(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. Hmmm...found this on Twitter - a psychologist is examining various Buffy episodes from the perspective of a therapist.

Buffy Gets Therapized: Selfless Love.

I was rather impressed by how he breaks down the difference between love and well "passion".

2. Per the news, and various social media sites: "President Joe Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act, granting federal protections for same-sex and interracial couples."

or "RFMA officially repealed DOMA and requires the federal government to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages, codifying parts of both Obergefell and the 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia. In July 2022, RFMA was reintroduced to Congress, with revisions including protections for interracial marriages."

Here's the legislative summary of the law:

This act provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Specifically, the act replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.)

The act also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.

The act does not (1) affect religious liberties or conscience protections that are available under the Constitution or federal law, (2) require religious organizations to provide goods or services to formally recognize or celebrate a marriage, (3) affect any benefits or rights that do not arise from a marriage, or (4) recognize under federal law any marriage between more than two individuals.

That's a big deal. It took forever just to get the Supreme Court to allow rule that it was against the US Constitution to prohibit Same Sex Marriage and Interracial Marriage in the US (various states did for ahem, "religious" reasons). Now, that we're all worried about the Conservatives on the Supreme Court going backwards on those rulings, and overruling the previous case law - the Federal legislature finally did the right thing, stepped up and wrote codified these protections into law. What that means is - no one can undo it.

All States have to respect it. Including the idiots who hadn't passed Same-Sex Marriage Acts yet.

That had to be a bi-partisan effort. Yay!

3. Health experts say its time to wear a mask again - uhm, I never really stopped? KN95 broke on the way to work, so pulled out KN94.

4. Uhm, Starz apparently cancelled Dangerous Liasons not long after they did a S2 renewal, this is happening a lot. HBO Max did the same thing with Minx.

5. But good news? Spiderman II: Across the Spiderverse is hitting theaters in 2023, this is the sequel to the animated film, featuring Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy et al. With great animation.

I also figured out who Monica Rambeau will be in the Marvels - Photon.

Comments

[trepkos]

That's great news about marriage! Though I'm surprised they felt they had to include interracial marriages - are people in the US STILL trying to say they aren't legal?

[lizzybuffy2008]

I think a great many people feared it was heading that way. They need to also codify abortion and birth control. There is a vocal minority (that has gotten power through gerrymandering and appointing judges) that since they have overturned Roe v Wade are looking at contraception next. They want to turn this country into "The Handmaids Tale."

[trepkos]

*shudders*

[shadowkat]

I have a feeling we may get more and more laws codifying Roe vs. Wade into law. NY State did it already, as did Kansas - it's in Kansas' Constitution. It's also in NY State's.
It's kind of hard to do this in the US across the board, because the States don't like the Federal government overstepping. That's why local and state races are so important.

The Supreme Court can do whatever it wants - but it the lower courts, and the police and the States choose not to follow its ruling...or challenge it with another case, which they've done, there it goes. See Roe Vs. Wade - it got overturned by the Supreme Court years later. What's to stop someone else from overturning that decision?

[shadowkat]

In certain States around the country - interracial marriages are frowned upon. Basically the South and some rural communities (which are known for a lot of inbreeding, and youthful marriages, plus low education). Apparently inbreeding is fine, but dear god, we can't handle interracial marriage or gay marriage. I'm guessing inbreeding explains that sort of troll logic? Also ignorance and lack of a good education.

Half of the US is dumb as toast.

[trepkos]

I heard a conversation in M & S the other day - some old chap saying something about Chairman Mao and the woman (about my age - 60s) had never heard of him ... She said it was because she didn't have an "edjumacation". Thanks, Homer!

[mefisto]

Alas, this makes it *harder* to undo marriages, but not impossible. For one thing, it still leaves marriage up to state law; it merely requires the feds and other states to recognize what a state has done. That means that, theoretically, Alabama could ban gay marriage within Alabama, but would have to recognize such a marriage performed in, say, New York. Additionally, the Supreme Court could hold the federal law unconstitutional (and there are, of course, christianists out there who have theories why that would be the case); Thomas and Alito would certainly do that and Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh might. Harder to say with Roberts. Finally, the Court is even now in the process of using "religion" to permit discrimination against gays and gay couples.

[shadowkat]

Be hard to do though, without undoing other laws. Also did you notice a couple of interesting bits about this law?

"The act does not (1) affect religious liberties or conscience protections that are available under the Constitution or federal law, (2) require religious organizations to provide goods or services to formally recognize or celebrate a marriage, (3) affect any benefits or rights that do not arise from a marriage, or (4) recognize under federal law any marriage between more than two individuals."

This means that they can't use Religion under the Constitution to undo the law - since the law specifically protects religious liberties. And you can't use - the "offended" bit - because well that could be anything. They were clever in their crafting of that law.

[mefisto]

I think you lack the requisite cynicism about the current Court.

[shadowkat]

No, I lack the requisite respect for the current Court's intelligence and effectiveness. They are slowly and ineffably rendering themselves ineffectual, unreliable, and inconsequential. Keep in mind they can rule whatever they damn please, but if other courts stop respecting their decisions and States stop enforcing them - they become inconsequential. So, unless Roberts steps up, they could find themselves getting more people added.

[yourlibrarian]

Yeah, if only masking hadn't been stopped. There are free Covid tests being offered free from the government again too. I just ordered some today as I expect they will be in short supply after the holidays.

[shadowkat]

Thanks for the reminder - ordered mine today. I'll probably get them when I get back from Mother's.

I've never really stopped with the masks. Which is why I've only gotten sick twice this year. And not that badly.

[svgurl]

I was happy about the Marriage Act being passed too. It was definitely a bipartisan effort though of course there were some usual suspects voting against it.

I am with you on the masks too. I don't wear the KN95s but I have been wearing a mask while indoors.