Losses on Ballot Measures Jolt Religious Right

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061108/ap_on_el_st_lo/eln_ballot_measures



Losses on ballot measures jolt religious right
By David Crary

From the country's heartland, voters sent messages that altered America's culture wars and dismayed the religious right — defending abortion rights in South Dakota, endorsing stem cell research in Missouri, and, in a national first, rejecting a same-sex marriage ban in Arizona.

Conservative leaders were jolted by the setbacks and looked for an explanation Wednesday. Gay-rights and abortion-rights activists celebrated.

The verdict on abortion rights was particularly clear. Oregon and California voters defeated measures that would have required parents to be notified before a girl under 18 could get an abortion, and South Dakotans — by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent — rejected a new state law that would have banned all abortions except to save a pregnant woman's life.

"This was really a rebellion in the heart of red-state, pro-life America — the heart of the northern Bible Belt," said Sarah Stoesz, head of the Planned Parenthood chapter that oversees South Dakota. "It sends a very strong message to the rest of the country."

[BadGimp]

1. If they did these during any normal election...

They would have succeeded. But so many people showed up and with anger in their hearts towards Republicans, they thumped anything that looked and smelled Republican or Bushy.

imho

[JoFerret]

2. Good point

They can now join the sane mainstream and condemn Bush for his multiple failings to ALL his constituences with the one major exeption of the very mega rich. They made out big.

[adamuu]

5. that and

conservatives dissatisfied with the R party said !@#$% it and stayed home.

[w4rma]

12. I'm not sure these measures wouldn't go down in a "normal election", also.

I think that folks are just becoming more tolorant and accepting of one another and it is starting to show in small political wins like this.

[Demeter]

3. Stuff the Fundies Back in the Closet

Put them in the Purgatory they created for everybody else. How does it feel to be oppressed? They will never empathise until they personally experience it.

[BlueEyedSon]

4. Keep your damn religion out of my government (and laws)!

[femrap]

6. And off of my uterus! nt

[BlueEyedSon]

7. yeah... and keep yer jesus off my penis! (an oldie but a goodie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exDo2SMdB-0

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

10. Reverand Ted says he likes some penis with his Jesus

I'll save you the trouble!
:spank:

[DFLforever]

8. I say, send them back to the gates of hell

which they are so adamant to keep!

[Miss Chybil]

9. Arizona already has a same-sex marriage ban.

"Proposition 107

Proposed amendment to the Arizona Constitution by the initiative relating to marriage

A "yes" vote shall have the effect of amending the Constitution to require that only a union between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage by the state and its political subdivisions and prohibiting the creation or recognition of legal status similar to marriage for unmarried persons by the state or it political subdivisions.

A "no" vote shall have the effect of retaining the current laws regarding marriage, including a statutory ban on same-sex marriage."


Note the bolded section would have taken away employer health care benefits for domestic partners, and would have done away with civil unions. (In Arizona, if a man and woman live together for a period of time - I can't remember what the limit is - and the woman uses the man's last name they are considered married.)

Same-sex marriage is still illegal in Arizona.

[progressoid]

11. That's optimistic.

I bet they will be boasting about their 7 wins against gay marriage.

[K8-EEE]

13. Yo Bill-O, About That Culture War -- BRING IT ON!

YOU CONTROL FREAKIN' FAKE FUNDIES ARE LOSING IT AND FREEDOM IS WINNING! Oh and PS, I'm all for increasing the powers of the Fashion Police State and citing you for the corny windbreaker on your book which seems to have 30% stickers all over it...