Marriage Equality Debate

11:40 The House of Delegates has just taken up the Senate version of the Civil Marriage Protection Act.

An opponent is arguing that homosexuality is just as likely as product of nurture as of nature. There is no "gay gene." Same-sex love is "imaginary" love driven by neurotransmitters. Watching Dels. McIntosh and Rosenberg's faces--priceless. He fears that culture will teach it and schools will teach it if this bill passes. But he says there is no hate behind his views.

Del. Ben Barnes (D-Prince George's): "you don't have to have been discriminated against to understand injustice." "when our colleagues come before us and tell me about the inequities in our laws, I see them too. Injustice is injustice. We have a duty in this chamber to stamp it out." "This discrimination is immoral and unconstitutional."

"some can say that this bill doesn't affect me one way or the other but it does affect me because it's about what kind of nation and people we want to be."

"Do we really want to be a nation that says that the kids of same-sex couples are not as good as other kids?"

11:49 Del. Burns (D-Baltimore County): "There is a cancer growing on the political process here. I had hoped from the very beginning that this legislature would come to the point where is would not discuss legalizing homosexuality." "I am unalterably opposed to same-sex marriage but we must remain collegial."

Now he is quoting the Declaration of Independence and arguing that one cannot juxtapose civil rights with gay and lesbian rights in a way I can't follow.