Posted by Bill (other posts) on February 11, 2014 at 21:50:37 Previous Next
In Reply to: Re: Freedom isn't free posted by Dave_AR on February 11, 2014 at 19:58:57:
: So, you have to maintain your poverty status throughout your life for your government to give you medical care and education? Is that what you mean. Because otherwise, If I get a better job, then I will not be able to get a cancer treatment , or an HIV treatment , or wont be able to go to college.
Unfortunately, the government passes laws with sharp cutoffs instead of tapering them off. This encourages some people to stay below a cutoff point where they would lose certain benefits. This situation for an individual is not necessarily life long. One may be poor when young, get a good education, get a good job, have all the benefits, spend every penny of it, and retire a pauper. Then the government will be looking after you again.
: : Depends on the state. (See above map from lambdalegal.org.) The U.S. government recognizes same-sex marriages in all states, but local governmental recognition is per the above map. Court decisions are rapidly going in the direction of nationwide recognition in all states.:
: Well, as far as I know there is no federal law regarding same sex marriage.
There had never been a federal law on marriage until the law was passed in the 1990s saying the federal government would not recognize same sex marriages. Marriage in the U.S. has always been granted, regulated, and dissolved by the individual states. Last June the U.S. Supreme Court threw that 1990s law out, so the federal government now recognizes marriages, but a same sex couple must have gotten the marriage from a U.S. state or foreign country that will grant such.
: Thank you very much for debating with me, and again, I am not trying to make anyone feel uncomfortable . I love the fact that we can debate , even with our own differences. Some people in other parts of the world arent that lucky!
The freedom to talk about it is extremely important. Frank talk is what makes the difference between settling differences peacefully and settling them with violence. The U.S. "freedom of speech" right is pervasive. In Quebec, you have to use French in some circumstances. In the U.S., you have a right to use any language you want. In Pakistan, you can't defame God. In the U.S., you can say anything about God that you want. In some European countries you can't refer to Nazis or say other things reminiscent of World War II. In the U.S., you can.
There have been some clashes between California Internet companies and some foreign governments over what users have posted on California web sites. The California sites may acquiesce because they have business interests in those countries, but the California courts will not enforce "freedom of speech" issues here. Twitter, Facebook, and yes, MLHH, are all located in California. We may post here free of governmental interference. This does not mean you can post anything, of course. A site's owners, such as Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg, or the MLHH trustees, may disagree! And as a site's owners, they have that right.
Bill