Green Room - Week 6 - Day 5

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

By the time you read this, we may already have the verdicts on the US Supreme Court decisions pertaining to DOMA and California's Prop 8. In short, we may already know what the future is for "same sex marriage" in the United States.

Which may not be big news wherever it is that you are physically at the moment. But since you are on the internet, you are about to get hit with a tsunami of posts on the subject.

WILL SCOTUS rule tomorrow? Well, it's the final week of their session, and the last scheduled release of opinions was yesterday. They added one for tomorrow. COULD they add another one later in the week? Sure. But that is still only a couple days away. Could they determine that they want to hear the cases again next session and just kick the can completely? It would be within their rights, but highly unusual.

So, let's pretend that it IS coming at 10 am EST on Tuesday June 25th. There are a variety of ways that they could rule, on both of these separate cases. Some of them would change the status quo, while others would effectively maintain it.

Heck, if they throw out the argument that marriage itself is a fundamental right that deserves equal protection - ALL future marriages could have extra hurdles thrown up in front of them. Which isn't something you hear about very often.

Since I'm writing this before the verdict is actually announced, I want to be the first to say that this is a WONDERFUL DAY/ THE WORST DAY EVER, and I am grateful/pissed off at the wisdom/fuckery displayed in this/these ruling(s). If they effectively punt on one or both of them - declaring that whoever brought the case(s) had no standing to do so (very possible in DOMA) well then at least I know what the internet is going to be doing for the next couple of years, gearing up for the next challenge to reach SCOTUS!

As for Idol, I want you to know that regardless of the outcome of these cases, everything here will be the same. Because I don't see you as people with rights. At all. So the idea that some of you would be more equal than others is completely out the window! Which is why I don't care about what you do, or who you do it with, as long as you get your entries in when I tell you do so, I won't have to unleash the ravenous bears that I have secured in a secret closet in your home.

So, whatever the outcome - just remember to get me your votes: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/667269.html to help make a TRULY IMPORTANT decision!

Comments

[dreamsreflected.livejournal.com]

I really can't tell if you're the most amazing dictator ever in life or just as batdung crazy as the rest of us.

[porn-this-way.livejournal.com]

Does this really have to be an "either\or" scenario?

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

All of the above?

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

He could be just a batshit crazy dictator ;)

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

Shouldn't there be an article there? Like, "the SCOTUS"?

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Well, when they talk about the president, they call him POTUS, even though it would be THE President Of The United States.

I know this, not because I'm a Washington insider, but because I have a crazy love for The West Wing.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Whatever happens, I'm sure there will be an abundance of exclamation points and red icons on FB tomorrow.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

If you don't see us as people with rights, can we at least be people with lefts? Or would that make us too sinister? =)

In other news, here's the topic entry tally:

Out of the Blue: 18
Cards on the Table: 15
I Think I'll Never See: 10
Out of Reach: 7

Just in case anyone was curious. You're welcome!

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Whoohoo! The most people chose my topic!

Obviously this has absolutely no bearing on anything, but still, it makes me happy :)

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Happy Moving, Gary! If there is such a thing.

The rulings won't have too much bearing on what happens here, I imagine. We have an election in September; if the leftier side gets in, they may possibly at a pinch think about discussing it, if the rightier side gets in, there's no way in hell. It's pathetic. Especially considering poll after poll shows that Australians are completely fine with same sex marriage.

The good thing is, though, it doesn't matter here, from a tax/other stuff standpoint. M and I were considered spouses for tax and social security purposes as soon as we started cohabiting, and that's the same if you're a same sex couple too. But it would still be good if same sex couples could at least have the option of getting married, if they wanted. Right now, just not letting them do so seems petty.

[agirlnamedluna.livejournal.com]

Weighing in from a country where same-sex marriage just celebrated its 10th anniversary (we were the 2nd country in the world to legalise it, after the Netherlands).

Here's what same sex marriage is: 2 men get married, or 2 women get married, and nobody gives a shit and then everyone carries on with their lives.

It's really THAT simple.

But then again, we have a pretty good separation of church and state here - heck the ruling Christian party voted abortion and euthanasia laws because there was a demand for it in society.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

That's exactly how it should be everywhere.

[cheshire23.livejournal.com]

A woman I have looked up to and admired for many years (and who, in an alternate universe, may well have been my mother-in-law) just lost her husband. Here ends the Earthly portion of one of the greatest love stories I have known. They were the couple that ravenshrinkery and I looked up to since we met, that we wanted to grow old into being, and I know that they did not have nearly enough time together.

I just...really, really, wish cancer was not a thing that existed in the world right now, because I'm tired of losing people I care about to it, and having other people I care about go through all kinds of hell to avoid dying.

I am sad today. :(

[kajel.livejournal.com]

My condolences to you.

Good Morning GR!

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

Hm, must have already been asleep when Gary posted this. Sneaky!

Has anyone taken a look at LJ's new front page? Ditto portal page?

I'm really trying not to be all "Get Off My Lawn", but man...

Re: Good Morning GR!

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

I saw it, went "Meh," and vowed to just leave a tab that's right on my friend's page and not the LJ homepage. Because really, ugh. It looks ugly. A lot of the changes are ugly.

Why can't we just keep shit the same, LJ? Why we gotta try to be like everyone else?

*rests shotgun quietly in lap and begins rocking in her chair, mutterin' about kids these days*

[kajel.livejournal.com]

I stayed up too late reading and responding to entries last night. Silly me. I need to mainline some coffee and get the kiddos off to preschool. Today is hubby's last day of vacation. I really enjoy having him home with us.

[poppetawoppet.livejournal.com]

it's been awhile since I was in a contestant only vote, so question: do we still vote for ourselves? This is important as I find myself liking a ton of entries and that 30th vote could be important.

I've already painted two walls today, and am getting ready to pack up our unsold garage sale stuff to donate

(anyone in the SW Ohio area looking for a couch or a dining room table?)

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

I always vote for myself unless Gary specifies that you can't. There's only been one voting period that I remember to be like that -- and that was towards the end of season 8. :)

Yay getting things done! :)

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

Hey GR!

I'm in a better mood today. Have been for the past couple of days, actually. Things aren't necessarily better, but I feel more functional and at peace (in a way).

I know that I must be, because I started writing again last night. Nothing special, just voice-practice, really. But it's something, and it makes things feel more right than they've felt in a few days. :)

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

For anyone who missed a late comment on the voting post last night, I posted an alphabetical list of links to entries for ease of reading/voting.

http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/667269.html?thread=68032133#t68032133

Not today

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

They did issue an opinion on Shelby County vs Holder - striking down protections against racial discrimination. But nothing on same sex marriage.

Which means it's coming in the next couple of days... *cue dramatic music*

[x-disturbed-x.livejournal.com]

Hello GR!

I'm trying to get through the rest of the entries before I leave to go meet the wife after work.

I'm dreading going out because it's almost as hot as it was yesterday. I'd rather be near the A/C.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

Today's supposedly the last day of heat. They just said on the news that we're getting thunderstorms and torrential everything up to the end of the week.

Whee, I get to see my street and basement flood once again!

[bookishgeek.livejournal.com]

I am horrified by this - I decided to be risky and do something unconventional - do a third day in the same universe as my previous 2 entries - and I don't want this to be the day it bites me in the butt. :( Crap.

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

I went out on a limb with my submission, too, and I might not have done if I knew it would be a contestant only vote. I'm unsure what to do with myself without a poll to obsessively refresh…

[porn-this-way.livejournal.com]

Ha, Gary, I think this is the first time I've ever seen you cuss in Idol! *hands you Wounded Pirate Truck Driver Award of Excellence* Welcome to the club, bro :p

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

It's not the first time. But it's extremely rare. The last time that I wanted to swear, and instead pulled back with another word, that word ended up starting a firestorm far bigger than the original would have! So, I figured that I would just go for it this time.

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

No DOMA news yet, but SCOTUS just threw the Voting Rights Act under a bus. (Ahem.) Mother Jones has highlights from Justice Ginsberg's dissent (www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/06/best-lines-ginsburg-dissent-voting-rights-act-decision), if anyone is interested.

[x-disturbed-x.livejournal.com]

Oh that does not sound promising. :(

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

all read and voted. some comments made. I feel like a good lji citizen today.

[meepalicious.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're on top of things this week!

I … haven't even started. I have a two hour+ round trip train ride this weekend, so hopefully I'll get my reading in then.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

So I found this article about the impact of LJ in Russia, and maybe everyone else already knows all this, but I found the political/free speech function of the platform very interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17177053

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Izzit just me, or is it nonfiction week in Idol?

And I wrote fiction.

::boggle::

Also, so far i have commented on 62 percent of the entries I've read. which, like, never happens.

[anyonesghost.livejournal.com]

Just fyi, I went fiction this week.
Except possibly for the bit about the anti-aircraft missiles.

I have to wait at home for a package tomorrow afternoon, so my goal (you've read it here first) is to make up for the past few weeks and comment on every single entry.

(Hopefully, the statement above is not also fiction.)