I voted yes, but I wonder, why would gay couples want to get married in the first place? It just seems like none of the traditions like the wedding dress (and most of the other ceremonial stuff), the rings, taking your partner's name, calling each other husband and wife and making babies together don't really apply to gays and lesbians.

Is it just about making the relationship official? Sorry if I sound completely ignorant or this has been said before in the thread.

so basically you made it up based on hearsay then tried to use it to justify denying them a right that you have?

the point of welfare is to help people who need it, I agree it shouldnt be given to people just for being gay, I doubt theyre are any such welfare payments anyway though, so it seems a rather moot point.

I voted yes, because marriages predate religions, and marriages historically have been used for everything from peace treaties to selling goods (property and women) and everything between. Using marriages for love is actually a pretty recent concept, but everybody jumped on board, and gay people can love each other, so let's let 'em marry each other.

well, something is wrong with the education system itself then, which means you need to identify what and then figure out how to fix that, it could be how people are taught or how the school is run?

also, thats some horrible graduation rates on there, something is cleraly VERY BADLY wrong with your education system, if not funding, then you desperatley need to figure out what and how to fix it.

Problem is, you advocated certain 'solutions'. Solutions that don't work.

They've been trying to fix the problems for decades now, throwing money at the problems. There are fixes out there, but they aren't easy ones, and are partially in opposition to your suggestions.

yes. they should, we still have a long way to go, if we are still asking this question

thats kind of what I just posted, if funding isnt the issue, then what are the issue(s)?

if you think you have some solutions, then im willing to hear them, I wont neccessarily agree, but I am willing to hear you out.

Marriage doesn't stem from the church and it doesn't need to be conducted in one, or approved by any.

Though I'm fully of the opinion that if a church doesn't support gay marriage, they are in their right not to allow such ceremonies to be held in it. But that's where it ends for the church's rights.

edit: I suppose one thing the Christian church especially can fight for is the "holy matrimony" label.

I agree with this statements.

Edit: You know, i'm just going to really shorten this up from what i posted...

The large majority of increased spending goes to teachers compensation who make around 36 dollars an hour(without benefits) and whose salary is based soley on seniority and not ability.

Unlike private schools where they actually get paid less and can get fired... but get to teach without as much higher up bueracracy.

The problem with trying to fix this on a government level is... you can't really hire and fire people at will, you need to set up proficency testing and such.. and that's not always the best indicator... since honestly, sometimes good teachers can be stuck with a "bad" group of kids.   Every bad job a teacher did just to get students by also reflects on good teachers later on etc.   You can't give good teachers breaks, or give bad teachers with exceptional students trouble... because the union will get in the way.

Private schools don't have that worry.