Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Humor columnist Mike Moran shares his "concerns" about this issue.
On Jan. 1, Maryland became one of nine states to no longer protect its citizens from gay marriage. Though it’s certainly heartwarming to see so many loving couples finally being allowed to tie the knot, we do have to look at things realistically and ask ourselves a difficult question. Are we OK with causing the civilized world to fall apart at the seams and descend into chaos? Now don’t get me wrong North Baltimore, I am no homophobe. Some of my best friends know gay people. It's just the total dissolution of our nation I’m concerned about. We can’t ignore the scores of "traditional" marriage advocates, who over the years, have tirelessly devoted massive chunks of time, energy and tax-exempt church dollars belaboring the devastating …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
An Oregon baker told the couple he wouldn’t make a cake for their wedding so the former Ace of Cakes star volunteered.
After the owner of Sweet Cakes in Gresham, Ore. told a lesbian couple he wouldn’t make their wedding cake because he opposes same-sex marriage, Charm City Cakes owner Duff Goldman said he do it free, according to Today. After the owner denied the couple, Goldman, founder of Remington’s Charm City Cakes and former star of the Food Network’s "Ace of Cakes," decided he would step in. "You see stories, you hear stories and you always try to (think), 'Well, what can I do?' … I saw this story and thought, 'Wait! I can do something. There's injustice involving a cake. I can fix this!'" Goldman told Today. Charm City Cakes has supplied desserts for same-sex nuptials even before Maryland voters legalized them in November. Mary Alice Yetskey, the …
Monday, December 31, 2012
Numerous key laws passed in 2012 by the Maryland General Assembly take effect on Jan. 1.
Same-sex marriage, a first-in-the-nation arsenic ban for chicken feed and a law designed to protect children's credit reports are among the Maryland laws taking effect on Jan. 1. Some, including the marriage law and a Baltimore City charter amendment, were passed by voters in November. Others tweak existing rules, like renewable energy credits and car insurance. Here are the key laws you need to know about that take effect, according to a Maryland General Assembly document. Same-sex marriage: The Civil Marriage Protection Act, passed in the 2012 session, petitioned to referendum and ratified by Maryland voters in November, takes effect as scheduled on Jan. 1. Maryland was one of the first three states to ratify same-sex marriage at the …
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Thursday marked the first day that same-sex couple could apply for and receive marriage licenses in Maryland.
Thursday marked the first day that same-sex couples in Maryland could receive marriage licenses The big day comes after residents voted to uphold a law in November allowing same-sex marriage, and following Gov. Martin O’Malley signing a declaration of the results of the ballot question this morning. "[O’Malley] declared that Marylanders across the state stood up for committed couples. As of now, all loving couples can get marriage licenses," advocacy group Equality Maryland wrote in a celebratory email. The Baltimore Sun reported that Charles Village residents Jessie Weber, 30, and Nancy Eddy, 34, were among the first couples to get their licenses from the Baltimore City Circuit Court this morning. "It's affirming to be recognized by the …
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The mayor sent an email asking for donations to help put Marylanders for Marriage Equality on ads on television.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is trying to raise funds in support of approving a ballot question to allow same-sex marriage in Maryland. A message was sent from her campaign email address, citing First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday night, in an attempt to gather support for the issue. "As 'Mom-in-Chief,' Michelle Obama knows a thing or two about the importance of building strong families, treating everyone fairly and protecting everyone under the law,” Rawlings-Blake’s email reads. The email urges supporter to donate "$15, $35, $50 or whatever you can" to stand with Obama on the issue. A link on the page leads to Marylanders for Marriage Equality’s website. The email then goes on to tell …
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Patch gives readers a chance to share their feelings on controversial topics in the news each week.
Ballot questions tend not to get the same attention as top of the ticket races for senate, president or governor. But in this year’s presidential general election, the ballot questions could have a huge impact on Maryland and Baltimore. On a state level, residents will be deciding whether the children of illegal immigrants can pay in-state tuition to attend state universities, whether residents want the most recent congressional redistricting map to stand and whether or not to allow same-sex marriage. But Baltimore residents also have plenty of ballot questions to address impacting the city, including four charter amendments. City residents will decide issues such as aligning the next city election with the 2016 presidential election, …
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
The younger you are, the more likely you are to support same-sex marriage. What does this mean for Maryland?
Based on Maryland's age distribution and a changing national attitude on same sex marriage, one could expect–surprise–a close referendum fight in November. Earlier this week, you may have read that increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage is not the result of a nationwide change of heart, but because those opposed tend to be older and are literally dying off. A study by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life found that the increase of acceptance for same-sex marriage is the result of changing, aging demographics and "generational replacement," defined by Pew as "the arrival of younger, more supportive generations making up a larger share of the population." Nationally, 48 percent of Americans support same-sex marriage, up from 35 …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
In an interview on ABC News, the president says he supports same-sex marriage. The issue is likely to go to referendum in Maryland this fall.
President Barack Obama picked the day after a decisive vote in North Carolina to announce that his "evolution" on the issue of same-sex marriage was complete—he now supports it. In an interview with ABC News on Wednesday, Obama said: I have to tell you that over the course of several years, as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors, when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage—at a …
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Law goes to governor for signature and a likely referendum challenge.
The Maryland State Senate passed same-sex marriage by a 25-22 vote Thursday night. The passage of the bill comes less than a week after the House of Delegates passed the identical bill. The bill now goes to Gov. Martin O'Malley for his signature. The law, which goes into effect January 1, 2013 is expected to face a referendum challenge and could end up on the November ballot along with the bill that grants in-state tuition rates to some children of illegal immigrants. How they Voted: Baltimore City William Ferguson How They Voted: Baltimore County
Follow along with Patch and other area reporters as the Maryland Senate takes up the bill.
A bill to allow same-sex marriage in Maryland is now being debated in the Maryland Senate. Follow along with Tweets from Patch's Bryan P. Sears other area reporters, and join in with your thoughts. Listen to live Senate proceedings on the General Assembly website.
Mike Moran
12:17 pm on Wednesday, March 6, 2013
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