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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Rhode Island state Senator wants to let voters decide whether to allow same-sex marriage in the state — and he wants to let religious organizations and businesses refuse to participate in providing services for same-sex weddings.
Frank Ciccone
Sen. Frank Ciccone (D-Providence), introduced legislation Wednesday which seeks to place the referendum on the 2014 ballot.
The referendum would allow religious leaders to refuse to perform same-sex weddings and say small businesses like caterers and florists could also decline to provide services to a gay couple’s wedding.
Gay marriage supporters including House Speaker Gordon Fox and Gov. Lincoln Chafee oppose efforts to put gay marriage on the ballot, arguing that it’s a civil right and shouldn’t be subject to popular vote.
A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Rhode Island has passed in the state House, but has not yet received a Senate vote.
Recent polling finds that 60 percent of Rhode Island voters support legalizing same-sex marriage.
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Let’s put HIS marriage up for a vote!
just like a piece of shit republican
I say, unless heterosexual divorce can be voted on, then No. Equality just needs to be. Everywhere.
We are Human enough for Human rights. We don’t need anyone voting on our marriage.
can businesses and religious organizations refuse to serve republicans? or Asians? or left handed people? what an asshat!
and when do “we” get to vote on “their” marriages? We’re all equal.. right?
I disagree if we can vote whether hetero couples stay married or divorced then no. Let the State take it up to pass equality and once its passed let it stay in place.
He’s actually a democrat.
This fool should not be a Senator!!!!!!!
I say put gay marriage up for a vote, because according to recent polls, gay marriage would win by a landslide. And with the legalization of gay marriages, if businesses want to refuse to service gay weddings, they can enjoy their bankruptcy and good riddance to them.
Civil rights should not be put to a popular vote!
Age old antigay ballot strategy… But it’s starting to lose its value as stated above . It’s still a bad idea bc it’s the reps and older voters who don’t miss a chance to vote …
people’s CIVIL RIGHTS should NEVER BE PUT TO THE GENERAL VOTE….look what happened in NC…..do we really WANT to take that chance?…..i say, let’s VOTE on heterosexual marriage and see how they LIKE IT….and i’m STRAIGHT.
Refusing to service gays and lesbians by businesses open to the public is the same as refusing service due to the color of one’s skin – simple. I also do not thing religions have the right to promote bigotry if they receive any funds from civil government. If they do not take the money, they can do as they want.
Fuck him. If he’s married, did anyone put HIS marriage to a public vote???
How about, instead, we put OPPOSITE sex marriage up to the voters?
Or even better, let’s put this man’s right to live up to the voters?
WE DO NOT VOTE ON RIGHTS IN THE UNITED F*CKING STATES OF AMERICA!!!
Bout damn time! Thank you.
Equality is the right thing to do. No one will force a private party to perform what they perceive to be against their (albeit) wrong religious views, but they will be the ones on the wrong side of history. There loss to grow as human beings. This guy is a douchebag.
No. You will see prop 8 found unconstitutional and then a vote would be mute. Civil rights should not be voted on.
so when this old windbag dies can we refuse to give him a proper burial cuz he was a duche bag
Then put interracial marriage to a vote! Oh ya, the Supreme Court ruled rights aren’t subject to a popular vote.
So? What do the other legislators think?
Lets put his marriage rights up for popular vote?!
Oh yeah..and let’s make sure more than 10% straights can vote.
Are we limiting it to people who own land? Or do I need to practice counting soap bubbles too.
I want to put to a vote whether heterosupremacist gay bashing thugs should shove their kill gays bible down own tyrannical theocRAT throats and choke to death on their Jesus Freak koolaid – ALL IN FAVOR CLICK LIKE
Putz
why do str8 people get to vote on our marriages, we never got to vote on theirs!
we can put his right to be an INTOLERANT, BIGOTED HOMOPHOBE to a vote!!
Ridiculous. You don’t put civil rights up to a vote!!
Boo!Boo!
The idea that a heterosexual majority is going to vote to elevate a homosexual minority to equal social standing is ‘iffy’ at best. That is what we have legislators for….to prevent ‘mob rule.’
Just be glad its even a topic for duscussion much less up to a vote. Although…. I personally think Courts should have each and every right to meddle..
In iowa the people had no chance in voting Supreme Court struck it down and legalized gay marriage. Many were ousted due to Iowans feeling they were too radical.
You can’t vote for equal rights. They must be protected from a public vote.
we should start a petition to put hetero marriage to a vote
The main argument that the right is planning to use in the SCOTUS debate over DOMA is that the State’s interest in marriage is strictly for the natural birth and rearing of children, something homosexuals are not capable of.
If this argument becomes part of the transcript in the debate, and the SCOTUS upholds DOMA as being constitutional on that basis, then we should file suit against the United States of America to be reimbursed for every benefit paid to any infertile couple, and should draft legislation requiring that any and every person applying for a marriage license be legally bound to the provision of medical certification of fertility, and if such couples as qualify under this law do not produce offspring within two years of the issuance of the license, the State should REVOKE said license, refusing to issue another to any persons who recieve one and have been revoked for non-compliance.
Through struggle and bearing obstacles, I found an appreciation for life that has led to self-realizations that I am in control of my consciousness. My purpose in life is to be the best person that I can be and I am still learning to do that each day that I am given. I am inspired to maintain a clear, focused mind. I want to share my experiences and positive energy with as many people as I can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc3We5RAexY
Let’s make it a fair game, ….. the public should get to vote on ANYONE who wants to get married, that way EVERYONES marriage can be desided by people who know nothing about one another, but have the privledge to vote against YOUR LOVE & YOUR HAPPINESS. That’s sounds fair to me. Personally, I think he should get a divorce, I wouldn’t have voted for his marriage to happen!
Hell, if they want to go that route, why not a referendum to outlaw and ban marriage in it’s entire spectrum? This is just some old bigotted white guy doing an end run around the basic concept of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, or perhaps he has never actually read the Declaration of Independence? What a dumb pile of :poop:
Hey they legalized it in maine and thats with the people voting XD
DBag of the week!!!
You cannot put civil liberties up for a vote. If so we could possibly have slavery again or something much worse.
He may claim to be a democrat but republican is as republican does.
so he wants to CREATE even MORE discrimination…nice job jackass
we are born with the human right to unalienable rights and no human being has the authority to deny us our unalienable rights. Our human rights do not end when our umbilical cords are cut
There should be no argument over straight marriage or gay marriage. It is just marriage. Two people in love who are making a commitment to one another.