Tying the Knot (2004) Movie Script

( singing & clapping )

( man )

WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET

THE HAPPY COUPLE ?

( all )

GAY POWER !

WHAT HAVE WE GOT ?!

GAY POWER !

YOU'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND

IF YOU LIKE, FREE COFFEE.

♪ YEAH, MY BROTHERS

AND MY SISTERS... ♪

YOU CAN'T COME INTO

A PRIVATE OFFICE--

HERMAN KATZ HAS SLANDERED

THE GAY COMMUNITY OF NEW YORK.

THIS IS NOT A QUESTION OF

MAKING APPOINTMENTS,

WE ARE HERE DEMANDING

RETRACTION OF THIS SLANDER,

DEMANDING THAT HE REPRESENT

GAY PEOPLE

WHO PAY HIS TAXES,

AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE

NO FOR AN ANSWER FROM ANYBODY.

DO YOU WANT AN INVITATION

TO OUR RECEPTION ?

HERE, YOU'RE INVITED.

♪ ...ALL TOGETHER NOW... ♪

OH, THIS IS DEFINITELY

THE MARRIAGE BUREAU

BUT IT'S BEEN TAKEN OVER

BY THE GAY ACTIVIST ALLIANCE.

YOUR MOTHER AND DAD

WANNA GET MARRIED ?

ARE THEY GAY ?

OH, I'M SORRY,

WE CAN'T HELP YOU.

NO.

( man )

ANY COMMENT ?

( woman )

I JUST HOPE

THEY'RE VERY HAPPY.

RIGHT ON.

( man )

MARRIAGE IS

A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

( man )

MARRIAGE IS VERY SIMPLE:

A UNION BETWEEN ONE MAN

AND ONE WOMAN...

( woman )

IF THE BIOLOGICAL BASIS

FOR MARRIAGE IS REMOVED...

NOT TWO MEN OR THREE MEN

OR FOUR MEN.

...THE NEXT

GENERATION GROWING UP

WILL NO LONGER UNDERSTAND

WHAT MARRIAGE IS.

IT IS AN ISSUE

THAT IS BEING USED

BY THE HOMOSEXUAL EXTREMISTS

TO DIVIDE AMERICA.

THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE

IS ABOUT LOVE, COMMITMENT

AND MUTUAL

RESPONSIBILITY.

AND WHAT IT SHOWS

IS WE'RE ON A SLOPE

THAT LEADS TO

NO STANDARDS--

AS I LISTEN TO

THE DIRE PREDICTIONS--

IT IS PART OF

A DELIBERATE,

COLDLY CALCULATED

POWER MOVE--

I WILL NOT TURN MY BACK

ON ANOTHER AMERICAN !

( scattered talking )

OUR NATION MUST DEFEND

THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE.

( woman )

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT

SAME-SEX MARRIAGES ?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN "SAME-SEX,"

LIKE MAN AND WOMAN OR--

TWO WOMEN GETTING MARRIED,

OR TWO MEN GETTING MARRIED,

WANTING TO SHARE THEIR

LIFE TOGETHER.

UH, NO PROBLEM.

I REALLY DON'T HAVE

A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

Y'KNOW, IF THEY LOVE

EACH OTHER,

THAT'S THE MAIN THING.

THAT'S THE MAIN

ISSUE IF--

AND THAT THEY WILL

RESPECT EACH OTHER.

SAME SEX ?

IT'S UP TO

THE PERSON.

( woman )

LIKE IF TWO WOMEN

WANNA GET MARRIED.

TWO WOMEN ?

IT'S UP TO THE PERSON,

I THINK.

OR TWO MEN.

BUT, IT'S LIKE,

NO WAY.

TWO MEN ?

PERSONALLY, I WOULDN'T DO IT

BUT IT'S UP TO THE PERSON.

IF THE PERSON FEELS THAT

THEY COULD FEEL, YOU KNOW,

LIKE THEY REALLY

LOVE THIS PERSON,

THEY WANNA SETTLE DOWN

WITH THIS PERSON,

THEN IT'S UP TO THEM.

I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE,

I CAN'T STAND IT.

I HAVE BEEN SO NERVOUS.

HONEY, I LOVE YOU !

IT WON'T BE LONG,

YOU'LL BE SO LUCKY.

LOIS, YOU HAVE GOT TO

TAKE THIS TO HER.

I STARTED AT THE POLICE

DEPARTMENT IN 1985,

AND WHEN I FIRST MET HER I WAS

A "ROOKIE," AS THEY CALL THEM,

AND GOING THROUGH

THE PROGRAM,

AND SHE'D HAD

A COUPLE OF YEARS ON

AND WAS PROBABLY ONE OF

THE BEST FEMALES

THAT WAS EMPLOYED BY

THE TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

WE DID A LOT OF

THINGS TOGETHER.

SPORTING EVENTS,

SPRING TRAINING

TAKING TRIPS TO

GO WATCH BASEBALL GAMES.

I MEAN, THERE WAS

JUST SO MUCH EXCITEMENT,

SO MUCH IN COMMON, IT WAS LIKE

WE COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER.

WHERE'S MY BABY ?

GOOD-BYE, HONEY,

I LOVE YOU.

( woman )

IF YOU GUYS KNEW HOW CLOSE

YOU WERE RIGHT NOW.

( giggling )

LOIS AND I BOTH WENT TO M.C.C.

IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA,

AND THEY SAID "WELL,

YOU NEED TO GO TO CLASSES,

YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND

THE COMMITMENT

THAT YOU'RE MAKING."

THEY SAID, "YOU KNOW,

SET THE DATE,

LET US KNOW AND YOU'RE

READY TO GO FORWARD"

AND THAT'S WHAT WE DID.

WE WENT OUT,

WE HAD DINNER.

WHEN THAT WAS THROUGH,

THEY DROVE OFF WITH HER.

AND I GO HOME AND I'M

LIKE, "WOW."

I WAS LOST !

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE WITH

SOMEBODY 24 HOURS A DAY,

YOU GO TO WORK,

THEY'RE AT WORK,

YOU CAN TALK TO 'EM,

AND I GO HOME

AND SHE'S NOT THERE.

♪ CHERISH THE LOVE... ♪

I WAS NERVOUS,

BUT I WAS SO HAPPY.

I WANTED TO--

I LOOKED AT HER AND SAID

"GOD, I AM SO LUCKY."

IT WAS COMING FROM THE HEART,

IT WAS COMING FROM HER HEART,

THE SMILE ON HER FACE.

I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THAT WAS

THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

( newscaster )

THE FUTURE OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES

IN MASSACHUSETTS

IS NOW IN THE HANDS

OF THE STATE SUPREME COURT.

FOR 32 YEARS, I'VE LOVED GLORIA

AND WANTED TO MARRY HER

AND I THINK THAT AFTER TODAY, I

WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

LINDA DAVIES

AND GLORIA BAILEY

HAD THEIR DAY IN COURT TODAY,

ONE OF SEVEN

GAY AND LESBIAN COUPLES

WHO WENT BEFORE

THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

TO ARGUE FOR THE RIGHT TO

MARRY IN MASSACHUSETTS.

BUT THE STATE IS SAYING HILLARY

MAY NOT MARRY JULIE GOODRIDGE...

ATTORNEY, MARY BONAUTO ARGUED

THE RIGHT TO MARRY THE PERSON

OF ONE'S CHOICE

IS PROTECTED UNDER

THE STATE CONSTITUTION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE

WHO DON'T HAVE EQUALITY

UNDER THE LAW AND

SHOULD HAVE IT

BECAUSE ALL CITIZENS IN THIS

STATE ARE BORN FREE AND EQUAL.

THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL

RIGHT TO MARRY,

BUT MARRIAGE IS STILL

A UNION OF A MAN AND A WOMAN.

THE STATE WANTS TO ENCOURAGE

THIS MODEL OF MARRIAGE,

WHERE THERE ARE

ONE PARENT OF EACH SEX.

THE PLAINTIFFS, MANY OF THEM

RAISING CHILDREN THEMSELVES,

COMPARED THEIR FIGHT

TO THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.

( man )

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT

DISCRIMINATION AS A BLACK MAN,

BUT CERTAINLY NOW AS A GAY MAN

IN A RELATIONSHIP.

NOW, IF THE HIGH COURT AGREES

WITH THE PLAINTIFFS,

MASSACHUSETTS WOULD

BE THE FIRST STATE TO

LEGALIZE MARRIAGE RIGHTS

FOR GAYS AND LESBIANS.

A DECISION IS NOT EXPECTED

FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, THOUGH.

( man )

COME ON, BABIES !

IF IT WASN'T FOR MARRIAGE,

IT WOULD BE A HELL OF A

DIFFERENT SOCIETY OUT HERE.

I JUST THINK...

THE GROUNDS FOR THE SOCIETY

THAT WE'VE GOT NOW

IS MARRIAGE.

IN SOME RESPECTS,

I THINK YOU'RE MATCHED UP

LONG BEFORE YOU EVER MEET.

OH, CERTAINLY,

IT SERVES A FUNCTION.

YOU'RE KIND OF OSTRACIZED

IF YOU'RE NOT MARRIED

WHEN YOU GO TO

PARTIES, DANCES.

IT LETS THE OTHER PEOPLE

KNOW THAT YOU BELONG.

IF YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR

MATE FOR GRANTED

AND KNOW WHAT THEY'RE

GONNA DO,

YOU MIGHT AS WELL

CALL IT QUITS TO START WITH.

I KNOW A LOT OF WOMEN

WHO SAY,

"OH, I DON'T WANNA--"

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY--

"I DON'T WANNA BE TAKEN FOR

GRANTED, "I DON'T WANNA

GET MARRIED, I DON'T WANNA BE

TAKEN FOR GRANTED."

IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE

TAKEN FOR GRANTED,

YOU DON'T WANNA BE MARRIED.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT

BECAUSE THAT'S TRUST.

I WOULDN'T CALL

THAT A MARRIAGE.

MARRIAGE IS BETWEEN

A MAN AND A WIFE,

A MAN AND A WOMAN.

TO ME, THAT'S THE ONLY

MARRIAGE THERE IS.

I CAN'T IMAGINE

ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

I WAS SITTING ON A PIER

ON THE ARKANSAS RIVER,

SITTING THERE WATCHING

THE WATER GO BY ONE DAY,

BEAUTIFUL DAY,

HE WALKED UP

BEHIND ME.

WE SAT AND TALKED 'TIL

TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

IT JUST KIND OF WENT ON

FROM THERE.

THIS FAD THAT IS

SWEEPING THE WORLD RIGHT NOW

IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE

IT UNDERMINES

THE LEGAL BASIS FOR MARRIAGE.

MARRIAGE IS VERY SIMPLE,

A UNION BETWEEN ONE MAN

AND ONE WOMAN.

NOT TWO MEN, OR THREE MEN,

OR FOUR MEN.

IT'S LIBERTY

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL,

PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO

BELIEVE WHAT THEY WANT

BUT THE FACT IS, IS IT

RIGHT WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN ?

THE REALITY IS,

OUR FAMILIES DO EXIST

AND WE'RE AT THE POINT NOW

WE NEED THE GOVERNMENT

TO RECOGNIZE THAT,

WE NEED THE LAWS TO

CATCH UP WITH THAT REALITY.

A MAN AND A WOMAN,

SOCIAL SCIENCE HAS SHOWN

AGAIN AND AGAIN,

ARE IN THE BEST INTERESTS

OF CHILDREN, AND THEREFORE,

IN THE BEST INTERESTS

OF SOCIETY.

MARRIAGE IS A CHOICE THAT DOES

NOT TURN ON HAVING CHILDREN.

NOBODY IS REQUIRED

TO HAVE CHILDREN

IN ORDER TO GET MARRIED,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, PEOPLE

WHO DO WANT TO GET MARRIED

WHO ARE RAISING CHILDREN,

OUGHT TO BE ALLOWED TO DO SO.

AND THAT INCLUDES LESBIANS

AND GAY MEN.

THAT WILL DESTROY THE FAMILY,

WHICH WILL DESTROY THE NATION.

ARE WE SO WISE TODAY,

THAT WE

ARE READY TO REJECT

5,000 YEARS OF

RECORDED HISTORY ?

I DON'T THINK SO.

WHAT I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT

IS THE BIG LIE OF

THE FAMILY VALUES DEBATE.

THE IDEA THAT MARRIAGE

HAS EVER BEEN

SOME SOLID,

STATIC, IMMOVABLE THING,

AND THAT IT HAS STAYED THAT

WAY FOR 6,000 YEARS.

IN FACT, MARRIAGE

HAS CONSTANTLY BEEN

A POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND

CONSTANTLY SHIFTING TO

SUIT EACH CULTURE AND CLASS,

EACH ERA AND ECONOMY.

FOR THE FIRST 1,000 YEARS

OF CHRISTIANITY,

IT CONSIDERED MARRIAGE

A SECULAR INSTITUTION,

AND NOT UNTIL 1215

DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

DECLARE MARRIAGE A SACRAMENT.

TRADITIONALLY,

THE ENGAGEMENT FEAST

WAS WHEN YOU SIGNED,

WITNESSED AND NOTARIZED

THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT,

AND THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY

WAS WHEN YOU ACTUALLY

EXCHANGED PROPERTY, RIGHT.

THIS IS BACK IN AN ERA

WHEN THERE WERE ONLY TWO WAYS

OF MAKING A LIVING:

LAND AND LABOR.

SO EITHER-- IF YOUR FAMILY

HAS PROPERTY,

THEY FIND ANOTHER FAMILY

WITH WHOM TO EXCHANGE IT.

OR IF YOU'RE FROM THE CLASS

OF BUTCHERS AND BAKERS

AND CANDLESTICK MAKERS,

THEN YOU FIND SOMEONE ELSE

WHO WILL BE YOUR BUSINESS

PARTNER, LIFELONG.

SO A FARMER

REQUIRED A FARM WIFE,

COULDN'T BRING IN

THE EGGS OTHERWISE.

FISHERMEN REQUIRED

A FISH WIFE,

YOU COULDN'T GET

THE GOODS TO MARKET.

CERTAIN GERMAN GUILDS WOULD NOT

LET A MAN BECOME A MASTER

UNTIL HE HAD A WIFE

WHO WOULD FEED THE APPRENTICES

AND KEEP THE BOOKS

AND RUN THE SHOP.

FEUDAL MARRIAGE

IS TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE.

AND THE PROVERB WAS:

"HE WHO MARRIES FOR LOVE

HAS GOOD NIGHTS AND BAD DAYS."

YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

IF YOU DON'T MARRY

A STABLE PARTNER

WHO KNOWS HOW TO

TAKE CARE OF THE VINEYARDS,

WHICH IS A VERY

SPECIALIZED SKILL,

YOU'RE GOING TO STARVE.

YOU HAVE TO MARRY

YOUR COUSIN AND A HALF

WHO HAS THE VINEYARD OVER,

BECAUSE YOU KNOW

THAT SHE IS A STABLE WORKER

AND HAS BEEN REALLY

WELL-TRAINED

IN EXACTLY THE TECHNIQUES

THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.

OR THAT SHE HAS

EXACTLY THE HALF A HOUSE

THAT WILL MATCH TO

YOUR HALF A HOUSE

THAT YOU'RE GOING TO INHERIT

SO THAT YOU AND YOUR

BROTHER-IN-LAW CAN SWAP

AND HAVE A

WHOLE HOUSE.

YOU CAN'T, YOU--

SO PEOPLE-- WHEN PEOPLE

MARRY FOR MONEY

IN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE,

THEY'RE NOT DOING IT

FOR VENAL REASONS,

THEY'RE NOT

DOING IT TO GET RICH,

THEY'RE DOING IT

TO NOT STARVE.

( dinging bell )

WHEN MEN GET SHOVED

OUT OF THE HOUSE

AND GO OFF

TO WORK IN FACTORIES

OR AS OWNERS OF FACTORIES

OR AS ENTREPRENEURS,

THEN MARRIAGE IS SUDDENLY

SHAKEN FREE OF ITS MEANING.

SUDDENLY ALL THAT'S LEFT IS

AFFECTION AND LOVE AND SEX.

SO THEN YOU START

GETTING THESE HYMNS TO LOVE

AND THESE HYMNS

TO MOTHERHOOD

AND "LOVE AND MARRIAGE,

LOVE AND MARRIAGE GO TOGETHER

LIKE A HORSE AND CARRIAGE."

THAT'S THE NEW

RADICAL MARRIAGE MODEL.

AS PEOPLE BEGIN TO MAKE

A LIVING INDEPENDENTLY,

WITHOUT A WIFE,

WITHOUT A HUSBAND

JUST BASED ON THEIR TALENTS

AND PERSONAL EFFORT,

SO DOES MARRIAGE CHANGE.

ONCE YOU CAN

MAKE YOUR OWN LIVING

YOU CAN ALSO CHOOSE

YOUR OWN PARTNER.

NOW WE TALK ABOUT

LOVE FIRST AND MONEY LAST.

( man shouting on

helicopter radio )

( reporter )

THIS IS UNFOLDING AS WE SPEAK.

( woman )

THEY'D ROBBED A BANK

RIGHT DOWN THE STREET HERE

AND APPARENTLY THEY'D

COME BACK THIS WAY,

CAME INTO THE PARKING LOT.

LOIS GOT THE CALL THAT

THEY WERE HEADED THIS WAY;

SHE WAS RIGHT AROUND

THE CORNER.

WHEN SHE CAME OUT,

THEY JUST GUNNED HER DOWN.

THEY SHOT HER IN THE NECK.

( woman on police radio )

500, and it's gonna be for an

officer situation.

SHE LITERALLY

BLED TO DEATH.

( newscaster )

OFFICER LOIS MARRERO,

19 YEARS ON THE FORCE,

DIED AT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL.

LOIS AND MICKIE

HAD JUST CELEBRATED

THEIR 10th WEDDING

ANNIVERSARY.

IT'S JUST A TRAGEDY

THAT OCCURRED.

IF I WOULD HAVE

BEEN IN THAT PLACE,

MY PERSPECTIVE, THE SAME THING

WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME.

( man )

PROBABLY BEEN ANY OFFICER ?

ANY OFFICER THAT HAD BEEN

IN HER SHOES THAT DAY,

THE SAME ENDING

WOULD HAVE OCCURRED.

( blaring bagpipes )

( woman on police radio )

Do I have officer

Lois M. Marrero on frequency ?

Units be advised that 327

officer Lois M. Marrero

is 10.7 for the remainder.

She will

never be forgotten.

May she rest in peace,

and God bless.

( man )

IN AS MUCH AS MICKIE

ENJOYED A CARING RELATIONSHIP

WITH HER PARTNER,

LOIS MARRERO,

SHE HAS DECIDED TO SEEK

THE SURVIVING SPOUSE BENEFITS,

AS WELL AS LOIS'S CONTRIBUTION

TO THE PENSION FUND.

MOREOVER,

SHE STRONGLY FEELS

THAT THIS IS WHAT LOIS

WOULD HAVE WANTED.

( woman )

DO YOU THINK LOIS'S FAMILY WILL

SUPPORT YOU IN THIS EFFORT ?

YES, MA'AM, I DO.

SHORTLY AFTER LOIS WAS KILLED,

THE COMMUNITY, THE FAMILY,

EVERYBODY

RALLIED AROUND MICKIE.

AND MICKIE WAS TREATED

AS ANY OTHER SURVIVING SPOUSE

WOULD BE TREATED.

THE ISSUE OF MONEY

KIND OF GOT RAISED

AND THE FAMILY

SUDDENLY TURNED ON MICKIE

AND BEGAN MAKING ALL KINDS

OF CRAZY ALLEGATIONS

THAT LOIS WAS

ALLEGEDLY HAVING AN AFFAIR

WITH SOME WOMAN IN TEXAS.

( woman )

AND WHEN WE SEE

SOMEONE CLAIMING

THAT SOMETHING EXISTED

WHEN IT DID NOT EXIST,

THEN THE FAMILY IS GONNA

STAND UP FOR THAT.

IT'S JUST A TRUTH ISSUE.

( woman )

IF THEY WERE MARRIED

AND IT WAS A HETEROSEXUAL

RELATIONSHIP, THOUGH,

AND SAY THAT LOIS WAS

IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE,

THIS REALLY WOULDN'T

EVEN BE SOMETHING

WE'D BE TALKING

ABOUT, WOULD IT ?

YOU'RE CORRECT.

IF THE STATE DID RECOGNIZE

SAME-SEX UNIONS

AND IF THE STATE ALSO

PROVIDED A MEANS BY WHICH

SAME-SEX UNIONS WOULD

BE ABLE TO TERMINATE,

THEN THIS

WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE.

SO WE'RE VERY MUCH IN SUPPORT

FOR SAME SEX-UNIONS

TO BE RECOGNIZED.

I THINK IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

SADLY ENOUGH FROM THE TRAGEDY

THAT HAPPENED A WEEK AGO,

WE MAYBE SHOULD COME

TO SOMETHING THAT'S FAIR

TO ALL OUR CONSTITUENTS

AND ALL OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE SEE IT AS A MORAL ISSUE.

YOU TAKE THIS AWAY,

THE NEXT BLOCK TO FALL

WILL BE AN ARGUMENT WITH

THE STATE LEGISLATURE

THAT WILL ARGUE IN FAVOR

OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES.

THE MORALITY IS IS TO DO

THE RIGHT THING

FOR THE COMMUNITY

AND DO THE RIGHT THING FOR

EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

THE BIBLE CLEARLY

STATES THAT

GOD PUT TOGETHER

ONE MAN AND A WOMAN.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN YOUR GOD,

SO YOUR GOD IS NOT MY GOD.

I HAVE A DIFFERENT GOD.

MANY MEMBERS OF

THE PENSION FUND,

THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY HAVE

STANDING TO SAY SOMETHING,

ARE WRITING LETTERS

IN SUPPORT OF MICKIE.

WE'VE GOT TO CONVINCE

FIVE PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD

THAT WE'RE RIGHT.

GENORA AND I HAVE BEEN IN LOVE

AND ENGAGED FOR SIX YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG ENGAGEMENT

AND, UM, WHEN WE FIRST APPLIED

FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE,

PEOPLE TOLD US

WE WOULD NEVER WIN.

BUT NOW WE ARE SO CLOSE.

THIS MEANS THAT WE CAN

CARE FOR EACH OTHER

NOT JUST EMOTIONALLY,

BUT LEGALLY AND FINANCIALLY

ONCE WE GET MARRIED.

WHAT THE COURTS IN HAWAII

HAVE DONE IS SAYING,

THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT,

WE'RE ERASING 2,000 YEARS

OF HUMAN HISTORY

AND WE'RE STARTING AFRESH.

AND I THINK THEY'RE STARTING

AFRESH ON A VERY SHAKY,

IMMORAL AND

UNSATISFACTORY BASIS,

AND THAT IS HOMOSEXUAL ACTS.

TODAY, THE COURT IN HAWAII

HAS STRUCK A STRONG BLOW

AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

IN MARRIAGE BASED ON SEX

AND IT IS

ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT

FOR MANY, MANY REAL LIFE

FAMILIES AND COUPLES

WHO NOW STAND ON THE BRINK

OF BEING ABLE TO DO

WHAT EVERY OTHER

AMERICAN TAKES FOR GRANTED,

EXERCISE THE FREEDOM TO MARRY,

THE CHOICE TO MARRY

THE PERSON THEY LOVE.

( Bob Barr )

THE LEGISLATION BEFORE US TODAY

SIMPLY STANDS UP AND SAYS,

"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."

THE COURTS IN HAWAII

ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE

HOMOSEXUAL MARRIAGES,

AND THESE GROUPS ARE THEN GOING

TO TAKE THOSE MARRIAGE LICENSES,

SO-CALLED MARRIAGE LICENSES,

PIECES OF PAPER THAT PURPORT

TO BE MARRIAGE LICENSES

AND COME TO THE REST--

TO THE MAINLAND.

SO IN AN EXERCISE

OF RESPONSIBILITY,

IN AN EXERCISE OF PROPER ROLE

OF FEDERALISM,

WE HAVE CRAFTED

THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.

WHY SHOULDN'T MY PARTNER

OF 13 YEARS BE ENTITLED

TO THE SAME HEALTH INSURANCE

AND SURVIVOR'S BENEFITS

THAT INDIVIDUALS AROUND HERE,

MY COLLEAGUES WITH

SECOND AND THIRD WIVES,

ARE ABLE TO GIVE TO THEM ?

MR. CHAIRMAN, I RISE

IN STRONG OPPOSITION

TO THE SO-CALLED

DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT.

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO

REPRESENT ALL AMERICANS

AS MEMBERS OF

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

LET US NOT BE GUIDED

BY PREJUDICE,

IGNORANCE AND FEAR.

LET US NOT USE A

SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION

TO EMPLOY A POLITICAL STRATEGY

FOR THIS ELECTION YEAR.

( chanting )

GAY RIGHTS NOW !

GAY RIGHTS NOW...

THE PRESIDENT

HAS A PERSONAL BELIEF

RELATED TO MARRIAGE

AND WHAT IT IS

AND HE HAS TO ACT CONSISTENT

WITH THE PERSONAL BELIEF.

THIS IS THE GREATEST CIVIL

RIGHTS ISSUE OF THE DECADE.

IT'S ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS,

IT'S ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS,

AND CLINTON HAS

TURNED HIS BACK ON US.

OLDEST BOY, THE YOUNGEST

AND THE MIDDLE ONE.

"GRANDPA'S BARN."

GRANDKIDS MADE THAT

AND I KEPT IT.

THAT'S THEIR SCHOOL PICTURES.

AND THIS ONE HERE

THEY HAD TO GET AT WAL-MART.

SO I HAVE TO PUT A FRAME

UP THERE FOR THAT.

AND THAT,

OF COURSE, IS EARL.

YEAH.

WELL, NOT WHEN

I MET HER, I DIDN'T.

OH, AFTER I COME BACK FROM

VIETNAM, I DIDN'T TRY.

WHEN I CAME BACK, WE STAYED

TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A YEAR

AND DECIDED TO CALL IT QUITS.

I GOT CUSTODY OF THE BOYS,

AND SHE DIDN'T MIND IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK'S

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN--

YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED

TO A WOMAN

AND MARRIED TO A MAN...

HMM...

OTHER THAN SEX,

NOT ONE DAMN THING.

ME AND HER WERE MARRIED

FOR 11 YEARS,

ME AND HIM WAS

MARRIED FOR 23 YEARS.

WHEN ME AND HER GOT MARRIED,

HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE SAID,

"DO YOU TAKE THIS WOMAN TO BE

YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED WIFE ?"

I SAID, "I WILL."

HE SAID-- HE LOOKED

AT HER AND HE SAID,

"DO YOU TAKE THIS MAN TO BE

YOUR LAWFULLY

WEDDED HUSBAND ?"

SHE SAID, "I WILL."

HE SAID, "I PRONOUNCE YOU

MAN AND WIFE.

NOW GREET

YOUR BRIDE."

THAT WAS IT.

WITH EARL, IT WAS JUST

A PRIVATE LITTLE THING

BETWEEN THE TWO OF US

ABOUT 10:30 AT NIGHT--

10:45 AT NIGHT.

WE SAT THERE

AND DID OUR VOWS.

AND I AGREED JUST, Y'KNOW,

JUST AGREED TO BE ONE.

"'TIL DEATH

DO YOU PART."

WISH HE WAS HERE.

( woman )

YOU HAVE AN OBLIGATION

TO FOLLOW THE LAW

AND THE LAW REQUIRES

THAT IN YOUR PENSION PLAN,

YOU DO NOT DISCRIMINATE

BASED ON MARITAL STATUS.

THIS PENSION POLICY

CURRENTLY PROVIDES A CERTAIN

BENEFIT

TO A MARRIED PERSON

WHO IS KILLED

IN THE LINE OF DUTY

AND THEIR SPOUSE RECEIVES A

CERTAIN PENSION BENEFIT,

A SUBSTANTIAL PENSION BENEFIT.

A PERSON IN OFFICER MASHBURN'S

SITUATION,

WHOSE MARRIAGE

IS NOT YET RECOGNIZED

BY THE LAWS IN FLORIDA,

THEY ARE DENIED THAT

SAME BENEFIT

THAT A HETEROSEXUAL

MARRIED COUPLE IS GRANTED.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOW

TO RESOLVE THIS SITUATION

BY AWARDING HER

THE PENSION BENEFITS

THAT ARE DUE HER AS

A SURVIVING SPOUSE.

THANK YOU.

NEXT WEEK--

MATTER OF FACT,

NEXT WEDNESDAY MAKES IT

EIGHT MONTHS

THAT LOIS HAD BEEN DEAD

AND I HONESTLY

BELIEVE IN MY HEART

THAT I HAVE NOT GRIEVED YET.

I BOTH BASICALLY HAVE HAD TO

YOU KNOW,

SIT BACK AND DEFEND MYSELF

FROM EVERY ANGLE.

DEFEND MY RELATIONSHIP,

DEFEND, YOU KNOW,

OUR LIFE TOGETHER

AND THAT'S SO SAD.

THE LEGAL OPINIONS THAT

MR. LOPER HAS RENDERED,

AND WHEN I READ THE POLICY

I BELIEVE THE HEIRS

OF HER PENSION BENEFIT

SHOULD BE THE ESTATE.

AND I'M GONNA

MAKE A MOTION

THAT WE DENY MISS MASHBURN'S

REQUEST FOR PENSION BENEFITS.

ALL IN FAVOR

OF THE MOTION ?

ALL THOSE OPPOSED ?

MOTION CARRIES

UNANIMOUSLY.

WELL, WE WILL,

AS PART OF THE ESTATE,

MAKE OUR OWN FORMAL CLAIM

AND APPLICATION

TO RECEIVE

THE PENSION BENEFITS.

WE'RE RELYING STRICTLY ON

WHAT THE LAW STATES.

AND AGAIN,

WHAT THE LAW STATES IS THAT

IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA,

SAME-SEX MARRIAGES ARE NOT

RECOGNIZED FOR ANY PURPOSE.

AND I'M GLAD THAT THE BOARD

GAVE THE SAME HONOR

AND DIGNITY

TO HONOR THE LAW AND FOLLOW

THE LAW AS OFFICER MARRERO DID

IN DEDICATING HER LIFE

TO ENFORCING THE LAW.

YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS.

( woman )

BUT DON'T YOU AGREE--

PARDON ME ?

SHE DEDICATED HER LIFE

TO MICKIE MASHBURN TOO

AND THAT'S BEING

DISHONORED.

WELL, HOW IS THAT

BEING DISHONORED ?

WASN'T SURPRISED BY

WHAT HAPPENED,

I WAS ALREADY

PREPARED FOR THAT.

I AM READY TO MOVE FORWARD

WITH MY ATTORNEYS,

AND ALL I CAN SAY

IS LET'S GO TO THE FUTURE

AND LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

( woman )

WHAT IS THE FUTURE ?

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO FIGHT--

Y'KNOW, WHAT'S AHEAD NOW ?

THANK YOU,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

( woman )

THE HEART OF A MARRIAGE

IS THE NEED OF TWO PEOPLE

TO SHARE A LIFE,

WARMLY AND CLOSELY

AND FOREVER.

EVEN WITH THIS

VERY STRONG MOTIVATION,

BOTH OF THEM WILL HAVE TO

MAKE THE COMPROMISES

THAT ARE INEVITABLE

BEFORE TWO PEOPLE,

ANY TWO PEOPLE,

CAN LIVE TOGETHER IN HARMONY.

( man )

SO HOW DID IT COME THAT

YOU DO ALL THE COOKING ?

DO YOU DO ANY OF

THE COOKING, LOUIS ?

HE HAS THIS WONDERFUL

TALENT, AND I DON'T.

YOU KNOW, ON TELEVISION,

PEOPLE SAID, EVERY MAN

HAD TO COOK ONE DAY A WEEK

SO THAT A WIFE CAN STAY ONE DAY

NO COOKING,

CAN SIT DOWN, HAVE A DRINK.

AND SO I SAID TO HIM HE MUST

COOK ONE DAY IN THE WEEK.

BUT HE DOESN'T DO IT.

( laughter )

WHAT CAN YOU DO ?

THIS IS MY ROOM,

HE HAS HIS ROOM OVER THERE.

SO YOU DO NOT SLEEP

IN THE SAME BED ?

NO, HE CANNOT

SLEEP WITH ME.

OH, ALL RIGHT.

THEN HE GET HOT

AND WARM AND...

( Louis )

HE'S SNORING ALL THE TIME.

MARRIAGE IS

THE MOST INTIMATE BOND

TWO PEOPLE CAN EVER

GET INTO.

AND IF YOU

REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER,

THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT,

DON'T YOU ?

WE ARE TOGETHER

FOR 36 YEARS,

SO I THINK WE HAVE

THE RIGHT TO MARRY.

( chatter )

( applause )

( Louis )

IT WAS... A HAZE.

I MEAN, I FELT LIKE THIS

ISN'T REALLY HAPPENING.

( speaking Dutch )

( applause )

( woman )

IT'S VERY HAPPY,

EVERYBODY'S WAVING AT YOU,

AND EVERYBODY'S HAPPY,

AND IT'S JUST NICE !

IT'S A BIG PARTY.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY,

THE SUN IS SHINING.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

( cheering )

( man )

I GUESS IT'S HARD TO BE MARRIED

WHEN YOU'RE GAY, YOU KNOW ?

( man )

WELL, I GUESS.

BUT NOT IN HOLLAND.

NO, BUT I MEAN JUST BEING

MARRIED AND BE GAY IS HARD.

WHAT DO YOU THINK

THE DIFFERENCE IS ?

IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN

A STRAIGHT RELATIONSHIP.

CAN YOU EXPAND

ON THAT ?

OH, YOU KNOW...

PUT YOU

ON THE SPOT ?

I DON'T KNOW...

WELL, YOU KNOW,

WE'RE NOT ALL GAY HERE

SO YOU CAN ASK ME.

( laughing )

( man )

WHY IT'S EASY

FOR YOU, TELL US ?

WHY IS IT EASY FOR ME,

DARLING ?

WHY IS IT

MORE EASY FOR ME ?

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT

YOU'RE SAYING NOW.

I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S HARDER TO

KEEP A STRAIGHT--

LIKE, A GAY RELATIONSHIP

MORE STEADY THAN A STRAIGHT

RELATIONSHIP, YOU KNOW ?

YOU HAVE TO

PROVE YOURSELF.

YES, AS WELL.

WHAT ABOUT GUYS

WHO GET MARRIED, THEN ?

DO YOU THINK THEY'LL

HAVE LONGER,

MORE COMMITTED

RELATIONSHIPS ?

NO, I THINK THAT'S BULLSHIT,

IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT.

WE SAW TWO FRIENDS

OF OURS,

THEY GOT

MARRIED FOR A YEAR AGO.

NOW THEY GOT DIVORCED.

IT'S HAPPENING TO

STRAIGHT PEOPLE, AS WELL.

BUT, I MEAN, IT'S NOT

THAT NORMAL--

I MEAN, IT'S SO NORMAL,

SO YOU'RE ONLY, YOU KNOW,

WATCHING

"THE GAY PEOPLE,"

ACTUALLY, I THINK.

BECAUSE, I MEAN, THE STRAIGHT

PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS, AS WELL.

NICE.

WELL, THERE WOULD BE SEVERAL

POSITIVE ARGUMENTS WHY

IT IS GOOD FOR MARRIAGE

IF SAME-SEX COUPLES

CAN MARRY.

ONE OF THEM IS THAT

MARRIAGE THEN BY DEFINITION

BECOMES GENDER-NEUTRAL.

THAT IN A MARRIAGE WHICH IS

OPEN TO SAME-SEX COUPLES

YOU CANNOT HAVE A DIVIDED

POSITION FOR THE HUSBAND

AND FOR THE WIFE.

SO IN THE WAY OF

EQUALIZING THE POSITION

OF MEN AND WOMEN

INSIDE MARRIAGE.

OPENING UP MARRIAGE

TO WOMEN OR TO MEN MAY HELP.

THAT MAY BE,

FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE,

A GOOD THING.

FROM A MORE GENERAL, TRADITIONAL

PERSPECTIVE OF MARRIAGE,

THERE HAS BEEN A TREND THAT

LESS PEOPLE WANTED TO MARRY;

THEY JUST WANTED TO COHABIT.

AND MARRIAGE THEREFORE

BECAME LESS IMPORTANT.

YOU WOULD THINK THAT PEOPLE

IN SUPPORT OF MARRIAGE

WOULD BE HAPPY,

THAT NOW OTHER COUPLES

WANT TO JOIN THE INSTITUTION

OF MARRIAGE.

AND TAKE THIS FULL

RESPONSIBILITY

FOR EACH OTHER AND

TOWARDS SOCIETY

IN THE SHAPE OF MARRIAGE.

SO IN THAT WAY,

IF MORE PEOPLE

JOINED MARRIAGE,

MARRIAGE WOULD BE STRONGER

AND PROBABLY LAST LONGER

AND BE A MORE IMPORTANT

SOCIAL PHENOMENON.

( singing in Hebrew )

WHEN WE DROVE WITH

THE MARRIAGE CAR TO THE CITY,

THERE WAS THIS BUNCH OF

OLD LADIES FROM THE SOUTH,

FROM THE SOUTHERN PROVINCE

OF LINDBERGH

AND THEY WERE DOING A

BICYCLE TOUR THROUGH AMSTERDAM

AND THEY STOPPED WHEN

THEY SAW US,

"A MARRIAGE,

A GAY MARRIAGE !"

AND THEY ALL STARTED-- AND THEY

WAVED AND THEY WANTED THE CAKE.

THEY WANTED TO

KNOW EVERYTHING.

YES, "WHERE IS

THE MARRIAGE ?

CAN WE COME BY

TO HAVE A DRINK ?"

AND IT WAS FANTASTIC !

THESE OLD LADIES,

IN THEIR 60s

IN THEIR FLOWER SKIRTS

FROM THE SOUTH.

VERY CATHOLIC,

STAUNCH CATHOLICS,

AND THEY JUST LOVED IT.

MAZEL TOV. I WANT TO SEE YOUR

BABIES. I WANT TO BE--

I'M A BIT UPSET YOU DIDN'T

INVITE ME TO BE MATRON OF HONOR,

BUT YOU ASKED THIS GUY

TO SIGN YOUR WITNESS THING.

I THINK WE'RE MADE

FOR EACH OTHER.

ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS

WE WANTED TO MARRY

IS THAT YOU ARRANGE ALL SORTS

OF LEGAL AFFAIRS IN ONE STROKE.

AND THAT IS EASY

FOR INHERITANCE

BUT ALSO FOR VISITING RIGHTS

IN HOSPITALS, UM--

TRAVELING TOGETHER...

TRAVELING, TAX--

BUSINESS TRIPS--

TAX, YEAH.

SOCIAL SECURITY,

EVERYTHING.

AND IN HOLLAND,

WE HAVE A SAYING

THAT A COUNTRY,

A CIVILIZATION,

A GREAT CIVILIZATION

YOU CAN JUDGE ON THE WAY

IT TREATS ITS MINORITIES.

AND IF IT TREATS ITS

MINORITIES WELL,

THEN IT'S

A CIVILIZED COUNTRY.

ACTUALLY THERE'S

EARL'S HOUSE SHOES.

I STILL GOT THEM.

THAT'S ONE OF THEM.

( Sam )

YES.

I WAS LOOKING

FOR HIS LIVING WILL

BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL

WANTED IT.

A COPY OF IT.

I FOUND IT THE DAY

AFTER HE PASSED AWAY.

BUT I HAD FOUND

HIS WILL.

I HADN'T BROUGHT IT,

BUT I THOUGHT THEY WAS BOTH

TOGETHER BUT THEY WEREN'T.

AND THE LADY-- THE NURSE

AT THE HOSPITAL SAID

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE

NEEDED IT ANYWAY

BECAUSE THEY

COULDN'T SAVE HIM.

HERE'S THE FEED.

THE PEOPLE

THAT YOU TRUSTED

AND THOUGHT WERE YOUR

REALLY GOOD FRIENDS...

THEN YOU GET A LETTER

LIKE THAT FROM THEM.

AND BASICALLY

THEY'RE ATTEMPTING

TO STEAL THE ESTATE FROM SAM.

( man )

THIS IS DAD'S HOME,

THEY BUILT THIS HOUSE.

WHEN DAD AND EARL

GOT TOGETHER,

THERE WAS NOTHING

STANDING HERE-- NOTHING.

NO BARNS, NO HOUSE,

NO NOTHING.

DAD AND EARL

DESIGNED THIS HOUSE,

THEY DESIGNED THOSE BARNS,

THEY HAD THEM BUILT.

DAD PUT HIS BLOOD, SWEAT

AND TEARS INTO THIS PLACE

JUST LIKE EARL DID.

AND I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT

THAT THE COUSINS CAN COME IN

HERE AND SAY,

"JUST BECAUSE WE'RE RELATED

WE GOT BLOOD KIN TO IT,

WE CAN JUST COME IN

HERE AND TAKE THIS PLACE."

BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE

TWO SIGNATURES BESIDES HIS,

IT ONLY HAD ONE NOTARY PUBLIC,

THEY'RE CLAIMING

IT'S NOT A LEGAL WILL.

ALTHOUGH, EVERYBODY AGREED

IT WAS HIS SIGNATURE.

NOBODY CONTESTED THAT ONE BIT.

IT WAS HIS SIGNATURE

ON THE WILL.

( man )

BECAUSE IT'S TWO MEN,

THERE WAS NO WAY TO HAVE

A MARITAL RELATIONSHIP THERE

THAT THE LAW WOULD RECOGNIZE.

AND SO THESE COUSINS,

WHO DONATED NOTHING,

HAD NO CONTACT BASICALLY

WITH EARL, UH,

Y'KNOW, FOR

THE LAST 20 YEARS

ARE GONNA BE UNJUSTLY

ENRICHED.

( rooster crowing )

HEY, DAD...

YOU THINK IT'S ABOUT

TIME WE WEAN THESE THINGS ?

YOU THINK IT'S GETTIN' CLOSE

TO TIME TO WEAN THESE ?

YEAH, THOSE ARE READY.

( man )

SO HOW DO FEEL

ABOUT THIS ?

I MEAN, REALLY...

IF EARL AND SAM COULD HAVE

GOTTEN MARRIED,

THEN YOU'D BE--

HEY, THEY WERE MARRIED.

THE WAY I CONSIDER IT,

THEY WERE MARRIED.

THEY LIVED

TOGETHER FOR 22 YEARS,

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH MARRIED.

YOU RARELY SEE VERY

MANY STRAIGHT MARRIAGES

GO PAST 15 YEARS.

USUALLY THEY JUST--

ONE ANOTHER.

START KILLING EACH OTHER.

OCCASIONALLY,

YOU SEE THE OLD COUPLES

WHO'VE BEEN MARRIED 35,

40 YEARS.

THAT'S THE WAY I FELT.

THEY WERE MARRIED,

NOTHING TO IT.

JUST PARENTS TO ME.

HE WAS COOL.

BUSINESSLIKE,

BUT HE WAS COOL.

SILLY GUINEA...

THERE WE GO.

BIRTH OF A GUINEA !

THERE'S ( bleep ),

DALE, KENNETH, DORIS,

THE BOYS' MOTHER,

EARL AND ME.

AND IT DOES

RESEMBLE ALL OF US

EXCEPT THIS PART HERE,

AND THIS.

I'VE NEVER WORN A SCARF

AROUND MY NECK IN MY LIFE.

I WOULD CONSIDER THAT

A LITTLE BIT

ON THE NELLY SIDE.

( man )

SO THIS IS WHERE

YOU MIGHT MOVE

IF EVERYTHING GOES SOUR, HUH ?

YEAH, IF EVERYTHING GOES SOUR,

THIS WILL BE MY HOME.

I'LL COME AND REDO

THIS AND MOVE HERE.

NOT MUCH ELSE I CAN DO.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT HOMOSEXUALS

REALLY WANT TO MARRY.

I THINK THEY

WANT TO DESTROY MARRIAGE

AND THEN RECREATE IT

IN THEIR OWN--

ACCORDING TO

THEIR OWN INTERPRETATION

WITH ALL OF THE BENEFITS

BUT WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT

THAT DEPENDS--

THAT MEANS

SO MUCH TO CHILDREN--

WHY WOULD THEY WANNA

DESTROY MARRIAGE ?

IF THEY WANT TO DESTROY IT,

WHY DO THEY WANNA BE MARRIED ?

I DON'T THINK THEY WANNA

BE MARRIED, MOST OF THEM.

TODAY IS VALENTINE'S DAY

IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

AND AROUND THE NATION AS WELL AS

OUR FRIENDS IN CANADA.

WE'RE GOING ALL OUT TO OUR

COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICES

TO GET MARRIED.

HE AND I HAVE BEEN TOGETHER

FOR 18 YEARS.

THE ONE THING I WANNA DO BEFORE

WE DIE IS TO MARRY LEGALLY.

WE JUST CELEBRATED

OUR 24th ANNIVERSARY.

WE JUST FEEL WE SHOULD BE GIVEN

THE RIGHT TO LEGALLY MARRY.

WHAT'S THE LETTER SAY,

IS IT A REJECTION LETTER ?

IT SAYS "THE CLERK ONLY

ISSUES MARRIAGE LICENSE

ONLY TO AN UNMARRIED MALE

AND AN UNMARRIED FEMALE."

OKAY, BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH

UNMARRIED MALES.

DO YOU THINK GAY PEOPLE

SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE MARRIED ?

I MEAN, YOU MARRY PEOPLE

EVERYDAY, RIGHT ?

WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT YEAR

ON VALENTINE'S DAY AGAIN.

AND WE'LL ENCOURAGE

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO COME

UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO MARRY

IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

WE KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT.

WE HAVE A SON WHO IS GAY

WHO IS IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER MAN

AND HE CAN'T GET MARRIED

ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND WE WANNA KNOW WHY OUR SON IS

BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

IT WOULD BE GREAT

IF WE GOT A LICENSE TODAY.

IT REALLY WOULD BE.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE CITY'S

READY BUT WE'VE BEEN READY.

YES, I'D LIKE A MARRIAGE

LICENSE APPLICATION.

WHERE ARE THE BRIDE

AND THE GROOM ?

THE BRIDE AND THE GROOM

HAVE TO BE TOGETHER.

COME ON, DEAR,

HONEY, COME OVER HERE.

THAT'S US.

FILL THIS FORM OUT

AND GET IN LINE ALL THE WAY

AGAINST THE WALL TO MY RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, AN APPLICATION

FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE, PLEASE.

NOW YOU'RE REALLY

CONFUSING ME.

NO, NOT AT ALL.

BRIDE AND GROOM

CAN GET AN APPLICATION

FOR A MARRIAGE LICENSE,

BUT GROOM AND GROOM...

WHY NOT ?

MY OTHER

TWO SISTERS--

THE OTHER TWO, THAT'S WHY

I'M GETTING CONFUSED HERE.

THEY'RE COMING UP

BRIDE AND BRIDE,

BRIDE AND BRIDE

AND THEN GROOM AND GROOM.

WE NEED TO GET YOU

A DOMESTIC.

NO, WE WANNA

GET MARRIED.

YOU CAN HAVE A

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP.

YEAH, WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT,

WE WANNA DO THIS.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW,

AT THIS POINT...

( woman )

IT TOOK BRAVERY

ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WINDOW

50 YEARS AGO

TO STOP SEPARATE AND EQUAL,

SEPARATE BUT EQUAL LAWS

IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND WE'RE NOT EVEN

SEPARATE AND EQUAL,

WE'RE NOT EVEN SEPARATE

AND EQUAL,

WE'RE SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL.

DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP IS VERY

UNEQUAL TO LEGAL MARRIAGE.

AND HE SAID, "THIS IS

THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE,

"YOU HAVE TO WORK ABOVE--

Y'KNOW, HAVE TO

WORK ON THE TOP."

SO AS I LEFT, I'M LIKE,

"WELL, SEGREGATED COFFEE SHOPS

WERE THE BOTTOM OF

THE TOTEM POLE."

IT WOULD HELP ME

TO HEAR FROM YOU

WHAT YOU THINK IT WOULD

COST YOU, FOR EXAMPLE,

TO RUN ONE APPLICATION

THROUGH AS A--

WE WON'T DO IT.

I KNOW YOU WON'T BUT I

WANNA HEAR FROM YOU WHY,

LIKE WHAT IT WOULD COST YOU.

LET ME BE CLEAR,

NOT WHAT IT COSTS ME,

THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.

I AM BANNED FROM

ISSUING A LICENSE.

NOW, IF I GET AN ORDER

FROM A COURT

ORDERING ME TO

GIVE YOU A LICENSE,

I HAVE NO IF'S OR BUT'S

ABOUT IT, I WILL DO IT.

CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW, I CANNOT

DO THAT UNDER THE LAW.

YOU CAN KIND OF TELL THAT

THE PEOPLE ARE SYMPATHETIC

LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL

IN THEIR LIVES

BUT IT'S AN INSTITUTIONAL THING

THAT'S BEEN CARRIED FOR YEARS

AND IT'S LARGE.

AND ALSO, THE KIND OF LAZINESS

THAT COMES WITH BUREAUCRACY

WHERE IT'S JUST LIKE, "WELL,

I DON'T FEEL LIKE CHANGING IT,

"YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE

CHANGING IT.

GO SEE THE GUY DOWN THE HALL."

AND I GUESS THIS IS JUST

THE WAY TO DO IT,

ONE LITTLE

CHIP AT A TIME.

SO...

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP

IN THE SOUTH

DURING THE '40s AND THE '50s,

THE GREAT MAJORITY OF

THE PEOPLE IN THAT REGION

BELIEVED THAT BLACK PEOPLE

SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ENTER

PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION.

AND THEY FELT THAT

BLACK PEOPLE

SHOULDN'T BE ABLE

TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

AND MANY PEOPLE FELT THAT WAS

RIGHT, BUT THAT WAS WRONG.

I THINK AS POLITICIANS,

AS ELECTED OFFICIALS,

WE SHOULD NOT ONLY FOLLOW

BUT WE MUST LEAD,

LEAD OUR DISTRICTS.

YOU CANNOT TELL PEOPLE

THEY CANNOT FALL IN LOVE.

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

USED TO SAY

WHEN PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT

INTERRACIAL MARRIAGES,

AND I QUOTE, "RACES DO NOT

FALL IN LOVE AND GET MARRIED.

INDIVIDUALS FALL IN LOVE

AND GET MARRIED."

WHY DON'T YOU WANT

YOUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN,

YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS,

TO BE HAPPY ?

WHY DO YOU ATTACK THEM ?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO DESTROY

THE LOVE THEY HOLD

IN THEIR HEARTS ?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO CRUSH THEIR

HOPES, THEIR DREAMS,

THEIR LONGINGS,

THEIR ASPIRATIONS ?

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT

HUMAN BEINGS.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU.

PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GET MARRIED,

BUY A HOUSE

AND SPEND THEIR LIVES

WITH THE ONE THEY LOVE.

THEY HAVE DONE NO WRONG.

( thud )

WHAT ?

WHO'S THE WOMAN YOU'RE

SLEEPING WITH, SON ?

I'M HIS WIFE.

WHAT ?

NOT HERE YOU AIN'T.

IN THE EARLY '60s,

RICHARD LOVING, A WHITE MAN,

AND MILDRED JETER,

A BLACK WOMAN,

FELL IN LOVE

AND WANTED TO GET MARRIED.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WEREN'T

ALLOWED TO DO SO

BECAUSE THE LAW IN

THEIR STATE DEFINED MARRIAGE

AS ONLY BETWEEN PEOPLE OF

THE "RIGHT" RACES.

AND SO RICHARD AND MILDRED

LEFT VIRGINIA

AND WENT AND GOT MARRIED.

SOMETIME LATER, THEY'RE AWAKENED

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

BY A KNOCK ON THE DOOR

AND WERE ACTUALLY ARRESTED

BY SHERIFFS AND POLICE OFFICIALS

OF THE STATE OF VIRGINIA,

WHO CHARGED THEM WITH

THE "CRIME"

OF WRONGFUL MARRIAGE,

OF MARRYING THE WRONG

KIND OF PERSON.

ON THE COUNT OF MISCEGENATION,

I FIND DEFENDANT

RICHARD PERRY LOVING

AND DEFENDANT

MILDRED DELORES JETER

GUILTY AS CHARGED.

AND THE JUDGE TOLD THEM

THAT THEY COULD EITHER

SPEND THE NEXT YEAR IN JAIL

OR COULD GO INTO

EXILE FOR 25 YEARS,

LEAVING THE STATE OF VIRGINIA.

THE COUPLE CHOSE TO

REMAIN MARRIED

AND LEAVE THE STATE OF VIRGINIA,

AND THEY WENT TO THE DISTRICT

OF COLUMBIA AND GOT A LAWYER.

COURT AFTER COURT UPHELD

THIS HORRIBLE LAW

AND SAID THAT THIS

WAS THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.

ONE JUDGE WROTE, FOR EXAMPLE,

"ALMIGHTY GOD..."

ALMIGHTY GOD

CREATED THE RACES--

WHITE, BLACK, YELLOW,

MALAY, AND RED.

AND HE PLACED THEM

ON SEPARATE CONTINENTS.

AND BUT FOR THE INTERFERENCE

WITH HIS ARRANGEMENT,

THERE WOULD BE NO

CAUSE FOR SUCH MARRIAGES.

THE FACT THAT HE SEPARATED

THE RACES SHOWS

THAT HE DID NOT

INTEND FOR THE RACES TO MIX.

AND GOD'S DEFINITION

OF MARRIAGE--

GOD'S DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE--

THE SEPARATION OF THE RACES

WOULD REMAIN INTACT,

AND HE UPHELD THIS RESTRICTION.

SO DID THE VIRGINIA

SUPREME COURT.

WELL, WHEN THAT CASE CAME

FROM THE VIRGINIA SUPREME COURT

BEFORE THE UNITED STATES

SUPREME COURT,

THE STATE'S ATTORNEYS

WERE STILL ARGUING THAT

THE DEFINITION OF

MARRIAGE ITSELF

MEANT THAT THIS COUPLE

COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE MARRIED.

MARRIAGE DOES NOT MEAN TWO MEN

OR TWO WOMEN GETTING MARRIED;

IT JUST DOESN'T MEAN THAT.

THEY ARGUED THAT, IF WE ALLOWED

INTERRACIAL COUPLES TO MARRY,

SOCIETY WOULD FALL APART.

IF MARRIAGE GOES,

THEN THE FAMILY GOES.

AND IF THE FAMILY GOES, WE HAVE

NONE OF THE DECENCY

OR ORDERED LIBERTY WHICH

AMERICANS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP

TO ENJOY AND TO APPRECIATE.

THEY ARGUED THAT IT

WOULD BE BAD FOR THE CHILDREN.

SHOULD WE TELL THE CHILDREN

OF AMERICA THAT,

IN THE EYES OF THE LAW,

THE PARTIES TO A HOMOSEXUAL

UNION ARE ENTITLED

TO ALL THE RIGHTS

AND PRIVILEGES AND BENEFITS

THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RESERVED

FOR A MAN AND A WOMAN

UNITED IN MARRIAGE ?

THEY ARGUED THAT IT WOULD BE

UNFAIR TO DIFFERENT STATES

THAT DIDN'T WANT TO ALLOW

THESE "KINDS OF COUPLES"

TO MARRY.

NO ONE STATE OF THE UNION

CAN HAVE ITS DECISION

OF ITS PEOPLE OVERRIDDEN,

RUN ROUGHSHOD,

BY PEOPLE FROM-- JUDGES FROM--

ANOTHER STATE.

THEY MADE VERY MUCH THE SAME

KINDS OF ARGUMENTS THAT WE

HEAR TODAY MADE TO DEFEND

SEX DISCRIMINATION IN MARRIAGE.

BUT FORTUNATELY, IN 1967,

UNLIKE IN PREVIOUS CASES,

THE UNITED STATES

SUPREME COURT HAD HAD ENOUGH.

AND THE COURT RULED

THAT ALL AMERICANS

HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL

RIGHT TO MARRY,

THAT IT IS A BASIC

HUMAN RIGHT, A BASIC FREEDOM,

AND THE COURT STRUCK

THAT BAN DOWN.

( man )

WHEN YOUR CHILDREN GROW UP,

HOW WOULD YOU WANT

THEM TO MARRY ?

WELL, I THINK I'LL

LEAVE THAT UP TO THEM.

THEY'LL DECIDE THAT

FOR THEMSELVES.

Tampa police officer's

pension benefits isn't over.

Officer Lois Marrero

died in a bank robber's

ambush last July.

( Mickie Mashburn )

I'M PROUD OF WHO I AM

AND WHO I WAS WITH.

SO I'M VERY DRIVEN

AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE DRIVEN.

AND I THINK I HAVE

A LOT OF THAT

FROM LOIS'S ALSO DOING THAT,

BECAUSE LOIS WAS SO DRIVEN

IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

IF YOU TOLD HER, "WELL,

YOU REALLY CAN'T DO THAT,"

SHE'D GO, "OH, IT'S GONNA

BE DONE.

I WILL GET IT DONE.

I WILL ACHIEVE IT

SOMEHOW."

AND SHE ALWAYS DID.

SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE

I'M AT RIGHT NOW.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN

ABLE TO MARRY LEGALLY,

THAT, OBVIOUSLY,

IS ONE OF THE...

PENSION-- ONE OF THE...

I THINK

JUST THE TWO--

YOU HAVE TO EITHER BE

LEGALLY MARRIED

OR HAVE LEGAL DEPENDENTS

THAT YOU CAN

LEAVE YOUR PENSION TO.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY TWO CASES

PRIOR TO JULY THIRD.

( man )

SO WHAT WOULD

HAVE HAPPENED ?

WOULD THERE HAVE BEEN

THIS BOARD HEARING ?

NO, THERE WOULD BE NO

BOARD HEARING WHATSOEVER.

IT WOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC.

AND THERE WOULD BE

NO QUESTIONS WHATSOEVER

AS TO THE STATUS OF

THEIR RELATIONSHIP.

IT WOULDN'T MATTER.

( woman )

DO YOU SWEAR THAT THE TESTIMONY

YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE

IN THE CAUSE

NOW PENDING SHALL

BE THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH,

AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH ?

I DO.

LOIS MARRERO WAS KILLED

ON JULY 6, 2001

BEFORE SHE EVER HAD A

CHANCE TO DESIGNATE MICKIE

AS HER BENEFICIARY.

AND MICKIE'S CLAIM IS BASED ON

THIS VIOLATION OF CHAPTER 185.

SHE'S HERE TODAY

ASKING THE BOARD

TO CORRECT THAT VIOLATION

IN THE ONLY WAY THAT'S

POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT IN TIME,

AND THAT IS BY YOU ALL AS

A FACT-FINDING BODY

MAKING A DETERMINATION

AS TO WHO LOIS WOULD HAVE NAMED

AS HER BENEFICIARY IF SHE

HAD BEEN GIVEN

HER LEGAL RIGHT TO DO THAT.

( woman )

MS. MORGAN, HOW DO YOU

KNOW MICKIE AND LOIS ?

THEY'RE MY BEST FRIENDS

AND MY NEIGHBORS.

( Shannon Minter )

SO THEY WERE BOTH

YOUR NEIGHBORS

AND YOUR

PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES ?

THAT'S CORRECT.

WERE YOU AWARE

THAT LOIS AND MICKIE

HAD BEEN MARRIED,

WERE MARRIED ?

YEAH, I REMEMBER WHEN

THEY STARTED DATING.

BY THE TIME LOIS WAS KILLED,

WERE MOST PEOPLE ON THE FORCE

THAT LOIS WORKED WITH--

MICKIE AND LOIS

WORKED WITH AWARE

THAT THEY WERE IN

A RELATIONSHIP ?

EVERYBODY WAS.

AND DID MOST PEOPLE ACCEPT

THAT AND RESPECT THAT ?

OF COURSE.

I HAD NO IDEA.

ONE DAY I SEEN--

I WAS TALKING TO LOIS,

AND I NOTICED SHE HAD A RING.

AND THEN IT WAS A COUPLE

DAYS LATER, MAYBE A WEEK,

I SAW MICKIE HAD ONE,

AND I JUST THOUGHT,

"OH WOW,

THEY HAVE THE SAME RING."

AND I WAS TALKING TO

A NEIGHBOR WHO SAID,

"WELL, DON'T YOU KNOW ?"

AND I SAID, "NO."

AND NEXT THING I KNOW,

I'M GOING,

"THAT IS SO COOL."

I JUST, I WAS JUST,

I WAS BLOWN AWAY.

I JUST THOUGHT

IT WAS REALLY COOL.

NOW, CAN YOU TELL US

WHAT IS A HOLY UNION ?

A HOLY UNION IS ASKING

GOD'S BLESSING UPON A COUPLE,

ENCOURAGING AND AFFIRMING

THEM IN A PUBLIC WAY,

TO ENCOURAGE

A RELATIONSHIP,

NOT UNLIKE A HOLY MATRIMONY.

IN THE RELIGIOUS SENSE,

IT'S THE SAME THING.

AND DOES THIS MEAN THAT

THE PARTICIPANTS ARE MAKING

A LIFETIME COMMITMENT

TO ONE ANOTHER ?

OH, YES.

NOW, IF A SAME-SEX COUPLE

WHO HAVE UNDERGONE

A HOLY UNION CEREMONY WANT TO

TERMINATE THEIR RELATIONSHIP,

DOES THE CHURCH HAVE ANY

KIND OF PROVISION FOR THAT ?

YES, IF YOU'VE HAD

A HOLY UNION

IN THE METROPOLITAN

COMMUNITY CHURCHES,

YOU HAVE TO FIND THE PASTOR

WHO PERFORMED THAT CEREMONY,

AND A RITE OF

DISSOLUTIONMENT--

A DOCUMENT OF DISSOLUTIONMENT

IS WRITTEN,

AND ALL PARTIES WHO

WERE INVOLVED IN THAT CEREMONY

HAVE TO SIGN THAT DOCUMENT.

AND PRIOR TO LOIS'S DEATH,

DID EITHER MICKIE OR LOIS

CONTACT THE M.C.C. CHURCH

TO FILE FOR A

DISSOLUTION ?

NO, THEY DID NOT.

DURING YOUR

WEDDING CEREMONY,

DID YOU AND LOIS

EXCHANGE RINGS ?

AH, WE DID EXCHANGE RINGS.

MATTER OF FACT,

HER SISTER

AND HER BROTHER-IN-LAW

HAD THE RINGS

AND THEY WERE GIVEN TO US,

AND LOIS PLACED THE RING

ON MY FINGER

AND I PLACED

THE RING ON HER FINGER.

AND DID YOU AND LOIS CONTINUE

WEARING THOSE WEDDING BANDS ?

UP UNTIL THE DAY

THAT SHE WAS KILLED.

AND YOU WERE ACTUALLY PRESENT

WHEN MICKIE LEARNED THAT

LOIS HAD BEEN KILLED,

HAD BEEN SHOT ?

YES.

AND YOU WERE ACTUALLY

THE ONE THAT INFORMED HER ?

YES.

WHAT WERE SOME OF MICKIE'S

CONCERNS AS YOU TOLD HER ?

CAN YOU JUST

TELL US BRIEFLY ?

UM...

UH, ONE OF

THE FIRST THINGS WAS

THAT SHE WANTED TO

GO TO LOIS.

AND MYSELF AND ANOTHER

OF THE OFFICERS IN THERE,

WE BASICALLY PICKED HER UP

BY THE ELBOWS

AND MOVED HER INTO

THE SERGEANT'S OFFICE

WHERE IT WAS A LITTLE ROOMIER

AND GOT HER INTO

A DIFFERENT CHAIR.

I WAS CONCERNED THAT SHE

MIGHT BE WEAK OR UPSET

AND THAT SHE

COULD FALL OR SOMETHING,

AND I DIDN'T WANT HER

TO HURT HERSELF.

AND BY THE TIME

WE GOT HER SEATED,

MY HUSBAND CALLED

COMMUNICATIONS

TO TRY TO GET

MORE INFORMATION

BECAUSE MICKIE KEPT ASKING

IF SHE WAS GONE.

AND MY HUSBAND SAID

THAT HE TALKED TO RADIO

AND THAT LOIS COULD

STILL BE ALIVE,

THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON HER.

AND THEN ABOUT

A MINUTE OR TWO PASSED,

AND MICKIE SAID,

"SHE'S GONE."

AND I SAID, "MICKIE,

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YET,

YOU DON'T KNOW THAT."

SHE SAID,

"YEAH, SHE'S GONE.

I CAN FEEL IT IN MY HEART

THAT SHE'S GONE."

AND THEN SHE SAID,

"PLEASE TAKE ME TO HER,

PLEASE TAKE ME TO HER."

AND MICKIE INSISTED

THAT I GO TO FIND BRENDA--

MICKIE WAS CONCERNED

THAT LOIS'S MOTHER

WOULD TURN ON THE TV

BECAUSE IT WAS LUNCHTIME

AND SHE WAS WORRIED ABOUT

THE NEWS,

SO SHE SAID,

"PLEASE GET TO BRENDA

SO SHE CAN GET TO LOIS'S MOM

SO THAT LOIS'S MOM

WON'T JUST FLIP THE TV ON

AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON."

DID MICKIE INVITE YOU

TO BE A PALLBEARER

AT LOIS'S FUNERAL ?

YES, SHE DID.

AND DO YOU RECALL

WHERE MICKIE WAS SITTING

AT THE FUNERAL ?

SHE WAS SITTING UP FRONT,

ONE OF THE FIRST PEWS

IN THE CHURCH.

AND DO YOU RECALL WHAT

THE CHIEF DID WITH THE FLAG

ON LOIS'S COFFIN ?

WHEN-- AT THE CEREMONY,

AT THE CEMETERY,

HE HANDED OFF

THE FLAG TO HER,

WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH A

SPOUSE OR A LIFE PARTNER.

( Karen Doering )

IF LOIS HAD BEEN

GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY

TO DESIGNATE A BENEFICIARY,

WHO WOULD SHE HAVE

DESIGNATED ?

WITHOUT A DOUBT,

MICKIE MASHBURN.

BASED ON YOUR

FRIENDSHIP WITH LOIS,

IF SHE'D BEEN GIVEN

THE OPPORTUNITY

TO DESIGNATE A BENEFICIARY

TO RECEIVE HER

PENSION DEATH BENEFITS,

WHO DO YOU THINK THAT

PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN ?

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MICKIE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY

DOUBT ABOUT THAT ?

NO DOUBT AT ALL.

THERE ISN'T A DOUBT IN MY MIND

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MICKIE.

NOT AT THIS TIME.

NO, SIR.

NOT AT THIS TIME.

( man )

I GOT IT, RIGHT HERE.

I REALLY HAVE TO GET

MYSELF TOGETHER

'CAUSE I'M TIRED,

AND HOPEFULLY

BE ABLE TO COME BACK

AND TALK TO EVERYBODY

A LITTLE BIT LATER.

YOU WOULD HOPE THAT

EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE

AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIND.

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT

THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE TODAY

SPOKE FROM THEIR HEARTS

AND SPOKE THE TRUTH.

THE LAW HAS TO CHANGE,

NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF,

FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

IT'S LIKE WAS STATED IN

THE HEARING TODAY,

THIS IS NOT A GAY ISSUE,

THIS IS EVERYONE'S ISSUE,

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING

AND STRIVING TOWARDS.

SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT

OPENING UP OF MARRIAGE

TO SAME-SEX COUPLES WOULD RUIN

THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE.

I WOULD SAY TO THAT

THAT THE CHANGE

INVOLVED WITH

OPENING UP MARRIAGE

IS FAR LESS THAN

THE MORE IMPORTANT

CHANGES THAT--

WELL, IF PEOPLE REALLY CANNOT

GET ON WITH EACH OTHER

THEY CAN DIVORCE.

DIVORCE IS PROBABLY

A MUCH BIGGER CHANGE

TO TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

THAN THE ENTRY OF

SAME-SEX COUPLES.

AND PROBABLY, ALSO,

A BIG CHANGE IN MARRIAGE LAW

WAS THAT THE WOMAN USED TO BE

SUBJECT TO THE COMMANDS AND

WISHES OF THE HUSBAND.

MOST MARRIAGE LAWS

HAVE CHANGED THAT

AND THEREBY,

MARRIAGE HAS BECOME

AN INSTITUTION

OF TWO EQUALS.

( woman )

BY 1920 AND 1930 EVERY THIRD

MAGAZINE ARTICLE IS SAYING

THIS IS THE END OF MARRIAGE

AS WE KNOW IT.

THIS IS THE DEATH OF THE FAMILY.

THIS IS THE PERIOD OF

THE COLLAPSE

OF TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

BECAUSE SUDDENLY YOUNGSTERS

ARE BEHAVING BIZARRELY.

THEY'RE DATING, NOT ON

THE FRONT PORCH BUT OUT,

OUTSIDE OF THEIR PARENTS' VIEW,

AND THEY'RE

MARRYING FOR LOVE,

AND THEY'RE HAVING SEX

WITH CONTRACEPTION

RATHER THAN JUST

SETTLING DOWN RIGHT AWAY

TO WORK HARD AND RAISE BABIES.

FOR 50, 75 YEARS, EVEN

DISCUSSING CONTRACEPTION

WAS CONSIDERED DISGUSTING,

FILTHY AND PRURIENT

IN SOME TERRIBLE WAY.

THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN HAVE

SEX, NOT JUST FOR MAKING BABIES

BUT FOR MAKING INTIMACY,

FOR MAKING LOVE,

IS THE IDEA THAT'S

ENDORSED BY LEGAL CONTRACEPTION.

THAT WAS ALREADY ENDORSED IN

GRISWOLD VERSUS CONNECTICUT,

WHEN THE SUPREME COURT KNOCKED

DOWN THE LAST REMAINING LAW

BANNING THE USE

OF CONTRACEPTION.

AS A SOCIETY, WE HAVE DECIDED

THAT MAKING LOVE

IS A LEGITIMATE

REASON FOR HAVING SEX

AND FOR BEING MARRIED.

THIS IS THE PHILOSOPHY

SAME-SEX COUPLES FIT UNDER.

SOMETIMES, MARRIED PEOPLE

DON'T STAY IN LOVE.

WHAT MOTHER?

A HUSBAND AND THE WIFE

FALL OUT OF LOVE.

WHY DO THEY DO THAT?

THE SECOND BIG BATTLE OVER

PUBLIC MARRIAGE PHILOSOPHY

THAT LEADS TO

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

IS THE BATTLE OVER DIVORCE.

THEY GET UNMARRIED,

YOU SEE.

NO.

WELL, THEY DO,

THAT'S ALL.

THEY GET-- THEY GET WHAT IS

CALLED A DIVORCE.

AGAIN, NEARLY SPLIT

THE PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

CATHOLICS, THEY HAD DECIDED

THAT ALREADY-- NEVER.

BUT THE PROTESTANT

DENOMINATIONS WERE

TURNED INSIDE OUT OVER

THE DEBATE OF WHETHER

DIVORCE MIGHT

BE LEGAL FOR CAUSES OTHER THAN

THE TRADITIONAL PROTESTANT

CAUSES OF ATTEMPTED MURDER

OR ADULTERY.

AGAIN, THE PUBLIC MARRIAGE

PHILOSOPHY DECIDED THAT

WHEN YOU LOVE YOU MARRY,

AND WHEN LOVE IS GONE, YOU ARE

NO LONGER REALLY MARRIED.

IT IS NO LONGER

REALLY A FULLY MORAL MARRIAGE.

AND IF MARRIAGE IS

MADE BY LOVE,

SAME-SEX COUPLES BELONG.

( Sam )

A LOT OF

DIFFERENT KIND

OF BUGS,

GRASSHOPPERS.

( Sam )

THIS IS COUNTRY.

DIFFERENT KIND OF GRASSES.

GUESS EVERYTHING

HAS A RIGHT TO LIVE.

I JUST WISH SOME PEOPLE

WOULD LEAVE US ALONE...

THE WORMS WOULD

LEAVE US ALONE...

WORMS AND SCUMBAGS.

HURTS A LOT, BUT...

DAD AND EARL, Y'KNOW,

DAD WOULD SELL STUFF,

HE TOOK CARE OF THE TAXES,

TOOK CARE OF ALL

THE RECEIPTS ON THE PROPERTY.

DAD WOULD GO UP AND PAY

THE TAXES.

OF COURSE IT WAS

ALL IN EARL'S NAME,

BUT HE WENT UP AND PAID IT.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY

SCREWED UP BECAUSE,

WHEN EARL PASSED AWAY,

Y'KNOW, ALL DAD HAD WAS

ABOUT $2,000 TO HIS NAME.

AND WITHIN TWO DAYS AFTER

WE BURIED EARL,

IT WAS ALL TIED UP IN COURT.

( Sam )

AND I'VE GOTTA CALL

THAT ELECTRIC COMPANY

'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA

TURN MY ELECTRIC OFF

IF I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY,

AND I DON'T HAVE

THE MONEY TO PAY IT.

I NEED 900 AND SOME DOLLARS.

I CAN TAKE THAT

STUFF UP HERE

AND SELL IT BETTER

THAN THEY CAN OVER THERE.

WELL, I DON'T HAVE

THE $95, DO YOU ?

I WAS GOING TO GO SEE

IF I COULDN'T GET IT.

WHERE ARE

YOU GONNA GET IT ?

I'M NOT TELLING YOU.

( Sam )

$95 WOULD GIVE HIM

A BOOST FOR A MONTH

IN THE FLEA MARKET.

HOW MUCH MONEY

COULD YOU COME UP WITH ?

NOT THAT MUCH.

HOW MUCH ?

WELL, SCRAP !

I'M GONNA HAVE TO

TAKE THESE HORSES

TO THAT SALE TOO,

AND JUST SELL 'EM

FOR WHAT I CAN GET

OUT OF THEM.

I HATE DOIN' THAT 'CAUSE I

THINK THE WORLD OF MY HORSES.

LIKE SELLING A PART OF YOU,

BUT...

SEE, SOMEBODY CUT MY FENCE

RIGHT OVER THERE IN THE CORNER.

SEE WHAT THEY DID

TO THE DOOR ?

YEAH, MAN.

THE FIRE WENT

RIGHT DOWN THIS WAY.

WENT RIGHT OUT, AND IT BURNT

THE DOOR FACINGS AS IT WENT.

ALL THE DOOR FACINGS,

CLEAR OUT THE FRONT DOOR.

BURNT THE FRONT DOOR OUT.

DIDN'T BOTHER-- DIDN'T HURT

THE BED IN THERE THAT MUCH,

JUST SMOKED IT A LITTLE BIT.

WHICH IS FUNNY,

BECAUSE WHY WOULD IT CATCH

ALL THESE DOOR FACINGS

ON FIRE ?

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UNLESS SOMEBODY POURED

SOMETHING ON IT

AND POURED SOMETHING HERE.

THE FLOWERS STILL BLOOM.

SO, IT'S JUST...

ONE BIG MESS OF

GREEDY GRAVE ROBBERS.

EARL'S DAD, PAPA.

THIS WAS GRANNY, EARL'S MOTHER,

WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG.

BETTY LOU WOULD GIVE HER

LEFT NUT TO HAVE ONE OF THEM,

AND SHE AIN'T GOT ONE,

BUT SHE'D GIVE HER OLE

BOYFRIEND'S ONE, LEFT NUT.

SOMEBODY BEEN IN THIS ONE.

BOY, THEY HAD FLAT COME IN

AND STOLE STUFF.

MY GOD, THEY STOLE

AND THEY STOLE.

HI, SQUIRT-SQUIRT.

( banging )

ANGEL, WALK UP THE GATE,

COME UP BEHIND HIM...

( hooting )

( banging )

GET IN THERE...

GET IN THERE, LOAD UP.

HI, IRENE, THIS IS SAM.

I'VE GOTTA COME UP WITH 400

BY TOMORROW ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK

AND I--

WELL, ACTUALLY 500,

BUT I GOT 100 OF IT--

AND I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

IF THERE'S SOME WAY

I CAN GET IT,

BORROW IT FROM SOMEBODY

UNTIL TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK

AND GIVE IT BACK TO 'EM.

OKAY, AND I'LL SEE YOU

IN A LITTLE WHILE.

AND I DO

APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS A LOT, IRENE.

THANKS, BYE.

THAT'S EARL'S GRAVE.

THAT'S HIS MOTHER,

AND THAT'S HIS DAD,

AND THAT'S MINE OVER THERE.

I WISH THEY'D START PUTTING

FLOWERS ON MINE.

I'D LIKE TO HAVE MY

FLOWERS BEFORE I GO.

I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY PUT

ON THERE AFTER I'M DEAD.

THAT'S FINE.

THIS IS WHERE I WAS

GONNA GET MY-- HAVE MY GRAVE.

BUT SOME WOMAN

BOUGHT IT.

THEY WOULDN'T TELL ME WHO.

SAID SHE BOUGHT IT

THE DAY BEFORE.

I ALWAYS FIGURED

IT WAS BETTY LOU,

BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE.

( man )

SO DOES IT UPSET YOU,

YOU WON'T BE RIGHT NEXT

TO EARL ?

IT BOTHERS ME.

I WOULDN'T BE ABLE

TO LIVE WITH MYSELF,

IF SOMEBODY HANDED ME

A WILL AND SAID,

"THIS IS WHAT

I WANT IN IT,"

AND THEN I SAY, "I DON'T LIKE

WHAT YOU GOT IN YOUR WILL,

I'M GONNA FIGHT IT."

THIS HAS BEEN UNCLE SAM'S

HOME FOR THE LAST 24, 25 YEARS,

AND HERE THEY ARE WANTIN'

TO TAKE IT AWAY.

HOW WOULD THEY FEEL IF

THIS WAS TO HAPPEN TO THEM ?

SAY, HER HUSBAND'S KIDS

COME IN AND SAID,

"UH, I WANT YOU OUT."

( applauding )

OUR AIM IS A

DEMOCRATIC PEACE,

A PEACE FOUNDED UPON

THE DIGNITY AND RIGHTS

OF EVERY MAN

AND WOMAN.

( applauding )

WHEN I CAME TO THIS ROSTRUM

ON SEPTEMBER THE 20th, 2001,

I BROUGHT THE POLICE SHIELD

OF A FALLEN OFFICER,

MY REMINDER OF

LIVES THAT ENDED

IN A TASK THAT DOES NOT END.

I AM A NEW YORK CITY

POLICE OFFICER.

I WAS THE TYPE OF GUY

THAT WAS GAY AND HAPPY

AND LIVING IN HIDING.

I DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY HEART,

'CAUSE I HAD

THE WORLD,

I HAD A LIFE PARTNER

WHO WAS THE BEST THING IN

THE WORLD TO ME, Y'KNOW ?

17 MONTHS AGO,

ON SEPTEMBER 11th,

I LOST THAT MAN,

THE ONE MAN THAT I THOUGHT

I WOULD SPEND

THE REST OF MY LIFE WITH.

I RAN INTO THAT BUILDING

WHEN IT WAS COMING DOWN,

AND I'M SAYING,

"THIS ISN'T HAPPENING.

MY EDDY'S IN THERE, MY

FRIENDS ARE IN THERE."

I DIDN'T SAY, "LET ME

JUST SAVE THE GAY PEOPLE."

LET'S SAVE EVERYBODY.

( woman )

SHE WAS FINALLY IDENTIFIED

ON THE 12th OF OCTOBER.

THEY HAD DONE THE CREMATION,

AND THEY DELIVERED THE BOX DOWN.

SHE GAVE HER LIFE FOR

THE COUNTRY.

AND THAT'S WHAT

THIS WAS ALL ABOUT.

( woman )

WE'RE THE CRIMINAL INJURIES

COMPENSATION FUND.

AND WE'RE DESIGNED

TO HELP VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME

WITH COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED

WITH THE CRIME.

THE SECRETARY

CAME TO ME AND SAID,

"YEAH, THIS PERSON IS INELIGIBLE

UNDER THE LAW,"

AND WE STRUGGLED

WITH WHAT TO SAY.

WE UNDERSTAND OUR

SPECIAL CALLING.

THIS GREAT REPUBLIC

WILL LEAD THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM.

WHERE IS THE DEMOCRACY

AND FREEDOM

FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WHEN

OUR RIGHTS ARE NOT RESPECTED ?

CURRENTLY OUR GOVERNMENT

IS SAYING,

YOU KNOW, DON'T FALL

IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE

FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY

BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO

HAVE TO BE SENT BACK

TO THEIR COUNTRY.

I'M FROM ARGENTINA.

I CAME TO NEW YORK AND I MET

JESSE THREE YEARS AGO,

AND I FELL IN LOVE.

AND I MOVE HERE BECAUSE

I WANT TO BE WITH MY LOVE.

EVEN IF MARRIAGE BECOMES

LEGAL IN MASSACHUSETTS,

THE DISCRIMINATORY LAW OF

THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT

STILL NEEDS TO BE REPEALED

AND STRUCK DOWN

SO THAT OUR MARRIAGE WILL BE

RECOGNIZED ON A FEDERAL LEVEL,

AND MAX WILL RECEIVE

A GREEN CARD.

WHERE'S THE COMPASSION

WHEN THIS COUNTRY IS

FORCING US TO LEAVE ?

( Major Jane E. Castor )

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS THEIR

PERSONAL POINT OF VIEW.

I THINK A LOT OF

PEOPLE ON THE PENSION BOARD

PROBABLY WANTED TO VOTE TO

GIVE MICKIE THAT PENSION.

AND, YOU KNOW,

THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE

JUST BOUND BY THE LAW.

THE LAW STATES THAT YOU

HAVE TO BE LEGALLY MARRIED

IN ORDER TO GIVE IT.

WELL, WE'RE FIXING

TO GO INTO EIGHT MONTHS,

AND IT'S WEIRD,

IT'S HARD.

BUT I HAVE THE MEMORIES.

YOU KNOW, YOU TRY TO SIT BACK

AND THINK THAT LAST YEAR

AT THIS TIME

SHE WAS STILL ALIVE,

YOU KNOW, AND, FOR, YOU KNOW,

VALENTINE'S, SHE...

WHERE YOU SEND OUT,

SEND OFF FOR CARE BEARS--

I'M NOT SURE WHAT

THEY'RE CALLED,

BUT YOU SEND THEM OFF

AND THEY MAKE THE BEARS

AND THEY SEND THEM

BACK TO YOU.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT SHE GOT

ME LAST YEAR FOR FEBRUARY 14th.

SHE BOUGHT ME ROSES

AND SHE HAD ONE OF THOSE

BEARS SENT TO ME.

SO YOU KIND OF, YOU SIT

BACK AND YOU THINK OF THAT.

AND YOU THINK, YOU KNOW,

WHAT A YEAR CHANGES.

AND IT'S HARD.

( woman )

WE'VE HAD OUR CEREMONY

WITH OUR FAMILY

AND EVERYTHING LIKE THIS,

AND NOW THIS IS

THE LEGAL THING.

I MEAN IT'S NOT--

YOU KNOW, THE BEST

IT COULD BE WOULD BE

IN THE UNITED STATES

BEING MARRIED,

BUT HERE THIS IS

A LITTLE BIT OF ICING

THAT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF,

JUST LIKE, THIS FEELS GOOD.

LIVING IN A CONSERVATIVE AREA

OF THE UNITED STATES,

ESPECIALLY,

THERE IS SOME ANXIETY AROUND

WHAT COULD HAPPEN

BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE

THE LEGAL PROTECTIONS

THAT JUST COME

WITH BEING MARRIED.

OH, WOW.

( man )

I, PAM...

TAKE THEE JENNY...

TO BE MY WEDDED SPOUSE...

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE...

FOR RICH OR FOR POOR...

IN SICKNESS

AND IN HEALTH...

IN SICKNESS AND IN

HEALTH...

I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU TO

BE LEGALLY MARRIED SPOUSES.

GOTTA DO

THE OFFICIAL KISS.

YEAH, YEAH,

FOR SURE.

( honking )

HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE ARE

ON THIS ROUTE IS AMAZING.

EVERY CORNER YOU JUST SEE

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

IT'S GREAT.

THE ONTARIO COURT OF APPEALS

RULED UNANIMOUSLY

THAT SAME-SEX COUPLES

HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL

RIGHT TO MARRY.

OUR CABINET AND

PRIME MINISTER HAVE AFFIRMED

THAT THEY WILL SUPPORT

EQUAL MARRIAGE,

SO AS OF RIGHT NOW,

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

IS LEGAL IN CANADA.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF

COUPLES HERE

WHO ARE GETTING MARRIED,

SO IT'S A GREAT DAY

TO CELEBRATE

HERE AT TORONTO PRIDE.

WE LOVE IT,

WE'RE GONNA GET MARRIED.

ARE YOU?

NO, I WILL, I'M ENGAGED.

I THINK IT'S GREAT

THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE

THE CHOICE TO MARRY

IF THEY WANT TO.

IT'S ABOUT TIME.

YOU SORT OF FEEL LIKE

YOU BELONG IN THE WORLD

INSTEAD OF SOME

OUTSIDE STRANGER.

I MEAN,

WE'RE ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

IF HUMAN BEINGS CAN'T

COMMIT TO EACH OTHER,

I MEAN, WHAT IS THERE?

IT'S ABOUT TIME.

THAT'S WHY WE

CAME OUT TO CELEBRATE.

NOT IN MY WHOLE LIFETIME,

SO IT FEELS GOOD.

DON'T MAKE ME CRY,

I'M GONNA CRY.

DON'T MAKE ME CRY.

HAPPY PRIDE !

IF YOU DON'T LIKE SAME-SEX

MARRIAGE, DON'T HAVE ONE.

( cheering )

YEAH, IT'S LONG OVERDUE.

LONG OVERDUE.

IT'S A GREAT THING.

WE GOT MARRIED,

PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF HIM.

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS

THAT EVER HAPPENED IN CANADA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S EQUAL,

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

THIS IS A DIVERSE COUNTRY,

YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE

A DIVERSE WORLD.

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT,

YOU KNOW ?

LET THEM, LET THEM,

THEY DON'T HURT US.

I THINK IT'S

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.

NO, I'M NOT.

BUT THAT

DOESN'T MATTER.

THIS IS MY WIFE.

SURE.

( woman )

THE SUPPORT OF THE STRAIGHT

COMMUNITY, I THINK,

IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL

THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT IT

IS AN ISSUE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

AND HUMAN RIGHTS.

IT'S NOT A LIFESTYLE ISSUE,

IT'S A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT

IN AMERICA YET,

BUT I'LL BE THERE.

( reporter )

WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED

RIGHT AWAY THIS HOUR WITH

BREAKING NEWS

OUT OF MASSACHUSETTS.

THE STATE SUPREME COURT

JUDICIAL COURT HAS RULED TODAY

THAT IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

TO BE DENIED THE

BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE.

IT'S A VERY BIG DAY.

THIS IS A VERY, VERY BIG DAY.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY A HISTORIC DAY,

NOVEMBER 18, 2003.

AND IT'S A HISTORIC DAY

BECAUSE FINALLY

ALL FAMILIES IN THE

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE

EQUAL FAMILIES UNDER THE LAW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

MOSTLY, THANK YOU TO THE

SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT OF

THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS FOR

SEEING WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE,

WHICH IS THAT WE ARE A COUPLE

THAT IS WORTHY

OF THE PROTECTIONS OF MARRIAGE.

AND THAT AFTER 16 AND A HALF

YEARS, HILLARY AND I

ARE FINALLY GOING TO BE ABLE

TO GET MARRIED

AND PROTECT OUR FAMILY.

(crowd chanting)

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE.

REPENT, REPENT,

GOD LOVES YOU.

WHAT THE COURT IS ABOUT TO DO

IS UNLEASH CHAOS

ON OUR SOCIETY.

AS YOU NOTICE,

ROB IS ON CRUTCHES.

HE'S JUST HAD

A HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY

AND WE NEVER HAVE

TO WORRY AGAIN

ABOUT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL

NEGOTIATING OUR WAY

THROUGH ADMINISTRATION,

HOSPITAL TEAMS, AND FINALLY,

RECOVERY, BECAUSE NOW

WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

PROTECT EACH OTHER

THROUGH MARRIAGE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

( crowd singing )

GOD BLESS AMERICA,

MY HOME SWEET HOME.

CIVIL RIGHTS.

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.

CIVIL RIGHTS...

OUR OPPONENTS HAVE

BUSSED PEOPLE IN.

FROM GEORGIA,

FROM VIRGINIA,

MOST OF THEM ARE

OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW

SAYING VERY NASTY, VICIOUS,

HATEFUL THINGS ABOUT US.

( man )

WICKED SODOMITES,

READS ROMAN'S CHAPTER 1.

IT'S AN ABOMINATION

UNDER GOD.

CREATED YOU MALE

AND FEMALE, THE BIBLE SAYS.

MALE AND FEMALE.

NOT HOMOSEXUAL,

NOT BISEXUAL,

NOT ANYTHING

BUT HETEROSEXUAL.

BUT YOU HETEROPHOBES

DON'T LIKE THAT,

'CAUSE YOU DON'T

WANT TO LISTEN.

I'M STRAIGHT,

WE'RE BOTH STRAIGHT !

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO MOVE

FORWARD IN THIS WORLD

IF WE DON'T GET OVER

STUPID STUFF LIKE THIS.

YOU MAY NOT BE SODOMITES,

BUT YOU'RE HOMOPHILES.

( child )

HOMO'S GO TO GO!

ARE THESE CHRISTIAN VALUES

YOU'RE TEACHING

YOUR CHILDREN ?

HOMOS GOTTA GO !

YES, THEY

ARE TEACHING ME,

BECAUSE I KNOW

THEY'RE RIGHT.

HEY, HEY, HO, HO,

HOMOS GOTTA GO !

I AGREE WITH 3,000 YEARS

OF RECORDED HISTORY.

I DISAGREE WITH

THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT

OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MARRIAGE IS AN INSTITUTION

BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN.

I WILL SUPPORT

AN AMENDMENT TO

THE MASSACHUSETTS

CONSTITUTION

TO MAKE THAT

EXPRESSLY CLEAR.

EQUAL RIGHTS !

WHEN DO WE WANT IT ?

NOW !

WHAT DO WE WANT ?

EQUAL RIGHTS !

GOD LOVES A SINNER,

HE HATES SIN !

HE'S GOING TO TAKE THESE ANUS

FUDGE-PACKING SODOMITES,

HE'S GOING TO CAST THEM

INTO HELL

WHEN THEIR ANUSES ARE

RIDDEN WITH BLOOD

AND THEY GOT TO WEAR DIAPERS.

HI, I'M GLORIA BAILEY

AND THIS IS MY PARTNER

OF 32 YEARS,

LINDA DAVIES,

AND, WITHOUT A DOUBT,

THIS IS THE HAPPIEST DAY

IN OUR LIVES.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

FOR US

IS KNOWING WHATEVER COMES AHEAD

IN THE REST OF OUR LIVES,

WE NOW KNOW WE CAN BE AT

EACH OTHERS' SIDE.

IF JUDGES INSIST ON FORCING

THEIR ARBITRARY WILL

UPON THE PEOPLE,

THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE LEFT

TO THE PEOPLE

WOULD BE

THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS.

( man )

THE TRUTH IS THE REPUBLICANS

ARE AGAINST GAY PEOPLE

WHEN THEY COMMIT

TO RELATIONSHIPS

AND THEY'RE AGAINST GAY PEOPLE

WHEN THEY HAVE LOTS OF SEX

WITH LOTS OF PEOPLE.

WHAT DO THEY WANT US TO DO?

BASICALLY, THEY WANT US

TO CEASE TO EXIST.

AND THEY ARE PREPARED TO

RE-WRITE THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE UNITED STATES

TO TELL US

WE CAN'T AND SHOULD HAVE

SUPPORT IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS.

SENATOR KERRY

IN WASHINGTON D.C.,

IT IS IN YOUR

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

THAT THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE

A DECISION ABOUT

WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO

ABOUT GAY MARRIAGES.

SENATOR KERRY'S BEEN

ALL OVER THE MAP

ON THE ISSUE OF GAY MARRIAGE.

HE OPPOSES THE FEDERAL

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT,

BUT HE SUPPORTS A CONSTITUTIONAL

AMENDMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS,

BUT A VERY LIMITED ONE.

ONE THAT WOULD DEFINE MARRIAGE

BETWEEN A MAN AND A WOMAN,

BUT WOULD AT THE SAME TIME

SECURE CIVIL UNIONS.

I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY

FOR THE LEGISLATURE

TO MAKE CLEAR

WHERE WE STAND WITH

RESPECT TO

EQUAL PROTECTION

UNDER THE LAW TO MAKE CERTAIN

THAT THERE IS NOT

DISCRIMINATION.

TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE

PROTECT PEOPLE'S RIGHTS

EVEN AS I AND OTHERS ARE OPPOSED

TO GAY MARRIAGE ITSELF.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE

THEIR OPPOSITION TO GAY MARRIAGE

WITH THEIR FUNDAMENTAL

COMMITMENT TO EQUAL RIGHTS.

AND ONCE PEOPLE COME

AND THEY ARE CRITICAL ABOUT IT,

THEY'D RATHER NOT TALK ABOUT IT

BECAUSE THERE AREN'T

RATIONAL ARGUMENTS

IN OPPOSITION TO GAY MARRIAGE.

THOUSANDS OF GAY WEDDINGS HERE

IN SAN FRANCISCO

HAVE SENT SHOCKWAVES

ACROSS THE NATION

I THINK WE'RE IN THE MIDST

OF SOME SORT OF A REVOLUTION,

SOME SORT OF FLOOD

THAT IS JUST HAPPENING,

AND IT'S HAPPENING

ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

AWESOME.

EXCELLENT.

( singing )

WE PAY TAXES LIKE

EVERY BODY ELSE.

YOU KNOW, WHY NOT ?

WE JUST GOT A MARRIAGE LICENSE.

YES, WE DID,

AND WE'RE SO EXCITED.

WE DECIDED FOR THE 29TH

ANNIVERSARY

WE'D ACTUALLY GET MARRIED.

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED !

MY MOM'S HERE.

HER MOM'S HERE.

MOM'S HERE.

( cheering )

( reporter )

IN GEORGIA TODAY,

A SENATE COMMITTEE

OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED

A PLAN FOR AMENDING

THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO BAN

MARRIAGE FOR GAY COUPLES.

IN NEW MEXICO, ABOUT 20 GAY

COUPLES WERE MARRIED TODAY.

IN MICHIGAN, SENATOR

ALAN CROPSEY SAYS STATES

MUST AMEND THEIR CONSTITUTIONS

TO PREVENT THEIR JUDGES

FROM DOING WHAT HAPPENED

IN MASSACHUSETTS.

LEGISLATURES IN NEARLY

20 STATES BESIDES MASSACHUSETTS

ARE NOW CONSIDERING

AMENDMENTS TO BAN MARRIAGE

FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES.

OPPONENTS OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

TOOK TO THE STREETS

OF BOSTON TODAY.

( crowd chanting )

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE.

( woman )

THE MAYOR OF NEW PALTZ,

WHO PERFORMED MORE THAN

TWO DOZEN MARRIAGES LAST WEEK,

WILL BE IN COURT TONIGHT

FACING CRIMINAL CHARGES.

THIS CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE IS

REALLY SWEEPING ACROSS AMERICA

ALL THE WAY FROM SAN FRANCISCO

TO NEW PALTZ, NEW YORK

AND NOW MAKING ITS WAY

RIGHT HERE TO NEW YORK CITY.

( crowd chanting )

WHAT DO WE WANT?

CIVIL RIGHTS.

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

NOW.

WHAT DO WE WANT?

CIVIL RIGHTS.

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

NOW.

WE GOT TURNED DOWN TODAY.

( man )

YOU GOT TURNED DOWN?

YES, WE DID.

( man )

ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK?

WE'LL BE BACK.

DEFINITELY.

HEY, WE'RE GOING

TO THE END, REGARDLESS.

WE'RE GOING UNTIL WE GET THE

RESULTS THAT WE NEED FOR CHANGE.

EVERYTHING WILL BE BETTER THEN,

SO...

WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.

IT'S JUST A SLOW PROCESS,

BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET THERE.

OVER THIS WAY PLEASE,

THANK YOU.

AS LONG AS WE HAVE BEEN HERE

IN HIS IMAGE,

WALKING HIS CREATION,

THERE HAVE BEEN MEN

AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SHARED

THEIR EXPRESSION OF LOVE

WITH ANOTHER

OF THE SAME GENDER.

IT IS HIGH TIME WE PUT

AN END TO THE QUEER NOTION

THAT IT IS SINFUL TO BE GAY

OR FOR GAYS TO

COME TOGETHER TO BE MARRIED.

"MAY THE LORD BLESS US

IN WISDOM

"THAT WE MAY GROW TOGETHER

EVER IN LOVE

AND UNDERSTANDING."

WITH THIS RING...

I THEE WED...

MY BELOVED...

MY BEST FRIEND.

( woman )

MY SON BEING GAY,

IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AT ALL.

I LOOKED AT HIM AS A PERSON.

I STILL LOOK AT HIM

AS A PERSON,

NOT A GAY PERSON,

NOT A STRAIGHT PERSON.

I JUST LOOK AT HIM

AS A PERSON.

WE BOTH WERE CRYING,

BUT YOU COULDN'T SEE IT,

THE TEARS WERE FREEZING UP

HALFWAY DOWN.

I'VE HEARD SO MANY

PEOPLE SAY,

THEY FEEL DIFFERENT,

THEY FEEL CLOSER AFTERWARD,

AND IT'S WONDERFUL,

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

♪ WE WAITED TOO DAMN LONG

FOR OUR RIGHTS ♪

♪ WE WAITED TOO

DAMN LONG FOR OUR RIGHTS ♪

♪ WE WAITED TOO DAMN LONG

FOR OUR RIGHTS ♪

♪ ALL TOGETHER NOW ♪

♪ WE'RE GONNA LOVE THE WAY

WE WANT TO ♪

♪ RIGHT ON ♪

♪ WE'RE GONNA LOVE THE WAY

WE WANT TO ♪

♪ RIGHT ON ♪

♪ WE'RE GONNA LOVE THE WAY

WE WANT TO ♪

♪ RIGHT ON ♪

♪ ALL TOGETHER NOW ♪

♪ AND MY BROTHERS

AND MY SISTERS ♪

♪ TOO DAMN LONG ♪

♪ AND MY BROTHERS

AND MY SISTERS ♪

♪ TOO DAMN LONG ♪

♪ AND MY BROTHERS

AND MY SISTERS ♪

♪ TOO DAMN LONG ♪

♪ ALL TOGETHER NOW ♪

Tying the Knot (2004) - full transcript