Local (Key West) gay couple to challenge marriage law

Key West Citizen & Bait Wrapper ^ | February 13, 2004 | Mandy Bolen

[Elle Bee]

Local gay couple to challenge marriage law

BY MANDY BOLEN

keysnews.com

Click for larger view.

ROB O'NEAL/The Citizen
Steve and Geoff Leonard-Robinson are among the same-sex couples requesting marriage licenses across the country to protest state bans on gay marriage.

KEY WEST -- The Rev. Geoff Leonard-Robinson and partner Steven Leonard-Robinson do not expect to get what they ask for when they walk into the Monroe County Clerk's Office this afternoon requesting the paperwork for a marriage license.

But the two Key West men, along with other same-sex couples in Key West, are joining a nationwide demonstration asking for equal rights for gay men and lesbians, especially as it pertains to the right to marry.

Geoff, pastor at the local Metropolitan Community Church, and Steven are following the example of the Rev. Troy Perry, who founded the MCC. He is encouraging gays, lesbians and bisexuals to call attention to discrimination in marriage laws by applying for marriage licenses during the week of Valentine's Day.

"This year of all times it's more important than ever to let people know about the inequality," Geoff said.

He expects his request and every similar request by same-sex couples to be denied today, and has already spoken with employees in the local clerk's office.

"We understand they are just in charge of applying the state statutes," he said. "So we'll say, 'Thank you, we'll see you next year.'"

Supporters of gay marriage rights say they are planning to continue asking for marriage licenses until discriminatory laws change.

"We know we will be turned away," Steven Leonard-Robinson said. "But we are hope-filled people. If we are turned down this year, we plan to come back next year, and we'll continue calling attention to the discrimination that exists against lesbians and gays, and we'll continue to share our love and commitment without the benefits provided to most citizens."

mbolen@keysnews.com

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Photo by: ROB O'NEAL/The Citizen
Steve and Geoff Leonard-Robinson are among the same-sex couples requesting marriage licenses across the country to protest state bans on gay marriage.

[Elle Bee]

Key West Citizen's Voice

"To the person who called in about the missing billboard, it stated 'The U.S. Armed Forces welcomes you to paradise,' but I also would like to know what happened to it and who authorized its removal?"

"Teachers are paid in the Keys to work until 3:15 p.m., which means they only work until 3:15 and they don't need to work any more after that."

"I'd like to know what's going on with our country. You can't eat meat because of the mad cow disease, you can't eat fish because of the mercury, you can't eat chicken, which was the only thing left, because of the bird flu. What are we supposed to do? Are we all supposed to become vegetarians?"

"Financially, I've always done well by Republican administrations with tax cuts. They have saved me well over $70,000, but the devaluation of the U.S. dollar has lost me in excess of $3 million. I am furious with the way the administration mishandled the Iraqi war. This will be the first time I have ever voted against a Republican presidential candidate. There is no doubt in my mind, and especially my banking portfolio, that the Bush administration is destroying this great nation of ours."

"I've been doing about five years worth of yard work on my yard. I am dismayed that there is nowhere to compost it all. It just gets taken and burned in the incinerator, or I guess it's going to get trucked up to Miami. It's a shame that we have that huge field by United and White streets and we should be able to use that as a big compost pile. In fact let's grow some vegetables there. Come on Key West, let's get green."

"The sad part about these homeless young people is that when they finally decide to go home they leave tents behind, abandoning them on the streets of Key West."

"I'm calling about the annual report that the city put out. I thought that the annual report was supposed to list all the money that they got from the cruise ships, from the people coming off the cruise ships, from the parking meters and from the building permits and the police giving out tickets. I thought that was considered a report."

"This is to the person that said weapons of mass destruction still could be found. It's hard to find them because they don't exist."

"About the planes taking off against the wind and landing with the wind against their backs: This is wrong. They take off into the wind and you also land into the wind. I should know, I've been a pilot for 50 years."

"You know if you're coming into Key West and making a right on Roosevelt Boulevard and there's a pedestrian waiting to cross the street, I think there is a yield to pedestrians sign there. I sit there and watch from the other direction people just standing there waiting for 10 to 15 minutes in the morning trying to cross the street because of all of the traffic. What does it take to slow down a little bit and let somebody cross the street at that intersection?"

"Officials of Key West, did you see what happened in Marathon during their election? The same thing that's going to happen to you and for the same reasons."

"It has been proven through scientific research that cruise ships are harmful to the reef. I couldn't care less how much money the cruise ships are bringing into Key West. What we should care about is preserving the environment and spend less time worrying about making a buck."

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This story published on Fri, Feb 13, 2004

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Submit your Citizen's Voice comment here.

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[Elle Bee]

Key West Says No to War with Iraq ~ Useful Idiots Alert

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[weegee]

I thought there was no homosexual agenda. Why are we seeing a rash of lawsuits trying to push the boundaries of "homosexual rights" since the Supreme Court's activist decision on homosexual sodomy.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Why oh why can't I marry my dog?
Oh why oh why can't we wed?
With his **** so long and his **** so short
He would be so good in bed.

</sarcasm>

[expatguy]

"...and we'll continue to share our love and commitment without the benefits provided to most citizens...[sic]"

Good. Let's keep it that way.

[Elle Bee]

your correct position would brand you a homophobe down island

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[Elle Bee]

just watch how many of these 'demonstrations' pop up around the country

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[Elle Bee]

I think that's ok down island

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[leadpenny]

I believe the only answer to all of this nonsense is the ratification of an amendment to the US Constitution which defines legal marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Period.

Failing that, at some point, a legal same sex marriage from one state will be denied recognition in another state, and the issue will become as intractable as the issue of slavery was prior to the civil war.

Maybe there is one more answer; and that is one in which the US Supreme makes law for the entire country.

[Stellar Dendrite]

its amazing how orchestrated this all is.

[rodguy911]

we're not all like that here in the fab fla keys.

[Elle Bee]

or here down island

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[G2R]

The gay agenda is more ominous than you might think. They're actually trying to gain the same rights as everyone else. We simply cannot allow people to live their lives according to their own conscience. It is the state's responsibility to step in and regulate private, consentual, non-destructive behavior by offering benefits to those who subscribe to our religious sensibilities and denying benefits to those who choose to think for themslves.

The right of governmental and private discrimination must be preserved (but only if that discrimination is targeted against minorities, women or gays; discrimination against white males must never happen). All hail the Moral Nanny State!

[Elle Bee]

I suppose you would then deny my sheep the 'right' share my health benifits?

< /SARCASM>

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[G2R]

I wouldn't deny that to your sheep...provided that the sheep had both free will and could legally enter into binding contracts. That is, if they could fulfill the requirements of consideration, mutuality of agreement and mutuality of obligation, I see no compelling reason for the government to deny to them the marriage right.

But, that's an impossibility for animals or for children or for inanimate objects...so, it isn't even worth considering -- even as illustrative analogue.

In any case, the bottom line comes to this: why the hell should I (or, much more importantly, the government) care how people choose to spend their lives and assign their property rights (so long as their life choices don't interfere with the rights and choices of others)?

[weegee]

I've heard the concept of a "homosexual agenda" mocked. We were told that Senator Santorum was exagerating when he talked of a slippery slope and that this would lead to calls for same sex marriage.

Tell your lobbyists to be honest in their agenda.

[AmishDude]

So, so stupid. By ratcheting up this issue all at once, they're guaranteeing a backlash. The lawsuit in MA was smart, get it in one state -- one that can't amend their constitution quickly -- and get a couple of months of legally married gays. Make the state declare their marriage null and void.

But now, they're just forcing a Constitutional crisis and now there will be a marriage amendment.

[longtermmemmory]

Yesterday was some day all homosexuals were supposed to ask for a marriage license in anticipation of May 17.

This is part of the Human Rights Coalition coordated program. This was actually supposed to happen in 1996-7 but the Hawaii rapid amendment to their constitution broke it. Then Vermont botched their efforts with civil unions but not marriage. Mass was selected (I would be also including private conversations with certain high judges. But right now only speculation) due to their slow amendment process.

Durint the May 17 to 2006 vote window. They will have people from across the US go there to set up the FFC cases. They probably already have select the judges they want.

Imagine how much money is going to be spent on this issue.

A Federal Constitutional Amendment will shut the whole issue down.

[longtermmemmory]

FL has a DOMA statute not Amendment.

[Vinnie]

"This year of all times it's more important than ever to let people know about the inequality," Geoff said.

What inequality might that be? Speaking of gay males, they have exactly the same marriage rights I do. I can marry a woman, with some restrictions, so can they.

As for life ins., wills, etc. they can name anyone they want.

They are after acceptance, to make them 'feel good' about themselves.