Gay-marriage fight heats up after ruling | Seattle Times

[Ediacara]

Gay-marriage fight heats up after ruling

By Lornet Turnbull and Sanjay Bhatt
Seattle Times staff reporters


KEN LAMBERT / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Barbara Steele, left, and Beth Reis talk to reporters
last week after a judge ruled that same-sex couples
should be allowed to marry. Steele and Reis, who have
been together since 1977, are plaintiffs in a lawsuit
challenging Washington's Defense of Marriage Act.

When it takes up the question of gay marriage, the Washington state Supreme Court will be tackling one of the most significant social issues to come before it in a decade.

If the court upholds King County Superior Court Judge William Downing's ruling to legalize gay marriage, Washington could become the second state — after Massachusetts — to allow same-sex couples to wed.

The ruling last week, which is on hold pending appellate review, was the first successful challenge to a Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which 38 states have. But state Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington, the key sponsor of Washington's 1998 law, hopes to block what some say is the inevitability of court-sanctioned gay marriage.

More at the Seattle Times

[noahmijo]

1. If I can find a decent job out there

I'd like to move to Silverdale, Washington, the girlfriend's hometown. Visited there once thought it was gorgoues, and Seattle was cool too.

Anyone familiar with these areas wanna dissuade me of this notion? One thing I like is that Seattle and Silverdale for that matter seem to be very friendly to liberals, I bet I wouldn't see half the sneers out there was I would out here in Oro Valley, Az.

[ezee]

2. Moving

to Seattle or Silvedale would be a great idea. Having lived in both areas and now living on the coast I can attest to the inclusive attitudes of the western portion of the state.

[noahmijo]

3. what made you move to the east coast?

love of high taxes and prices? :) (I used to live in NY)

I'm just kidding you but seriously what could've possibly gotten you out of Western Washington?

[ezee]

4. I didn't move EAST

I live on the coast of WASHINGTON...small town called Aberdeen. A bit more conservative than I would like, but MUCH cheaper housing than Seattle. Not much work here though.

[noahmijo]

5. Ohhhhhh

Okay so..why did you move then? cheaper? I heard that's how it is in Washington and California and other states on the west coast for that matter: if you're wet you're liberal if you're dry you're conservative.

[ezee]

9. I moved

here for the clean air, low housing prices and quite living. I was forced to retire early due to health reasons, so had to find a place to streach my dollars when it came to housing. Yes its wet here but you get used to it. As my 100yr old aunt says, what difference does it make, your ging to be inside anyway.
Seattle is 2hours away, where I lived for 30yrs and quite a progressive city.
Portland is 2 and half hours away and very progressive....Dont go east, its over run by sage brush and geo bush lovers.
Your girlfriend should be able to find work. always looking for good teaches in the larger cities around Seattle.
How bad could Seattle be...Ron Reagan lives there! lol

[TahitiNut]

6. I'm familiar with the Silverdale/Poulsbo/Bremerton/Bainbridge area ...

... and (somewhat equally) the Seattle area. I have close friends who live there, with whom I've visited frequently, particularly when I lived in the TriShitties in Eastern Washington for 5 years.

On a nice weather day, the area is drop-dead-gorgeous. Puget Sound is awesome - when the weather is nice. There's the rub. The area has more days of overcast and rain than nearly any other in the US. Umbrellas are not just a fashion statement. Depression, SAD, and suicide are part of the sociology of the area as much as coffee (latte anyone?).

While the people and politics of the Seattle area are robust, mostly progressive, and refreshing, the other end of the ferry routes (S/P/B/B) are hugely more conservative and pro-military. It's an area preferred by retired Navy. It's an area where kneejerk "kneeo-"conservatism is a counterpoint to the liberalism of Seattle. The micro-economy of the westside of the lower Sound lives and dies on the military budget. When military spending is up, so is the micro-economy of Silverdale/Poulsbo/Bremerton/Bainbridge. Thus, there's a typical Stockholm syndrome in the politics - feeding at the trough.

It's nowhere near as bad as the eastern side of the state, or even remotely comparable to Idaho and Utah. It is, however, far more knuckle-dragging than the SFBayArea, Portland, NYC, or other liberal areas.

[noahmijo]

7. That sounds about right I visited the area for a week

and I know that especially in the Bermerton area it's a Navy town so it seemed pretty pro-conservative.

As far as the rain goes, believe me it's not bad as upstate New York where I lived, and I actually like overcast and rain, but I will admit not THAT much overcast and rain, however it's one of those things where I think I could stomach it especially after having spent over 18 years here in Tucson where the sun is so hot and dangerous you're actually taking a risk when you step outside of getting skin cancer or severe sunburn even when wearing sunblock. and it's like this nearly 8 months outta the year.

Course the desert is beautiful but I think I'm ready for a change, but if I can't find a decent job in Seattle I'll stay here in Tucson I think.

Plus my girlfriend wants to be a teacher and from what I see Washington is FAR more teacher friendly than Tucson "Unions are outlawed" Arizona.

[TahitiNut]

8. I lived in Rottenchester, NY, for 9 years ...

... and have family in the Phoenix area with whom I've visited 3-4 times each year. The political climate of western Washington is FAR more progressive than virtually anywhere in Arizona. (My Arizona family lives in J. D. Hayworth's District. Ugh!!) That said, I'd take Arizona weather above Seattle weather ... but, in total, prefer to live in Seattle. I'd take Seattle over Rochester, too. I can't stand winter anymore. I had enough "lake effect" for two lifetimes. I was very happy to make the choice of living in the SF Bay Area over the alternatives of Seattle, Phoenix, or San Diego when I left Rochester, NY, in 1983. (I was stupid to spend 5 years in eastern Washington. Really stupid! That area should be left to the cockroach conservatives. It's septic.)