rabbi’s had been denying marrying Non-Jews in spite of the Equal Protection Clause forever. Scalia, finally shut up….. Kennedy, did say a few things including that “It would change things forever”. Hard to read at this point in time what the final, final will be in June. Interesting to say the least. The best argument we heard was that same-sex couple would be denied their rights in outlier states, which would not fit the Federal Standard.
“Pastures to marry same sex partners”
Wow, Chuck Devore was right. People marrying livestock.