Tyler Clementi Suicide and Murder Charges Controversy

Tyler Clementi’s suicide shocked and devastated the world. Clementi was an otherwise unheard of gay Rutger’s student, whose roommates did the unthinkable. They planted a camera in the bedroom, and then streamed the video online. The video showed Tyler Clementi with another male.

The young man was ridiculed, and eventually he jumped off the George Washington bridge. There are so many people in many industries –the entertainment industry to say the least – that are devastated by this loss.

What the roommates did was invade his privacy, and they’ve been charged accordingly. However, many are calling for the roommates to face murder charges.

Now, as wicked as these kids were to this young man, I highly doubt that they wanted him to go and jump off the bridge. That being said, they still contributed to his death by their actions. Had they left him alone, it’s arguable that he’d still be alive.

What they did is no different from a drunk person choosing to drive a vehicle. They took a chance – a chance that ended in someone losing their life. While the risk wasn’t with the intent of death, that’s the way it happened and there should be consequences – manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter – something.

What do you think of Tyler Clementi’s suicide? Do you think there should be murder charges?

Prop 8 Stays End Next Week - California Resumes Same Sex Marriage Wednesday

The US District Court judge of California refused to extend Prop 8, the controversial gay marriage legislation which made same-sex nuptials illegal in the state of California. What this means that by next Wednesday August 18, same sex marriage will be legal again in California. This is a great victory for the people who were against prop 8.

The Judge's decision did not begin right away to give the appeals court time to weigh in on the matter. Still, to the people of California this was a victory.It was also a victory for the entire gay rights movement, as it marked one of the first times that  a court ruled in favor of gay rights and gay marriage.  Many people in states around the country are hoping that the legislation and precedent set in California will turn into legislation in their own states.

It has been reported that since November 2008 there has already been 18,000 same sex couples that have been married. So everyone can see that this has been a hot issue ever since the ban has been in place.

Reports have stated that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown would like the ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker to be put into effect as soon as possible.

VIDEO: Glenn Beck a Supporter of Gay Marriage Rights?

Glenn Beck is a supporter of gay marriage rights? Gay marriage rights are a hot item, and Fox News Glenn Beck talked about the topic when he debated with Bill O’Reilly on the subject matter.

Many think of Glenn Beck as a bat-crazy conservative, who’s ready to take America back to the 1700’s. While he is a conservative, there are arguments out there that he’s more of a fiscal conservative – not a social one.

Glenn Beck believes that individual churches – not the states – should decide who can and cannot get married. He claims that the government has no right to dictate who can and cannot marry.

This echoes many of Beck’s ideologies that the government doesn’t need to stick their nose into every social argument. Abortion is about the only thing that Beck believes a government has a right to dictate

As the gay marriage rights campaigns move forward – expect more out of states other than just California . Stars such as Cynthia Nixon in NYC have expressed interest that their states get the same rights as California .

Proposition 8, Repealed - What's Next for Gay Rights?

Proposition 8 was repealed after it was passed by California voters. The controversial law made same-sex marriage illegal in California, despite the legalization of gay marriage in San Francisco years earlier. San Francisco along with gay couples sued the state, and Judge Vaughn Walker agreed that the law was unconstitutional.

Appeals have already been filed, showcasing that this battle is far from being over. However, this is as expected - the fight for gay rights has become a modern day civil rights movement. As such, the fight will likely go all the way to the Supreme Court.

What will the end result be? Vaughn Walker's ruling will be used as precedent for other cases. Although same-sex marriage isn't legalized in all states, it's likely that the recent ruling will pave the way for more states to legalize the unions.

There have already been advances in offering the same benefits to same-sex couples as their heterosexual counterparts. Many companies allow insurance coverage on families with domestic partnerships. Adoptions are also possible.

Proposition 8 passed, and then was deemed unconstitutional. The further rulings of higher courts will further expand this issue and likely change the landscape of marriage as we know it.

Prop8 Ruling: Carly Fiorina, Barbara Boxer Disagree with Vaughn Walker’s decision

The Prop8 ruling has catalyzed the core of the gay rights movement. In California , judge Vaughn Walker overturned the voter-approved measure which banned gay marriage in the state.  San Francisco with the support of gay couples challenged the law, and successfully got it overturned.

An appeal has been filed, and we expect that the issue will make it all the way to the US Supreme Court before all is said and done.

The Senate Race in California is already setting up a debate, with Republican hopeful and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina stating that she’s against the judges ruling, citing that voters in California spoke their desires.  Barbara Boxer disagrees with her opponent, and cites that it’s an important step towards equal rights.

Diane Feinstein, another Senator from California who is not up for re-election right now is also supportive of the recent ruling.

While many are against the ruling, many are for it as well.  Gay rights is our modern-day civil rights movement, and it will be interesting to see how this case impacts the rest of the country

California Proposition 8 2010 - Judge Rules Anti-Gay Marriage Law Unconstitutional

California's proposition 8 has opposition.  Today - in 2010,  judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the proposition 8 anti-gay marriage law is unconstitutional.  After the passage of prop 8, the city of San Francisco and a couple of gay couples sued the state to stop the law from going in to effect.

The law previously passed with voter support on a ballot.

This is a battle won, but doesn't mark the end of the war.  There will likely be many more steps for this bill to overcome before we can say that it has been successfully overturned. The fight could go all the way to the Supreme Court - where a ruling would be a landmark for gay rights activists.

The attitude in California was rather celebratory.  Celebrities such as Ellen, Kim Kardashian, and more all applaud the judges ruling.

Many are concerned about the law, claiming that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman, and has been for the past millennium. Still others say it's time for a change, and time for same-sex couples to reap the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts.  What are your thoughts on the matter?